Clive Bowsher

Summary: A study of the idea of “in one another” participation in the Johannine literature.

The idea of union, oneness, of participation in Christ has been a significant discussion in Pauline studies. In this monograph, Clive Bowsher explores this same idea in the Johannine literature, particularly in the various references to God, Christ, and believers being “in one another.” After setting out the current discussions and his approach, Bowsher exegetes the relevant passages first in the gospel of John and then in 1 John. His approach is to focus on what each says individually rather than reading them in light of each other. Then he takes the findings from each study and synthesizes them, finding similar themes in both the gospel and the letter.

He then considers the journey theme in the gospel of John and the letters and traces our participation with Christ in that journey: begotten–walking–suffering and laying down life–resurrection–going to the Father. Following this, Bowsher considers “one anotherness” in the eschatological culmination of the covenant: life everlasting in the age to come. Finally, he pulls together the Johannine theology of participation from these various approaches. There are several salient ideas running through the Johannine literature:

Union with Christ or oneness is expressed in terms of the one-anotherness of the Father, Son, and believers.

That in-one-anotherness is evident in intimate loving relationship and loving obedience.

This union is closely correlated with the life of the age to come.

The propitiatory work of God in Christ and his resurrection is the source of this union.

Union in Christ means sharing in his missional journey from commencement to walking to destination, sharing in proclaiming his words, his suffering, sacrificial laying down of one’s life, and resurrection.

In appendices, Bowsher briefly interacts with the Pauline idea of union and of oneness and participation in Revelation. He also offers an original language analysis of John 14:15-24 and the “Hortatory-imperatival use of the third-person indicative in New Testament Greek outside 1 John.”

If I were to make one quibble, it would be that the structure of the study results in the repetition of the same ideas or slight variations of them through much of the work. The shared journey part of the study is the one place where this is less the case. What Bowsher does do is elucidate a Johannine perspective of participation that, while consonant with Paul, uniquely emphasizes loving relationship and the close connection between being in that relationship and having entered into the reality of the life of the age to come. This work, as part of a renewal of Johannine studies, is a welcome complement to the extensive Pauline literature, not least on union or participation with Christ.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.… (altro)