Professor John Webster

Professor John Webster The University of Aberdeen School of Divinity, History & Philosophy Chair of Systematic Theology work +44 (0)1224 273120 pref j.webster@abdn.ac.uk pref School of Divinity, History and Philosophy, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen. AB24 3UB

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Biography

After studying English and Theology, I undertook doctoral work on the German Lutheran systematic and philosophical theologian Eberhard Jüngel. I taught in Durham and then in Canada as a professor at the Toronto School of Theology, and before coming to Aberdeen spent seven years as Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford. I have a range of interests in the fields of systematic, historical and moral theology; my current research has three foci.

• In the area of constructive Christian dogmatics, my research concerns both questions of the nature of dogmatic theology and of its material content as the rational articulation of the Christian gospel. My particular interests are in the doctrine of the divine attributes, Christology and soteriology, and in human response to the divine work (especially ecclesiology and ethics). My major long-term writing project is a multi-volume systematic theology. With Professor Torrance and Professor Tanner of the University of Chicago, I am editing the Oxford Handbook to Systematic Theology.
• Much of my work for the last two decades has been concerned with modern historical theology, and in particular the history of the migration of Christian theology to the margins of the dominant intellectual and cultural institutions of the West. This has involved particular attention to the career of modern Protestantism in the last two centuries. I have an especial research interest in a number of areas of the theology Barth, where I have developed a rather different account from that found in most interpreters, one which emphasises the central significance of biblical interpretation and the Reformed tradition in his work, and which views his ethical interests as an integral part of his theology throughout his career. I am currently researching Barth's theology in the 1920s.
• In recent years I have developed an interest in giving a doctrinal account of the nature and interpretation of Scripture, one which is not dominated by hermeneutical theory but which gives an account of Scripture and its readers through such doctrinal themes as revelation, salvation, sanctification and church. In this connection, I am am currently preparing a theological commentary on Ephesians.

I am a founding editor of the International Journal of Systematic Theology, and on the editorial board of the International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church and of the Scottish Journal of Theology Monographs; I am also a series editor of 'The Great Theologians' and 'Barth Studies' for Ashgate. I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2005.

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Publications

Contributions to Journals

Articles

• Webster, JB. (in press). '�Love is also a lover of life”: creatio ex nihilo and creaturely goodness’'. Modern Theology.
• Webster, JB. (2011). 'Illumination'. Journal of Reformed Theology, vol 5, pp. 324-339.
• Webster, JB. (2011). 'T.F. Torrance on Scripture'. Scottish Journal of Theology, vol 65, pp. 34-63.
• Webster, JB. (2010). 'Trinity and Creation'. International Journal of Systematic Theology, vol 12, no. 1, pp. 4-19.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2400.2009.00489.x
• Webster, JB. (2009). 'Principles of Systematic Theology'. International Journal of Systematic Theology, vol 11, no. 1, pp. 56-71.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2400.2008.00423.x
• Webster, JB. (2008). 'Biblical Reasoning'. Anglican Theological Review, vol 90, no. 4, pp. 733-751.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'Wie Geschöpfe Leben: Some Dogmatic Reflections'. Studies in Christian Ethics, vol 20, no. 2, pp. 273-285.
  [Online] DOI: 10.1177/0953946807079855

Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Chapters

• Webster, JB. (2012). 'Providence'. K Kapic & BL McCormack (eds), in: Mapping Modern Theology: A Thematic and Historical Introduction. Baker Pub. Group, Grand Rapids, pp. 203-226.
• Webster, JB. (2012). 'Barth’s Lectures on the Gospel of John'. G Hunsinger (ed.), in: Thy Word is Truth: Barth on Scripture. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, pp. 125-147.
• Webster, JB. (2012). ''In the Society of God': Some Principles of Ecclesiology'. P Ward (ed.), in: Perspectives on Ecclesiology and Ethnography: Studies in Ecclesiology and Ethnography. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, pp. 200-222.
• Webster, JB. (2011). ''It was the will of the Lord to bruise him': Soteriology and the doctrine of God'. I Davidson & M Rae (eds), in: God of Salvation: Soteriology in Theological Perspective. Ashgate, Aldershot, United Kingdom, pp. 15-34.
• Webster, JB. (2011). 'Perfection and Participation'. TJ White (ed.), in: The Analogy of Being : Invention of the Antichrist or the Wisdom of God?. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, MI, USA, pp. 379-394.
• Webster, JB. (2011). 'Regina artium: Theology and the Humanities'. CC Brittain & FA Murphy (eds), in: Theology, University, Humanities: Initium Sapientiae Timor Domini. Cascade Books, pp. 39-63.
• Webster, JB. (2011). 'Ressourcement Theology and Protestantism'. G Flynn & PD Murray (eds), in: Ressourcement: A Movement for Renewal in Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology. Oxford University Press, pp. 482-494.
• Webster, JB. (2011). 'Curiosity'. M Higton & J Law (eds), in: Theology and Human Flourishing: Essays in Honour of Timothy J. Gorringe. Cascade Books, Eugene, OR, pp. 212-223.
• Webster, JB. (2010). 'Gunton and Barth'. L Harvey (ed.), in: The Theology of Colin Gunton. T & T Clark, London, pp. 17-31.
• Webster, JB. (2010). ''Where Christ Is': Christology and Ethics'. L Shults & B Waters (eds), in: Christology and Ethics. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, USA, pp. 32-55.
• Webster, JB. (2009). 'On the Theology of Providence'. FA Murphy & PG Ziegler (eds), in: The Providence of God. T. & T. Clark, London, United Kingdom, pp. 158-175.
• Webster, JB. (2009). 'Rector et iudex super omnia genera doctrinarum?: The place of the doctrine of justification'. M Weinrich & JP Burgess (eds), in: What is Justification About? : Reformed Contributions to an Ecumenical Theme. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, MI, USA, pp. 35-56.
• Webster, JB. (2009). 'One Who Is Son: Theological Reflections on the Exordium To the Epistle to the Hebrews'. R Bauckham, DR Driver, TA Hart & N MacDonald (eds), in: The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., Grand Rapids, MI, USA, pp. 69-94.
• Webster, JB. (2008). 'Ut Unum Sint: Some Cross-bench Anglican Reflections'. F A Murphy & C Asprey (eds), in: Ecumenism Today: The Universal Church in the 21st Century. Ashgate, Aldershot, United Kingdom, pp. 29-43.
• Webster, JB. (2008). 'Rowan Williams on Scripture'. M Bockmuehl & A. Torrance (eds), in: Scripture’s Doctrine and Theology’s Bible: How the NewTestament Shapes Christian Dogmatics. Baker Pub. Group, Grand Rapids, MI, USA, pp. 105-123.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'Jesus Christ'. T Larsen & D. Treier (eds), in: The Cambridge Companion to Evangelical Theology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge University Press/Cambridge, pp. 51-63.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'Introduction: Systematic Theology'. J Webster, K. Tanner & I. Torrance (eds), in: The Oxford Handbook to Systematic Theology. Oxford University Press/Oxford, pp. 1-15.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'Pureté et plenitude: réflexions protestantes sur “La tradition et les Traditions” de Congar'. G Flynn (ed.), in: Yves Congar. Théologien de l’Église. Cerf/Paris, pp. 43-63.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'Resurrection and Scripture'. AT Lincoln & A Paddison (eds), in: Christology and Scripture: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Library of New Testament Studies, T & T Clark, London, UK, pp. 138-155.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'Theologies of Retrieval'. J Webster, K Tanner & I Torrance (eds), in: The Oxford Handbook to Systematic Theology. Oxford Handbooks in Religion and Theology, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, pp. 583-599.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'God’s Aseity'. A Moore & M Scott (eds), in: Realism and Religion: Philosophical and Theological Perspectives. Ashgate, Aldershot, UK, pp. 147-162.
• Webster, JB. (2007). 'The Dignity of Creatures'. P Middleton (ed.), in: The God of Love and Human Dignity: Essays in Honour of George M. Newlands. T. & T. Clark, London, UK, pp. 19-33.

Books and Reports

Books

• Webster, JB. (in press). 'God Without Measure. Working Papers in Christian Dogmatics'. T. & T. Clark, London.
• Webster, JB. (2012). 'The Domain of the Word: Scripture and Theological Reason'. T &T Clark International, London, UK.
• Webster, JB. 'On Creation and Providence'. Baker Pub. Group, Grand Rapids.
• Webster, JB., Tanner, K. & Torrance, IR. (2007). 'The Oxford Handbook to Systematic Theology'. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
• Webster, JB. (2005). 'Barth's Earlier Theology'. Unknown Publisher, T & T Clark International.
• Webster, JB. (2005). 'Confessing God. Essays in Christian Dogmatics II'. Unknown Publisher, T & T Clark, London.

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