Eucharistic Theology Proper

God glorifies Himself in self-giving.

No Primary in Infinity

Jeez. I’m reading John Piper right now, and while I like a lot of what he has to say and think he’s got good intentions, his use of God’s glory is really troubling. I plan to do a fuller review sometime (after finals!), and I will agree with much of Piper’s book. However this theology proper thing is a real doozy. Everything is played off against God’s glory- it is primary, and Piper even goes so far to contrast God’s self-glory with the mere concept of covenant faithfulness (contra NTW of course). It maketh mine brain gesch-hurt.

Didn’t Irenaeus say that the glory of God is a man fully alive? Something similar could be illustrated with a glass of wine. A burning bush that is not consumed, perhaps.

The problem is that God is in covenant with all of creation (covenant of works anyone?), and Christ is the eventual consummation of all covenants. Jesus Christ is God with us, God in the flesh, God’s own covenanter.

God’s covenant faithfulness is His own self-glory, self-integrity, self-love, and self-giving. Jesus is the harmonization of it all.

And did I mention that we should retain the doctrine of divine simplicity?