Question 2: The Supernatural

Thanks Dan for starting off our conversation of Francis Hall's Theological Outlines. Lets have a go at question 2, on the supernatural. While I thought he opened clearly with his definition of theology, some confusion immediately comes in when he starts in on the supernatural , or at least some terms go by without being well explained. Of course, "the supernatural" is a huge topic, especially when we also look at philosophical concerns (which he apparently wants to do). I would like to quote this bit at the end though, and then make a brief comment: "Certain writers err in supposing that the distinction between lower and higher natures and between the forces resident in them (for this is what the distinction between natural and supernatural really means) has the effect of banishing God from nature and of reducing nature's Divine significance. It is God that worketh whether He employs the forces resident in lower or higher natures, or dispenses with the use of means." In other words, grace founds nature, as Balthasar and de Lubac stressed. And if we look at Hall's definition of supernatural, which is anything the causation of which cannot be assigned to visible or human means, then obviously men and women are fundamentally graced, and all of the natural causes which they assign and effect come from grace. Balthasar makes the same point at the end of "Love Alone" and it really grounds his understanding of universal salvation. More on that later.

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Francis Hall, 1 - On the science of Theology

Aron and I recently came up Francis Hall's Theological Outlines over at the Disseminary. Since the nice fellas over there uploaded all three volumes of the Outlines, we decided we should read them. So, until we finish them, or get tired of them, or you get tired of us, we're occasionally going to use this blog as a forum for discussion on the Outlines. We invite you to join us.
By way of introduction, let's look at Hall himself first.

Hall (1857-1933)was a priest and professor, at one time Chair of Dogmatic Theology at General Theological Seminary in NY. He was an active Anglo-catholic, and delivered a rousing essay on re-union of the Catholic Church at the 2nd Anglo-catholic Congress in 1923. From 1892-95, he wrote the three vols of the outlines. Then, from 1908-1922 he published the 10 volumes Dogmatic Theolgy.

Tonight, I'll quickly summarize the first section, a response to the question, "What is Theology?" Like any good systematician, Hall answers that Theology is a science, specifically the science of anything and everything that relates to God. Naturally, this means that not a thing falls outside the purview of theology. "Theology cannot be shut out from any sphere of being or fact, but treats of all things in so far as they are related to God and Divine purposes." Rather, theology, as our knowledge of God's natural and supernatural dealings (but especially in our world) is nourished by the involvement and findings of the other disciplines. So, while there should be a conservative element and compulsion in theology vs. a willy nilly rejection of tradition, there is also a progressive movement always happening in theology as the other disciplines and theologians make new discoveries. "Theology is a progressive science, for it can never exhaust the scientific bearings of the Faith; and is enriched by every increase in natural knowledge, in so far as such knowledge throws light upon Divine operations and purposes."

NB. Hall declares at the opening of his 4th footnote - a rather long footnote in which he outlines the history of the Systematic and Dogmatic theology tome - that "Anglican literature lacks a really complete treatise of Dogmatic Theology."


Not much has changed in over 100 years.

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