Andrew Purves
Encyclopedia
Andrew Purves is a Christian theologian
in the Reformed tradition through the Church of Scotland
(and later, the Presbyterian Church (USA)
). He holds the Chair in Reformed Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
.
A native of Edinburgh
, Scotland
, Purves earned degrees in philosophy and divinity from the University of Edinburgh
, and a Th. M. degree from Duke Divinity School
. His Ph. D. is from the University of Edinburgh. In Scotland, he studied under Thomas F. Torrance. Torrance, his brother James Torrance, Athanasius, John Calvin
, Karl Barth
, and Jurgen Moltmann
were all important influences in Purves' theological development.
Originally licensed as a clergyman by the Church of Scotland
, Purves relocated to the United States
in 1978. He was ordained in 1979. He served as pastor of the Hebron Presbyterian Church in Clinton, PA until 1983, when he began teaching at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
.
Purves' primary concerns surround Christology. He continually argues for a vital connection between the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ in his vicarious humanity and the Christian life; a connection founded upon the believer's union with Christ.
Much of Purves' work is a call to reclaim the classical, Christological tradition of the Church, thereby renewing the Church through traditional doctrine and the wisdom of the patristic writers. Some associate him with the paleo-orthodox
movement. He has become a leader of evangelical
renewal in the PCUSA and has become known in that denomination for his support of conservative Christian views concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ (rejecting pluralism), reclaiming a center in Christ, on sexuality and withholding ordination from self-avowed, practicing, unrepentant gays and lesbians.
He is married to Catherine Purves, a Presbyterian clergywoman in her own right. They have three children: Brendan, Gordon, and Laura.
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
in the Reformed tradition through the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
(and later, the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
). He holds the Chair in Reformed Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, founded in 1794, is a graduate theological institution associated with the Presbyterian Church USA. It is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and houses one of the largest theological libraries in the nation...
.
A native of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Purves earned degrees in philosophy and divinity from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, and a Th. M. degree from Duke Divinity School
Duke Divinity School
The Divinity School at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina is one of thirteen seminaries founded and supported by the United Methodist Church. It has 39 full time and 18 part time faculty and over 500 full time students. The current dean of The Divinity School is Richard B. Hays, who replaced...
. His Ph. D. is from the University of Edinburgh. In Scotland, he studied under Thomas F. Torrance. Torrance, his brother James Torrance, Athanasius, John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
, Karl Barth
Karl Barth
Karl Barth was a Swiss Reformed theologian whom critics hold to be among the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century; Pope Pius XII described him as the most important theologian since Thomas Aquinas...
, and Jurgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann
Jürgen Moltmann is a German Reformed theologian. The 2000 recipient of the Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion.-Moltmann's Youth:...
were all important influences in Purves' theological development.
Originally licensed as a clergyman by the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, Purves relocated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1978. He was ordained in 1979. He served as pastor of the Hebron Presbyterian Church in Clinton, PA until 1983, when he began teaching at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, founded in 1794, is a graduate theological institution associated with the Presbyterian Church USA. It is located in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and houses one of the largest theological libraries in the nation...
.
Purves' primary concerns surround Christology. He continually argues for a vital connection between the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ in his vicarious humanity and the Christian life; a connection founded upon the believer's union with Christ.
Much of Purves' work is a call to reclaim the classical, Christological tradition of the Church, thereby renewing the Church through traditional doctrine and the wisdom of the patristic writers. Some associate him with the paleo-orthodox
Paleo-Orthodoxy
Paleo-orthodoxy is a broad Christian theological movement of the late 20th and early 21st centuries which focuses on the consensual understanding of the faith among the Ecumenical Councils and Church Fathers...
movement. He has become a leader of evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
renewal in the PCUSA and has become known in that denomination for his support of conservative Christian views concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ (rejecting pluralism), reclaiming a center in Christ, on sexuality and withholding ordination from self-avowed, practicing, unrepentant gays and lesbians.
He is married to Catherine Purves, a Presbyterian clergywoman in her own right. They have three children: Brendan, Gordon, and Laura.
Works
- The Search for Compassion: Spirituality and Ministry ISBN 0-664-25065-3
- Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition ISBN 0-664-22241-2
- Union in Christ (with Mark Achtemeier) ISBN 1-57153-019-3
- Encountering God: Christian Faith in Turbulent Times (with Charles Partee) ISBN 0-664-22242-0
- Reconstructing Pastoral Theology: A Christological Foundation ISBN 0-664-22733-3
- "The Trinitarian Basis of a Christian Practical Theology" in The International Journal of Practical Theology
- The Crucifixion of Ministry ISBN 978-0-8308-3439-6
- The Resurrection of Ministry ISBN 978-0-8308-3741-0