Emptiness and Presence in a Non-substantialist Formulation of Trinitarian Doctrine

This paper examines the ideas of emptiness (śūnyatā) and presence (svabhāva) in the discourses of Indian Madhyamika thinkers in comparison with the work of prominent Kyoto School philosopher and key figure in Buddhist-Christian dialogue, Masao Abe (1915–2006). Madhyamika’s negative dialectic and Abe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of reformed theology
Main Author: Kang, Chris (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2018
In: Journal of reformed theology
IxTheo Classification:AX Inter-religious relations
BL Buddhism
KDD Protestant Church
NBC Doctrine of God
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B Emptiness two truths trinitarian personhood nothingness
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Description
Summary:This paper examines the ideas of emptiness (śūnyatā) and presence (svabhāva) in the discourses of Indian Madhyamika thinkers in comparison with the work of prominent Kyoto School philosopher and key figure in Buddhist-Christian dialogue, Masao Abe (1915–2006). Madhyamika’s negative dialectic and Abe’s oeuvre are applied to the trinitarian theology of Scottish theologian and churchman Thomas Forsyth Torrance (1913–2007), even as Torrance’s oeuvre is allowed to recast and illuminate notions of emptiness in light of the trinitarian faith. In this movement of ideas, the dynamic interpretations and reinterpretations of the doctrine of emptiness by Indian thinkers are brought to bear on Abe’s thought and, in turn, on Torrance’s trinitarian theology. In this way, the metaphysical basis of trinitarian doctrine is drawn into sharper focus even as an emptiness-based, non-substantialist, onto-relational theology of the Trinity emerges as a potentially viable account of the nature of the triune Godhead.
ISSN:1569-7312
Contains:In: Journal of reformed theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15697312-01202010