BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:PhD defence M. Holmbom METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260421T134500 DTEND:20260421T151500 DTSTAMP:20260421T134500 UID:phd-defence-m-holmbom@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260920T162553 LOCATION: SUMMARY:PhD defence M. Holmbom X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

A Theological Retrie val of Stephen Charnock's Discourse of Divine Holiness

What God’s holiness reveals about evil

The re search by theologian Markus Holmbom shows that God’s holiness is mo re than a moral concept. By revisiting the work of seventeenth-centur y theologian Stephen Charnock, he offers a new theological perspectiv e on God’s nature and the problem of evil.

‘Holiness is oft en treated in theology primarily as a moral concept: God’s perfect goodness. My research argues that holiness is also an ontological cat egory, meaning that it expresses something about God’s very being,� �� says Holmbom.

By analysing Charnock’s writings in their hi storical context and developing his ideas theologically, Holmbom argu es that holiness refers not only to God’s moral perfection, but als o to something deeper about who God is.

‘Holiness expresses G od’s unique way of being: the fullness of God’s life that is enti rely distinct from everything else and not dependent on anything outs ide himself,’ he explains. ‘This helps to explain how Christians can speak of God as both one and yet marked by distinction within God ’s own life. It also sheds light on how God’s glory is revealed a nd understood through his holiness.’

Problem of evil< br>The research also addresses the problem of evil. ‘Evil does not come from God, but its existence can still be understood in relation to the way God ultimately reveals the fullness of his holine ss and glory,’ says Holmbom.

Practical Relevance
Holmbom’s research brings together historical and contempor ary theological thought with a coherent biblical account of holiness. According to him, this also has practical implications.
‘It can help Christians understand holiness not only in moral terms, but as reflecting God’s distinct, life-giving character in everyday life. That makes the study relevant not only for theologians, but also for pastors, teachers and anyone interested in spiritual formation, preac hing and personal reflection.’

More information on the th esis

DESCRIPTION: A Theological Retrieval of Stephen Charnock's Discourse o f Divine Holiness

What God’s holiness reveals about evi l

The research by theologian Markus Holmbom shows that G od’s holiness is more than a moral concept. By revisiting the work of seventeenth-century theologian Stephen Charnock, he offers a new t heological perspective on God’s nature and the problem of evil.‘H oliness is often treated in theology primarily as a moral concept: Go d’s perfect goodness. My research argues that holiness is also an o ntological category, meaning that it expresses something about God’ s very being,’ says Holmbom.By analysing Charnock’s writings in t heir historical context and developing his ideas theologically, Holmb om argues that holiness refers not only to God’s moral perfection, but also to something deeper about who God is.‘Holiness expresses G od’s unique way of being: the fullness of God’s life that is enti rely distinct from everything else and not dependent on anything outs ide himself,’ he explains. ‘This helps to explain how Christians can speak of God as both one and yet marked by distinction within God ’s own life. It also sheds light on how God’s glory is revealed a nd understood through his holiness.’Problem of evil
The research also addresses the problem of evil. ‘Evil does no t come from God, but its existence can still be understood in relatio n to the way God ultimately reveals the fullness of his holiness and glory,’ says Holmbom.Practical Relevance
Holmbo m’s research brings together historical and contemporary theologica l thought with a coherent biblical account of holiness. According to him, this also has practical implications.
‘It can help Christia ns understand holiness not only in moral terms, but as reflecting God ’s distinct, life-giving character in everyday life. That makes the study relevant not only for theologians, but also for pastors, teach ers and anyone interested in spiritual formation, preaching and perso nal reflection.’More information on the thesis END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR