The theological virtue of hope is rarely associated with Reinhold Niebuhr’s Christian Realism, which was developed in during the twentieth century’s world conflicts. Because of their carefully constructed analyses of the problems of human sin, their understanding of God and the human and their interpretation of the place of Christian ethics in the midst of a chaotic existence, Niebuhr’s writings were indispensable to Christians of his time period. His profound influence on the fields of theology, ethics and Christian political thought has resulted in a revitalised interest in Niebuhrian realism in recent years. Most of this resurgent interest, however, has resulted in analysis of Niebuhr’s political thought. This doctoral thesis examines the philosophical and theological foundations of Niebuhr’s Christian realism and finds in that examination a basis for associating theological hope with Niebuhr’s thought. Attention is given primarily to Niebuhr’s formal writings, where his theology is most sharply defined. The first part of the thesis considers the association between twentieth-century moral philosophy and Christian realism; Niebuhr’s relationship to post-Vatican II Catholic moral theology; the social hermeneutics of Christian realism; and, a popular criticism of Niebuhr’s realism from one of the leading intellectuals of postmodern theology today. From these investigations, we are able to discern particular philosophical themes that serve key roles for interpreting Niebuhr’s realism. Part two explores how the themes determined in part one are carried over to help understand the basis of theological hope in Christian realism. Here the place of the “Christ of Faith” and the “Christ of History” are considered in light of previous investigations and placed within the context of Niebuhr’s overall theology. The thesis concludes that there is good reason to associate Niebuhr’s articulation of Christian realism with theological hope.

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This thesis is an intellectual and contextual biography of James Denney. As biography it has a narrative structure, but since the aim is primarily a contextual study of Denney’s mind, particular emphasis is given to the development of ideas. Since intellectual commitments emerge from a person’s interaction with the changing context of their life and times, attention has been paid to the personal, intellectual, social, historical and religious environment which influenced Denney’s thought and set the priorities of his theological agenda. The thesis is not a study from a single perspective such as systems theology or church history. It traces the history of a mind, in the context of a life, with the aim of identifying and describing Denney’s mental landscape and intellectual journey. The materials consulted include the published corpus of Denney’s work, particularly his major monographs, scholarly articles and more popular journalism. Extensive use has also been made of the large collection of Denney’s unpublished manuscripts deposited in New College. Where possible both published and unpublished work have been placed in the context and chronology of Denney’s life and used to shed light on the changes and continuities of his thought. A brief Introduction describes the provenance of Denney’s unpublished papers, indicating their significance as a new source for understanding his thought. Chapter one describes his early years, from 1856-74, spent in Greenock within the Reformed Presbyterian Church. His education at Glasgow University and Glasgow Free College spanning 1874-83, are then examined in chapters two and three, paying special attention to teachers and movements of thought impinging on Denney’s intellectual development. The impact of thirteen years of ministry, 1883-97, two in the Gallowgate, Glasgow and eleven in Broughty Ferry, is evaluated in chapter four. Twenty years spent at Glasgow College represent a time of maturing thought and growing influence. In chapters five, (1897-1907) and six (1907-17), Denney’s major theological commitments and ideas are set within the narrative and context of his life.

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This thesis is a study of the soteriological thought of the American theologian and preacher, Jonathan Edwards. In the first part of the thesis, previous relevant scholarly studies are examined. What becomes apparent is that in the light of the unpublished manuscripts there is still a great amount of research to be done on Edwards' soteriology. This thesis identifies the central core of Edwards' thought to be God's wisdom as it appears in the great plan and work of redemption. Examination is made of the major themes in Edwards' writings with constant reference to parts of the vast corpus of Edwards' unpublished writings which are held at the Beinecke Library, Yale. The main part of the thesis consists of three sections: the need of redemption, the provision of redemption and concluding with the application of redemption. The controversial subjects of Edwards' views on the atonement and the sinner's natural ability to respond to the offer of the Gospel are considered. The picture that emerges from both his published and unpublished works is that of an atonement that was available for all. Christ died for all that all might have an opportunity to be saved. All that do not respond are doubly guilty because they had the natural ability to do so. But it is not a synergistic theology. Clearly there are tensions within his theology, which is why there has been so much controversy about Edwards and his theology. This study works through these tensions as Edwards developed them.

T.F. Torrance is the most consistent evangelical theologian of this century. The architectonic beauty of his thought is coherently maintained throughout his theology. Torrance's theology is formally trinitarian, materially Christological, and actualistically pneumatological. The inner structure of his theology reveals three concepts that revolve around an axis of union and communion: perichoresis, unio hypostatica and koinonia. The Person of Christ is the center of this union and communion, so that the fundamental heart of his theology is "union in Christ" and "union with Christ." This thesis shows a thoroughgoing synopsis and articulation of Torrance's theology on a scale which has not been attempted before. The central claim is that the way of Christ's incarnational union with us, union in Christ, is the way of our union with Christ. These are not two separate unions, but two moments of the one event in a continuous circle of relation. "Union with Christ" does not mean a second act of incorporation in addition to the one worked out by Christ himself, but it means the subjective and eschatological realization of what is objectively and ontologically realized in Jesus Christ. The meaning of union with Christ is given by its higher-level reference to union in Christ. Torrance's central theme of "union with Christ" is established in his Christology and soteriology, and is confirmed by his epistemology, and bears great fruits in his ecclesiology and sacramentology. This intrinsic Christological pattern runs through the entire structure of his theology. No one since Calvin has deployed this theme of union with Christ more thoroughly and effectively than Torrance. It is this understanding of union in Christ and union with Christ which acts as the guiding vision for his epistemology, hermeneutics, his critique of dualism, his understanding of the Person of Christ, the atonement, and the relation between Christ and the Church; and hence his views of faith, election, justification, sanctification, regeneration, worship, preaching, ministry, the Sacraments, eschaton, and so on. The recovery of such an understanding of union with Christ may provide critical and constructive implications for the theological, ecclesiastical and liturgical renewal of the Church.

The subject of the thesis is, "The Origin of John Knox's Doctrine of Just Rebellion". Neither Martin Luther nor John Calvin taught any such doctrine, and therefore there can be no question of their having influenced Knox in this matter. The teaching of the famous Scottish scholastic, John Major, almost certainly reached John Knox, and a study of those parts of it which relate to political obedience shows a distinct similarity to that of the Reformer. If an examination be made of possible sources for Major's views, such as those of the Parisian scholars from 1300-1800, it will be seen how they fall into a natural line of descent. Both direct and indirect evidence point to the dependence of these last-named scholars upon Augustine and Thomas Aquinas for elements of their thought, but, more important, a case can be made out for a direct Augustinian influence upon Knox himself. The political thought of several representative sixteenth century writers from Germany, France, Switzerland, Scotland, and England, was studied, in order to compare it with that of Knox and also to see whether any or all of the men chosen could have exercised an influence over him in the formation of his doctrine of Just Rebellion. The results of this comparative analysis were varied. It was demonstrated that some of the men could have had no possible connection with Knox, but with others the interesting possibility of influence upon him could not be denied. In particular, in the case of Christopher Goodman, there was found to be positive evidence suggesting an intimate personal and literary connection with the Scottish Reformer. When all the facts relative to the study were collated, the following conclusions emerged. John Knox's advocacy of the doctrine of Just Rebellion by no means made him the lonely prophet of revolution which he has sometimes been painted. On the contrary he was, with this policy, closely in line with the positions of a large number of the Protestant theorists of his time. On the question of the origin of the doctrine, it has been proved that its most likely inspiration came from John Major. Judged by all available evidence this must have been the main starting point for his own thoughts on resistance. Probable, but not certain influence upon him came from Augustine, Goodman, and Beza, while his sojourn in Europe, and consequent acquaintance with the situation of the reformed churches there, doubtless helped to put the whole problem into perspective-for him. The fact that Knox's doctrine differed in some respects from all the other writings is explained by the fact of the particular politicalt conditions which prevailed in sixteenth century Scotland. As well as the proven influences upon him, there is also to be considered, as in all writers of political theory, the strong element of circumstance, which affected and helped to mould his developing thought. The answer, then, to the question of the origin of the doctrine of Just Rebellion has three facets: literary dependence, circumstantial influence, and the particular colouring ishich the doctrine received from Knox's own character and personality.