Ian McFarland: From Nothing
Image: David Marcu
The task of the second part of the book is to look at the context within which creation is drawn to perfection in the love it was created in by showing how successes and failures experienced now form Christian hope for glorification of creation. Consequently, McFarland moves on to show how “God is also the world’s goal and end” (p. xiii) by investigating the subjects of evil, providence and glory. In chapter 5,the author shows that evil is in no way something God allows in an effort to help some realize some greater good; “evil is that which God is always in the process of disallowing by the very act of holding creatures in being” (p. 134). Further, despite the reality of evil, it cannot defeat God’s ultimate will for creatures flourishing. The author explores this enduring aspect of God’s work with creatures through an explanation of the doctrine of providence (chapter 6). McFarland puts forth three categories to describe God’s providential activity: conservatio (preservation), concursus (accompaniment), and gubernatio (direction). His aim is to strike a balance between both divine sovereignty and creaturely activity, in an attempt to avoid determinism. God provides for creation so that it may come to its eschatological goal, but this provision does not advance creatures towards glory by itself.
Chapter 7 then turns to discuss the topic of glory as distinct from the doctrine of creation, yet related, for “The point of glory is not to negate the present form of creation but to perfect it” (180). Further, McFarland emphasizes the central place the Eucharist has to play as a foretaste of the Kingdom to come.
Lastly, in chapter 8, McFarland briefly surveys his main points throughout the book, and emphasizes the importance the doctrine of creation from nothing is to the church: “In short, creation from nothing dictates that everything is of immediate concern to God insofar as it exists at all, and what is of concern to God cannot be a matter of indifference to us who are called to life in communion with God” (p. 185). Therefore, his conclusion not only is theoretical, but practical in nature.
In sum, the author’s aim, to defend and develop the classic doctrine of creation ex nihilo, was accomplished well overall. In my estimation, the author contributed a concise yet carefully thorough work on the doctrine of creation from nothing. This book serves as an important, contemporary piece providing a way to seriously engage a theology of creation without falling prey to process theology. Although McFarland’s book is succinct, the reading is quite demanding. Thus, non-academic readers will find McFarland’s work to be especially strenuous. Nevertheless, those who labor will find reward, for this work is both rich and robust.
Reviewed by Andrew Ray Williams
Publisher’s page: http://www.wjkbooks.com/Products/066423819X/from-nothing.aspx
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