📘 Lexicon Entry: Backward Vector

Short Definition
Campbell’s term for theological methodology that begins with Christ’s death and resurrection and reinterprets everything retrospectively, contrasted with “forward vector” that establishes universal principles first
Definition
Theological methodology developed by Douglas A. Campbell that begins with Christ’s death and resurrection as the foundational revelation and reinterprets all theological understanding retrospectively in light of this central event. This approach, also known as retrospective logic, fundamentally challenges Forward Vector methodologies that establish universal principles or conditions that Christ must then fulfill. The backward vector makes Christ foundational rather than instrumental to theological understanding, naturally leading to Participatory Soteriology rather than contractual frameworks. This methodology provides a critical alternative to Primitive Biblicism and other mutations that subject Christ to external interpretive criteria.
Category
Theological Alternative
Keywords
theological method, retrospective logic, Campbell, apocalyptic Paul, Barthian theology, participatory framework, biblical interpretation
Citation Guide
Geevarghese-Uffman, Craig. “Backward Vector.” *Political Theology Lexicon*. https://www.commonlifepolitics.com/p/lexicon. Accessed [date].
Orthodox Alternatives
Theological methodology grounded in Christ’s revelation as interpretive starting point rather than universal principles
Apocalyptic epistemology where knowledge comes through divine intervention rather than natural reasoning
Christological priority that makes Christ foundational to all theological reflection
Integration with participatory frameworks that emphasize incorporation into Christ
Mutated Position
Forward vector approaches that establish universal principles before engaging Christ’s revelation
Foundationalist epistemologies that ground theological certainty in self-evident propositions
Natural theology that claims knowledge of God apart from Christ’s self-revelation
Contractual frameworks where Christ satisfies conditions established independently of him
Key Characteristics
Begins with God’s self-revelation in Christ, particularly his death and resurrection
Reinterprets everything retrospectively in light of this central revelation
Makes Christ foundational rather than instrumental to theological understanding
Employs apocalyptic epistemology where knowledge comes through divine intervention
Leads naturally to participatory frameworks emphasizing incorporation into Christ
Challenges systematic theology that begins with philosophical categories
Theological Foundations
Builds on Barthian rejection of natural theology and foundationalist approaches
Connected to apocalyptic Paul scholarship emphasizing divine intervention over human reasoning
Integrates with post-foundationalist epistemology and narrative theology
Emerges from critique of “Justification Theory” that employs forward vector reasoning
Biblical Foundation
Christ as interpretive key to all Scripture Luke 24:27
Paul’s reinterpretation of his past through Christ Philippians 3:7-8
"All things hold together in him" Colossians 1:17 – Christ as coherence principle
Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life" John 14:6
Contemporary Expression
Alternative to systematic theology that begins with philosophical categories before engaging Scripture
Challenge to apologetic methods that establish rational criteria for evaluating Christian claims
Integration with narrative theology emphasizing story over propositions
Resistance to foundationalist apologetics in evangelical theology
Academic Research
Developed in Campbell’s critique of “Justification Theory” in “The Deliverance of God” and refined in “Beyond Justification”
Connected to broader apocalyptic Paul scholarship challenging traditional Protestant readings
Integrates with postmodern critiques of objective, universal knowledge claims
Influences biblical interpretation methodology in academic contexts
Key Authors
Path Navigation
Last Updated
May 26, 2025
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*This entry is part of the Political Theology Lexicon, accessible exclusively to subscribers. View the complete lexicon to explore related concepts and the full theoretical framework.*
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