About Providence, Divine Action and the Church


In this blog, Terry J. Wright posts thoughts and shares research on the Christian doctrine of providence. This doctrine testifies to God’s provision for all things through creation’s high priest, the man Christ Jesus. However, the precise meaning and manner of this provision is a perpetually open question, and this blog is a forum for discussion of the many issues relating to providence and the place of the Church within God’s action.

About Me

I am an Associate Research Fellow at Spurgeon’s College, and a freelance proofreader, copy-editor, and indexer. I have published widely on the Christian doctrine of providence (my primary research interest), and on themes ranging from virtual reality to collecting 1980s memorabilia.

The views expressed on this blog are my own unless otherwise stated.

Please contact me here.

Books

Providence Made Flesh: Divine Presence as a Framework for a Theology of Providence (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2009)


Journal Articles

‘Divine Presence as a Framework for God’s Providence’, Epworth Review 36 (2009), online only

‘How is Christ Present to the World?’, International Journal of Systematic Theology 7 (2005), pp. 300–315

‘Witnessing Christians from Karl Barth’s Perspective’, Evangelical Quarterly 75 (2003), pp. 239–255

‘Reconsidering Concursus’, International Journal of Systematic Theology 4 (2002), pp. 205–215

‘Confusing the Issue’, Theology 104 (2001), pp. 256–262


Essays in Books

‘Is Informational Causality Primary Causality? A Study of an Aspect of John Polkinghorne’s Account of Divine Action’, in Fraser Watts and Christopher C. Knight (eds.), God and the Scientist: Exploring the Work of John Polkinghorne. Ashgate Science and Religion Series (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012), pp. 33–50

‘Colin Gunton on Providence: Critical Commentaries’, in Lincoln Harvey (ed.), The Theology of Colin Gunton (London: T&T Clark, 2010), pp. 146–164

‘The Seal of Approval: An Interpretation of the Son’s Sustaining Action in Hebrews 1:3’, in Nathan MacDonald, Richard J. Bauckham, Daniel R. Driver and Trevor A. Hart (eds.), The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009), pp. 140–148

‘Collecting Memories: Identity, Nostalgia and the Objects of Childhood’, in Angela Shier-Jones (ed.), Children of God: Towards a Theology of Childhood (Peterborough: Epworth, 2007), pp. 159–179


Book Reviews

Joel B. Green (ed.), Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition, in Theological Book Review (forthcoming)

Mark W. Elliott, The Heart of Biblical Theology: Providence Experienced, in Theology (forthcoming)

Yulin Liu, Temple Purity in 1–2 Corinthians, in Theological Book Review (forthcoming)

Julien Smith, Christ the Ideal King: Cultural Context, Rhetorical Strategy, and the Power of Divine Monarchy in Ephesians, in Theological Book Review (forthcoming)

Christopher C. Green, Doxological Theology: Karl Barth on Divine Providence, Evil, and the Angels, in Journal of Theological Studies 64 (2013), pp. 816–818

Brian Davies and Eleonore Stump (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Aquinas, in Theology 116:3 (2013), pp. 204–205

Stephen H. Webb, Jesus Christ, Eternal God: Heavenly Flesh and the Metaphysics of Matter, in Theology 116:1 (2013), pp. 53–54

Francesca Aran Murphy and Philip G. Ziegler (eds.), The Providence of God: Deus Habet Consilium, in International Journal of Systematic Theology 15:1 (2013), pp. 99–101

William G. Dever, The Lives of Ordinary People in Ancient Israel: Where Archaeology and the Bible Intersect, in Theological Book Review, in Theological Book Review 24:2 (2012), p. 8

Bradley G. Green, Colin Gunton and the Failure of Augustine: The Theology of Colin Gunton in Light of Augustine, in Theological Book Review 24:1 (2012), p. 42

Harry Lee Poe and Jimmy H. Davis, God and the Cosmos: Divine Activity in Space, Time and History, in American Theological Inquiry 5:2 (2012), pp. 98–101

Sean M. McDonough, Christ as Creator: Origins of a New Testament Doctrine, in International Journal of Systematic Theology 14:2 (2012), pp. 249–251

Alister E. McGrath, The Open Secret: A New Vision for Natural Theology, in International Journal of Systematic Theology 14:1 (2012), pp. 114–117

Amos Yong, The Spirit of Creation: Modern Science and Divine Action in the Pentecostal–Charismatic Imagination, in Theological Book Review 23:2 (2011), p. 78

John D. Zizioulas, The Eucharistic Communion and the World, edited by Luke Ben Tallon, in Theological Book Review 23:2 (2011), pp. 47–48

John Polkinghorne (ed.), The Trinity and an Entangled World: Relationality in Physical Science and Theology, in Theological Book Review 23:1 (2011), pp. 89–90

Julie Canlis, Calvin’s Ladder: A Spiritual Theology of Ascent and Ascension, in Theology 114:3 (2011), pp. 208–209

Charles M. Wood, The Question of Providence, in International Journal of Systematic Theology 13:1 (2011), pp. 117–119

Philip J. Rossi (ed.), God, Grace, and Creation, in Theological Book Review 22:2 (2010), p. 69

John Calvin, The Secret Providence of God, edited by Paul Helm and translated by Keith Goad, in Epworth Review 37:4 (2010), pp. 66–67

Mark K. George, Israel’s Tabernacle as Social Space, in Theological Book Review 22:1 (2010), p. 114

Paul M. Collins, The Trinity: A Guide for the Perplexed, in Epworth Review 37:1 (2010), p. 71

Mark Ian Thomas Robson, Ontology and Providence in Creation: Taking Ex Nihilo Seriously, in American Theological Inquiry 3:1 (2010), pp. 190–192

Anna Case-Winters, Reconstructing a Christian Theology of Nature: Down to Earth, in International Journal of Systematic Theology 11 (2009), pp. 367–370

David J. Bartholomew, God, Chance and Purpose: Can God Have It Both Ways?, in The Heythrop Journal 50 (2009), pp. 542–543

Paul Copan and William Lane Craig, Creation Out of Nothing: A Biblical, Philosophical and Scientific Exploration, in The Heythrop Journal 47 (2006), pp. 441–442

Samuel M. Powell, Participating in God: Creation and Trinity, in International Journal of Systematic Theology 8 (2006), pp. 103–106

Walter Brueggemann, Worship in Ancient Israel: An Essential Guide, in Ichthus 156:2 (2006), p. 15