future of Israel as a theological question, The

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Sep 2001 by Blaising, Craig A

We need to observe here that a heightened hermeneutical awareness per se does not automatically solve this problem. One must not underestimate the power of longstanding tradition in shaping the hermeneutical preunderstanding by which individual texts as well as whole portions of biblical literature are read-preunderstandings which are reinforced by the expositional commentary traditions in evangelical preaching and by traditional forms of theological catechesis in evangelical teaching.

We as evangelicals affirm the consistent application of a grammaticalhistorical-literary hermeneutic. And we have produced excellent works on hermeneutics from, for example, Osborne to Vanhoozer. 20 Also, we as evangelicals participate in the work of developing a canonical theology as can be seen, for example, in works from Dumbrell to Sailhamer.21

However, although we are rich in hermeneutical theory, we are poor in its theological implementation. Our tendency in evangelicalism is to rest confessionally on the theological work of predecessors rather than drawing the faith afresh and ever richer out of Scripture by the hermeneutical methodologies which we spend so much time developing.

In short, to take the future of Israel seriously as a theological question encumbers evangelical theology foundationally in the work of drawing out a canonical theology that is faithful to verbal revelation. And as we do that, as we draw that theology out of the canon with Israel left in the story, what might we expect theologically?

VI. ASPECTS OF A NON-SUPERSESSIONIST EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY

Here we can only sketch some of the possible implications that I think we can see in the doctrine of God, anthropology, Christology, ecclesiology, and eschatology.

1. Doctrine of God. With respect to our understanding of God, I think we would have to put foremost in our thinking that our God is the God of Israel. He is the God of Israel, and also of the Gentiles. God created us all alike, but among this human creation, God chose Abraham and his descendants after him to bless him and them and to bless us who are Gentiles in him. Our relationship to God is therefore not that of an undifferentiated mass, or even simply by the distinction of the election of salvation, but by another election which adds complexity to the picture, the election of Israel among the peoples of the world.

When we talk about the attributes of God, first priority should be put, not on apophatic or cataphatic methods, but on how he described himself to Moses on Sinai: "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." Note the emphasis on lovingkindness and truth. This is good news for a people to whom he has given promises of everlasting blessing. As a God who abounds in lovingkindness and truth, he can be relied upon to keep his word. It is this God who became incarnate in the house of David 2000 years ago, revealing ever more fully his grace and truth. And it is he who has been receiving us Gentiles to a table of fellowship with the remnant of Israel.