Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom

I wish I would have discovered Jurgen Moltmann sooner.  What a fantastic theologian he is.  He writes with depth of insight, historical perspective, and a commitment to scriptural consistency.  He embraces the passion of God in a way that is sadly absent from many theological works on God, and writes in such a way that my personal passion for God is increased.  Moltmann paints the portrait of a God who is eminently worshipful.

In this book in particular, he explores in depth the doctrine of the Trinity and its implications on our conception of the Kingdom of God.  He does so by considering the historical articulation of the doctrine of the Trinity, the suffering of God as revealed in Christ, the diversity and unity of the Godhead, the revelation of God through the Son, subordination, the metaphysical origin of the Spirit and the Son, creation, and the way in which we relate to the Trinity.  The final topic feeds into his views on the kingdom.  He argues that the essence of the Kingdom is found in our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit.  He believes our goal is to relate to God as a friend.  As such, we are invited into the free relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit.  He contrasts this type of relation to that which flows from a strictly monotheistic articulation of God, in which we tend to relate to God in feudal or servile categories.  He also describes the subsequent implications for political theology that follow from such a doctrine. 

I have a few other more particular thoughts about sections that spoke to me powerfully in this book, and I will post on them shortly.  I very much enjoyed Moltmann’s writing, and I intend to read more of his books.  I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to study the Trinity in greater depth.