God in Himself: Scripture, Metaphysics, and the Task of Christian Theology

How do we know God? Can we know God as he is in himself?

These longstanding questions have been addressed by Christian theologians throughout the church's history. Some, such as Thomas Aquinas, have argued that we know God through both natural and supernatural revelation, while others, especially Karl Barth, have argued that we know God only on the basis of the incarnation. Contemporary discussions of these issues sometimes give the impression that we have to choose between a speculative doctrine of God driven by natural theology or metaphysics and a Christ-centered doctrine of God driven by God's work in the history of salvation.

In this Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture volume, Steven J. Duby casts a vision for integrating natural theology, the incarnation, and metaphysics in a Christian description of God in himself.

Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture, edited by Daniel J. Treier and Kevin J. Vanhoozer, promotes evangelical contributions to systematic theology, seeking fresh understanding of Christian doctrine through creatively faithful engagement with Scripture in dialogue with church.

Steven J. Duby (PhD, University of St Andrews) is associate professor of theology at Grand Canyon University. He is the author of Divine Simplicity: A Dogmatic Account.

Kevin J. Vanhoozer (PhD, Cambridge University) is Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author of many works, including First Theology, The Drama of Doctrine and is coauthor with Daniel Treier of Theology and the Mirror of Scripture.

Daniel J. Treier (1972-2025) (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) was Blanchard Professor of Theology at Wheaton College. He was a founding editor of the Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture series. He coedited and wrote numerous books, including Virtue and the Voice of God and Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture.