Edward W. Klink III. <i>The Beginning and End of All Things: A Biblical Theology of Creation and New Creation</i>

This book is Edward W. Klink III’s contribution to Essential Studies in Biblical Theology. This series aims to “explore the central biblical-theological themes of the Bible” (p. ix) with a view toward a wide audience, including those outside of academic circles. Klink’s main goal is to attend to biblical themes of creation and new creation and to inspire readers to come to a greater realization of “the goodness and grace of God that began when he first spoke the world into existence” (p. xii).The introduction notes deficiencies in how church communities approach the concept of creation. Klink provides three reasons for these deficiencies rooted in popular views of soteriology, eschatology, and hermeneutics. His solution is to provide a threefold outline of “the biblical story” in creation, redemption, and new creation, attending to how Jesus fulfills what God intends for creation.Chapter 1 approaches creation accounts in Gen 1–2 as a canonical prologue through a covenantal lens. Klink divides the text into seven chiastic parts, spelling out how these units set up the rest of the biblical story. He emphasizes the need to avoid imposing unhelpful questions upon the text, focusing less on the questions of origins associated with creation days and more on “the who, the what, and the why” (p. 20). Special attention is given to the account of the creation of humanity. In these opening sections of Genesis, Klink finds pastoral application that stresses the need to reflect what it means to know God within the created world.Chapter 2 focuses on Gen 3 by addressing the exchange between humans and the serpent. Klink notes how the serpent challenges what God said earlier in the Genesis account, and he frames its encounter with Adam as a “scene of judgement” anticipating a second Adam. Klink sees the creator’s redemptive purposes previewed here, focusing on the presence, power, penalty, and purpose of sin. These areas point to future conflict in the biblical story via human sinfulness, while also highlighting God’s wisdom and commitment to creation.Chapter 3 draws on Augustine’s two cities to frame Gen 4–11 in terms of a conflict between two loves: earthly self(-centered) love and heavenly love of God. This conflict emerges as humans experienced confusion by being separated from God post–Gen 3. Klink notes a contrast between “the sinful effects of de-creation” and “the redemptive effects of re-creation” (p. 57) by briefly contrasting Cain/Abel and the descendants of Seth (Gen 4–5), humanity/Noah (Gen 6–8), and highlighting the generations of Noah (Gen 10). Gen 11 receives fuller treatment, primarily pointing to the negative effects of the “city of humanity” while also anticipating the arrival of the redemptive work of gathering a people who represent the creator.Chapter 4 approaches the calling of Abraham (Gen 12) as the continuation of God’s redemptive plan for humanity that points eventually to a second Adam. Klink notes that Paul sees Abraham as vital to God’s new creation work (Rom 4:17). In Abraham, Israel is “called forth to be God’s true humanity” (p. 71). Gen 12 forms “an introduction to the descendants of the second Adam” (p. 72), focusing on imagery of new humanity which anticipate a “new city” and “new creation.” This chapter is important for Klink’s biblical theology, since it establishes a scriptural benchmark for God’s renewed promise to creation after the devastating effects of humanity’s actions articulated in Gen 3–11.Chapter 5 reflects on Israel as foreshadowing a new humanity through its roles as prophet, priest, and king. Klink reiterates a movement from creation to fall throughout the Old Testament and sees the resolution to these themes in the arrival of Jesus. Special attention is given to the portrait of Israel in Exod 19. Isa 43 is used to affirm a familiar trope of Israel’s failures, which Klink calls “the incompetence of the interim Adam” (p. 86). Isa 43 positively emphasizes the creator’s glory and role as redeemer, while also stressing the “failed assignment” (p. 89) of Israel.Chapter 6 transitions into the NT, recounting the significance of the arrival of Jesus in revealing the purpose of creation. Jesus is depicted as the “cosmic temple of God” (p. 95), prophet/priest/king, and bearer of abundant life. Klink finds parallels between the Edenic garden and garden occurrences in John’s passion account (John 18–20), showing how Jesus reverses and redeems the effects of Eden.Chapter 7 explores the cross as inaugurating the new creation and bringing about life in Jesus. Emphasis is placed on Jesus as mediator and completing of the role of Adam in creation. Rom 5 provides the main text for Klink’s examination of Jesus as a second Adam, where he reads Adam typologically. He concludes that Jesus “returns the created order to its initial, God-ordained intentions” (p. 116).Chapter 8 discusses the church as true humanity. Klink interprets the new covenant as a reversal of Babel and a “reunification of the northern and southern kingdoms of the Old Testament” (p. 121). He sees the new covenant church as fulfilling, in Christ, what Israel could not accomplish within the old covenant. This fulfillment is accomplished via the empowering work of Christ but also by expanding the covenantal people ethnically. Klink sees the old covenant as ethnically exclusive and the new covenant as ethnically expansive. He draws on Eph 2 to paint the church as a new temple.Chapter 9 frames Matt 28 as commissioning Christ’s image bearers to (1) expand God’s temple to the ends of the earth, (2) encourage humans to posture themselves toward God, and (3) teach Christians to reflect who God is in what they say and do. Christians are encouraged to reflect what it means to be truly human toward others and to see their lives as both spiritual and physical.Chapter 10 addresses the consummation of creation, which anticipates the goal of the biblical story by perfecting Sabbath and completing the redemption offered in Jesus. Klink focuses on Rev 21–22, which is interpreted by attending to its apocalyptic language while also leaving no questions as to who is accomplishing the restoration of creation (Jesus). In reflecting garden of Eden imagery, new creation fulfills the original intentions for creation while also depicting “the presence of God in the creation-temple [on] biblical steroids” (p. 160). Klink concludes his study with helpful pastoral reflections.Scholarly informed theological studies continue to emerge that aim beyond a scholarly audience. This volume attends to that well. It is refreshing to read, refusing to be bogged down in footnotes. In this way, Klink’s work successfully reaches its intended broad audience. More volumes like this are needed.However, Klink’s work has some limitations. He aims to provide “a summarized version of the full story that extends from creation through redemption to the new creation” (p. 17). Yet, the first four chapters largely cover Gen 1–12, and while chapter 5 promises to cover the whole OT “from Genesis 13 to Malachi” (p. 80), Klink analyzes a much narrower scope of OT passages and narratives. His work with the OT can hardly be considered a “summarized version” of the story, and it raises questions as to whether his movement from OT to NT overlooks important biblical narratival components. A similar approach is taken in much of his coverage of the NT. To be fair, it is doubtful that anyone could achieve such a comprehensive summary of the topic easily in the space provided in this volume. However, Klink’s optimism in achieving this goal is representative of what some consider a (if not the) major weakness in attempting to articulate a comprehensive “biblical theology.” Tracing overarching themes in the biblical story in a volume of this length requires overlooking other important thematic elements that are perceived, by the author, as tertiary. This approach would be less problematic if Klink had not aimed to articulate “the full story” of creation and new creation.There are places where Klink could have provided stronger evidence for his claims. For example, his ecclesiology is drawn from interpretations that have been hotly contested by NT scholars. He casts the earliest Christ-gatherings as “called out” (p. 121), drawing conclusions about the purpose of these communities from etymology (ekklesia), which is more than the linguistic evidence can offer. Klink also draws on Israel’s covenantal role in biblical texts to form his ecclesiology, which positively acknowledges Israel’s significance, but also ventures, at times, into a replacement theology. These claims contribute to his wider theology of creation and new creation. A bit more robust discussion in some of these areas would have been helpful.The Beginning and End of All Things contains several helpful contributions. A major strength of Klink’s work is evident in his pastoral aims. His concluding reflections have great potential to successfully meet his stated goal of inspiring greater realization of God’s goodness and grace. Klink’s observations that Christian communities often have truncated views of creation and a partitioned perception of material and spiritual realities is appropriate. Further, he helpfully addresses the necessity of attending to ecological issues and rightly notes the important implications of his study for matters of social and systemic justice that seeks to pursue the good life for all of God’s creation. Klink’s work here should spark lively conversations among scholars, while also attracting a wider audience among nonscholars.