John Mcintyre

Carbon Dioxide Uptake by an Undisturbed Tropical Rain Forest in Southwest Amazonia, 1992 to 1993

Measurements of carbon dioxide flux over undisturbed tropical rain forest in Brazil for 55 days in the wet and dry seasons of 1992 to 1993 show that this ecosystem is a net absorber of carbon dioxide. Photosynthetic gains of carbon dioxide exceeded respiratory losses irrespective of the season. These gains cannot be attributed to measurement error, nor to loss of carbon dioxide by drainage of cold air at night. A process-based model, fitted to the data, enabled estimation of the carbon absorbed by the ecosystem over the year as 8.5 ± 2.0 moles per square meter per year.

Book Reviews : Irving Up-Dated

out. The one theme that stands out as Gunton’s own is the emphasis on personhood of the Holy Spirit, which he uses as his leading critical tool. Drawing from John Zizioulas, Gunton sees the Spirit as having ’his’ own centre of action which enables the Son to be himself, and which, in distinction from Augustinian functionalism or Hegelian immanentism, constitutes that principle of eschatological transcendence which enables God to be God. Similarly, the Holy Spirit allows the world to be truly other (which is discussed in relation to the doctrine of creation), and also frees the church from institutionalism by acting as its transcendent Lord (which is tackled in an essay on John Owen). Another important theme emerges from a discussion of Edward Irving’s trinitarian christology which Gunton sees as a means of preserving the full humanity of Jesus, and thereby offering a better way than much contemporary ’unitarian’ thinking. Overall this book presents a vigorous defence of a critical orthodoxy which combines a strong doctrine of grace with a potent pneumatology. Not surprisingly, perhaps, Calvin is never far away. MARK D. CHAPMAN, RIPON COLLEGE CUDDESDON

Book Reviews : 'The Myth': Summary To Date

declares, without giving evidence, that ’the stage of illiteracy has now basically been passed in the tribal religions’. Andrew Walls is a better guide here. From time to time there are useful references to the influence of overseas migrations on different religions but why should these be called ’diaspora’, a nineteenth century usage, instead of ’dispersion’, which is attested in this sense in English since Wyclif? GEOFFREY PARRINDER

Book Reviews : Rational Theology : Second Showing

controversies. There are chapters on R. J. Campbell and his ’New Theology’, the debates within the Anglican Church over the ’Foundations’ essays, Hensley Henson and the ’Modern Churchmen’, T. R. Glover and Bishop Barnes (an unusual ’duo’, which Clements amply justifies), the ’Soundings’ group in Cambridge in the early 1960s, ’Honest to God’ and its sequel, and the most recent arguments over ’The Myth of God Incarnate’, Don Cupitt, and David Jenkins. Mr Clements is a lucid and sure-footed guide through these rather involved debates. He is good on their social and cultural background, often pointing out the important non-theological factors behind them. He is well-acquainted with the literature, including contemporary newspaper evidence (significant in a number of these arguments). As a Baptist, he is very good indeed on the Free churchmen (R. J. Campbell and T. R. Glover), but has an equally sure grasp of Anglican theology. He is constantly making connections between the various controversies, showing convincingly that in theological controversy there is ’nothing new under the sun’. Thus, he links ’Honest to God’ with Campbell’s ’New Theology’, and David Jenkins with the ’Foundations’ debates. Perhaps the least satisfactory chapter is that on Cambridge in the early 1960s, where the author surely ascribes too much significance to his old teacher and mentor, Alec Vidler, and allows his own standpoint to obtrude too

Book Reviews : Tension in Contemporary Christolog Y:

Modern Theology: A Sen.se of Direction by James P. Mackey (Oxford University Press [1987], £12.95, pb. £4.95, ISBN 0-19-2192205, pb. -289206-1) is Professor Mackey’s own modern theology. The publishers of the Opus series intended ’stimulating and authoritative introductions to chosen subjects’. This book is stimulating and it has a certain authority, but it should be called ‘A Modern Theology’. You do not find surveys of the field or discussions of the main types of modern theology. Instead there is a fascinating rethinking of Christian faith. It interweaves a good ’popular’ version of Heidegger’s understanding of human existence with a provocative interpretation of the New Testament, especially the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. At the heart of it is a vision of

Book Reviews : God Incarnate: Myth or Saga?

Jews and Gentiles is a result of this policy. After the work of Stendhal and Theissen it is impossible to neglect the social origins of conflict in early diaspora communities and their impact on Paul’s theology. There are many fine exegetical points in this book and very much useful discussion in the notes, but it is not the last or the best word on Paul and the law. I think Sanders may yet give us a larger and more persuasive treatment of this crucial topic. I hope he will.

Book Reviews : Christology Reinterpreted

book, its ’rhetorical situation’ and vision of an alternative world. Outstanding are several recurrent themes in these chapters: insight into the creative opportunities which Revelation offers for the newer methods of criticism; the argument that Revelation ’is not chronologically ordered’ and concerned with the sequences of salvation history ’but theologically-thematically conceived’ ; and the critique of theories of a Johannine school and in their place a sense of continuity with Pauline traditions in Asia Minor. But what is disappointing is the lack of further development from already published articles. Indeed the later sections reflect approaches and methods which could have been applied consistently to the material covered in the earlier sections. If the titular reference

Book Reviews : Theology and Pluralism:

The peculiar emphases of this book may be due to the Lutheran background of the author. Lutheran theologians, especially Scandinavians, figure prominently in the notes, though he has little time for Kierkegaard, whom he accuses of having ’hated creation faith’. I suppose Wingren’s statement might be not unfairly called ’functional faith’, and it has both the merits and the deficiencies that belong to such a view.

Book Reviews : The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

exegetical skill and a thorough knowledge of the relevant literature. The approach is conservative, yet balanced; and the conclusions are independent. (Not all will agree, for example, that 2 John pre-dates 1 John; but Marshall’s decision to treat the letters in the order 2-3-1 is certainly individual.) This book is aimed at both the intelligent general reader and the specialist; so that (with a distinction

Book Reviews : The Trinity in the World

Regis College, Toronto, Canada, on his sixtieth birthday, has been presented to him by colleagues from Canada, Australia and USA, under the title Trinification of the World, ed. Thomas A. Dunne and Jean-Marc Laporte (Regis College Press, Toronto, pp. 329, no price). The title has been taken straight from the heading of the last chapter of Dr Crowe’s ’The Doctrine of the Most Holy Trinity’, issued in mimeographed form to his students. The word, ’Trinification’ ’a neologism invented by the distinguished theologian himself’, according to David Stanley (p. 259) requires explanation. Dr Crowe himself has given an account of the concept: ’We are accustomed to speak for the deification of man and his world, and I wish to stress the fact that the only God there is is a triune God, he communicates himself to us as triune, and therefore the deification of the human world is really its &dquo;trinification&dquo;’. The term refers to the mission of the Word as