The Glory of God (Theology in Community) [eBook]

Few topics are more crucial or central to the doctrine and daily life of a Christian than the glory of God. Despite its importance, however, few exhaustive books have been written on the subject. Andreas Köstenberger, Tremper Longman, Richard Gaffin, and other evangelical scholars and theologians have now collaborated to fill the void and help the church teach and protect this precious doctrine.

The Glory of God is the second volume in the Theology in Community series, which uses sound biblical doctrine to carefully examine important theological issues. While substantial in theological content, books in this series are widely accessible and coherent. In this volume, Köstenberger, Longman, Gaffin, and others guide readers through the glory of God in the Old and New Testaments and Johannine and Pauline literature. The doctrine is traced in historical theology, applied in pastoral theology, and fully delineated in a concluding systematic theology.

College seniors, pastors, seminarians, and educated laypersons will find this book enormously useful in their personal studies and ministries.

CHRISTOPHER W. MORGAN (PhD, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate professor of theology and associate dean of the School of Christian Ministries at California Baptist University.

ROBERT A. PETERSON (PhD, Drew University) is professor of systematic theology at Covenant Theological Seminary.

“The glory of God, celebrated by angels, but often lost on the church today, is here restored to our vision. This is a serious engagement with biblical truth and it asks the reader to engage with it seriously, too. When we climb a mountain, we know that however long is the ascent, it is all made worthwhile by the view from the top. So it is here.”
—David F. Wells, Distinguished Senior Research Professor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

“The Westminster Shorter Catechism rightly tells us that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. And yet, ‘glorifying’ God and living for ‘the glory of God’ can often seem mysterious and ultimately disconnected from day-to-day life. In this new installment in the Theology in Community series, Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson have pulled together a team that not only teach about God’s glory but in their very scholarship display ‘the visible splendor and moral beauty of God’s manifold perfections.’ As I read this book, I wanted to sing, ‘To God be the glory, great things he has done!’”
—Sean Michael Lucas, Senior Minister, The First Presbyterian Church, Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Associate Professor of Church History, Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson

“There is no theme more central to the message of Scripture than the glory of God. He created the world so that his name would be glorified in and by the things he made, and he has saved us so that we might glorify him in eternity. It is a focus that a self-centered generation badly needs to recover, and the contributors to this volume have given us a wonderful introduction on which to base our reflections and our worship.”
—Gerald Bray, Research Professor of Divinity, History, and Doctrine, Beeson Divinity School; author, God Is Love and God Has Spoken

“Christians often speak of the glory of God and living for the glory of God, but what is the glory of God? This work presents an excellent biblical study of God’s glory. Not only does it provide a good doctrinal foundation for understanding the glory of God, but it also applies the subject practically to the Christian life. An understanding of God’s glory affects every area of Christian living: the purpose of the Christian life, worship, ethics, evangelism, missions, pastoral ministry, and the study of theology. As a pastor, I highly recommend this work for the Christian who desires to understand more fully God’s glory and what it means to live to the glory of God.”
—Van Lees, Pastor, Covenant of Grace Church, St. Charles, Missouri

“Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson have once again assembled a fine team of biblical, historical, and systematic theologians to shape the second volume in the Theology in Community series. This talented team of writers demonstrate how focusing on the all-encompassing theme of God’s glory impacts our thinking about God, the self, and the world, including questions regarding meaning, purpose, and salvation. These explorations provide us with a more in-depth appreciation of how the glory of God has been emphasized in Scripture and how it has been interpreted in church history. In addition, we are presented with an overarching and powerful portrait of God’s grandeur, beauty, and transcendence. I am pleased to recommend this outstanding volume to students, lay leaders, pastors, and theologians alike.”
—David S. Dockery, President, Trinity International University