Term
| What are the five parts of an introductory course? |
|
Definition
| Methods, authors, terminology, categories, history |
|
|
Term
What are the three goals of historical
theology? |
|
Definition
| Seek the truth, confess the truth, and defend the truth. |
|
|
Term
What are the four periods of the New
Testament Era in order? |
|
Definition
| Early, Imperial, Medieval and Modern. |
|
|
Term
What is the difference between primary and
secondary source material? |
|
Definition
| Primary source is eyewitness, first hand. Secondary sources are written about primary sources. |
|
|
Term
What are the three human approaches to
spirituality according to Adolf Köberle? |
|
Definition
| Moralism, speculation, mysticism. |
|
|
Term
According to Köberle, which of the three
human approaches to spirituality arises from
the faculty of the emotions? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
According to Köberle, which of the three
human approaches to spirituality arises from
the faculty of the intellect? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
According to Köberle, which of the three
human approaches to spirituality arises from
the faculty of the willpower? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What is the sole faculty whereby one may
approach God according to the Bible? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which attributes are accidental to a cube? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Define “eternally begotten.” |
|
Definition
God the Son has always been, is
being and always will be generated as
offspring of God the Father. |
|
|
Term
Which of the following is not one of the
methods for identifying God in the
Scriptures? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What does Docetism teach? |
|
Definition
| Jesus only appeared to be man. |
|
|
Term
What is the difference between the
Incarnation and the Doctrine of the
Incarnation? |
|
Definition
The Incarnation was the event when
God the Son took on human flesh
2,000 years ago. The Doctrine of the
Incarnation is the teaching of the
Scriptures about this event. |
|
|
Term
Which Church Father lived during the time of
the Apostles? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What did Marcion do to make his kind of
Gnosticism even worse? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Which of the following are not key teachings
of Gnosticism? |
|
Definition
| Christ is the same as the Father, so the Father died on the cross. |
|
|
Term
According to the definitions we worked with
in class, how are doctrine and heresy related? |
|
Definition
Doctrine is the teaching from the
authoritative source, i.e. the Bible.
Heresy is deviation from the teaching
of the authoritative source. |
|
|
Term
What is the primary method used by Irenaeus
to identify Jesus of Nazareth as God the Son
in our readings? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
With what method does St. Paul identify
Christ as God the Son in Colossians 1 and 2? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What was C. S. Lewis’ position on the use of
primary source materials? |
|
Definition
He felt that primary source material
was often easier to understand than
secondary source material. |
|
|
Term
Summarize in a sentence or two C. S. Lewis’
position on the value of historical perspective. |
|
Definition
He thought that every generation
needed to see itself from a point of
view outside of itself, thus historical
source materials were useful. |
|
|
Term
What argument did Athanasius present
concerning the four major doctrines of
Christianity: the Doctrine of the Trinity, the
Doctrine of Creation, and the Doctrine of the
Incarnation and the Doctrine of Justification? |
|
Definition
| These doctrines are inseparable. |
|
|
Term
| What date is associated with the Exodus? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
When did the first wave of persecutions
begin? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| When did the Great Persecution begin? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| When did the Early Period end? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What was the date of the Council of Nicaea? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Which of the following dates would fit into
the period of the Crusades? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Approximately when did Anselm of
Canterbury live? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What date is associated with the start of the
Lutheran Reformation? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| When do the End Times begin? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Which of the following is not a character of
the worship in the Primeval Period? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What event separates the Primeval Period
from the Pre-Mosaic Period? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Which of the following is a type-antitype
pair? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
When does God make the first Gospel
promise? |
|
Definition
| Beginning of the Pre-Mosaic Period. |
|
|
Term
| Which heresy arose in the Imperial Period? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
According to Basilides’ version of
Gnosticism, who created the world? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What does the term homoousios mean? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What does the term homoiousios mean? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What does the term theotokos mean? |
|
Definition
| God-bearer or Mother of God. |
|
|
Term
Which of the following approaches to God
does Veith say is alone valid? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which of the following is a human attribute? |
|
Definition
| Born in time, finite, mortal, needing the sustenance of food, growing in wisdom. |
|
|
Term
| Which of the following are divine attributes? |
|
Definition
| Omnipresent, all powerful, eternal. |
|
|
Term
What was the key teaching at the heart of
Arius’ heresy? |
|
Definition
| Jesus was only called God. |
|
|
Term
To whom does the term “communication of
attributes” apply? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What changed for the worse when
Constantine became emperor? |
|
Definition
The legalization of Christianity
caused such an influx that the quality
of doctrinal teaching diminished and
heresies arose. |
|
|
Term
How did the Council of Nicaea respond to
the debate between Arius and Athanasius? |
|
Definition
The Council heard the debate and
then found that Athanasius’ teaching
was in line with the Scripture and
Arius’ was not. Arius was then called
heretic. |
|
|
Term
What does the Bible mean, when it says that
“all are freely justified by His grace.”? |
|
Definition
Because God loved mankind even
though no one deserved His love, He
sent His Son, Jesus, to become
incarnate, live a perfect, human life
and then sacrifice Himself, the
infinite for the finite, so that all are
declared “not guilty” for His sake. |
|
|
Term
According to the Augsburg Confession, how
ought justification be described? |
|
Definition
As full, free, by grace, through faith,
for Christ’s sake |
|
|
Term
In what way do the Lutheran Confessions
differ fundamentally from the writings of
Anselm? |
|
Definition
Anselm argued by magisterial
reasoning; the Lutheran Confessions
by ministerial reasoning |
|
|
Term
Which teachings have we grouped together
under the heading, “Salvation won for us”? |
|
Definition
Trinity, Creation, Incarnation and
Justification |
|
|
Term
Which concepts have we grouped together
under the heading, “Salvation distributed to
us”? |
|
Definition
| Means of grace and the church. |
|
|
Term
Which teachings have we grouped together
under the heading, “Salvation received by
us”? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
What was accounted to Abraham as
righteousness, according to the Bible? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What are the uses of the Law? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What characterizes magisterial reasoning? |
|
Definition
| Interpretation is shaped by reason. |
|
|
Term
| What characterizes ministerial reasoning? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Adolf Köberle identified three human
approaches to spirituality. Which of the three
is the primary approach of scholasticism? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is the definition of atonement? |
|
Definition
a state of being brought into
agreement or oneness, because
satisfaction has been made, or a price
has been paid |
|
|
Term
| What does the term "objective" describe? |
|
Definition
| It describes the object of an action carried out by the subject. |
|
|
Term
| What does the term "subjective" describe? |
|
Definition
| It describes the subject, the doer of the action. |
|
|
Term
| What are the two main manifestations of objective justification? |
|
Definition
| Gospel Proclamation and administration of the sacraments. |
|
|
Term
| Can a Christian say, "I have faith, therefore I am saved."? |
|
Definition
| Yes, but faith does not save, Christ saves through faith. |
|
|
Term
| What does the term "efficacy" mean in relation to God's Word? |
|
Definition
| God's Word has the power to accomplish what it says. |
|
|
Term
| What is the definition of the Law of God which stands alongside the Gospel? |
|
Definition
| The Law of God is the teaching of the Bible that tells us what God would have us do and not do. |
|
|
Term
| What is the definition of the Gospel? |
|
Definition
| The Gospel is the teaching of the Bible that tells us what God has done for us by sending his own Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not just ours but those of the whole world. |
|
|
Term
| How does St. Paul interpret Jesus' words, "This is my body."? |
|
Definition
| St. Paul holds that the bread distributed in Holy Communion is the Body of Christ, since eating it in an unworthy manner makes one guilty of the body of the Lord. |
|
|
Term
| What event ended the primeval worship? |
|
Definition
| The fall into sin and subsequent loss of Eden. |
|
|
Term
| What promise leads sinners to worship? |
|
Definition
| The promise of the Savior from sin. |
|
|
Term
| When does the Old Testament worship begin? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What characterizes the Old Testament worship? |
|
Definition
| Typological sacrifice and temple. |
|
|
Term
| What does it mean to "Call upon the name of the Lord."? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| When do the end times begin? |
|
Definition
| At the ascension of Christ. |
|
|
Term
| What characterizes the worship of the end times? |
|
Definition
| Historical Christ (anti-typological sacrifice) and the Christian Church (anti-typological temple). |
|
|
Term
| What characterizes worship in eternity? |
|
Definition
| Perfect unity and bliss with God forever. |
|
|
Term
| What is the state of mankind after the primeval time and before eternity? |
|
Definition
| Sinful and in desperate need of salvation by grace through faith. |
|
|
Term
Which single word characterizes the relationship between the Divine Service and
worship? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What is the relationship between worship and the Divine Service? |
|
Definition
In the Divine Service, God serves man. In worship, mankind offers up
spiritual sacrifice to God. |
|
|
Term
| What is the difference between worship and ritual? |
|
Definition
Worship is the heartfelt response to God’s forgiveness. Ritual is a form or
pattern of activity attendant to and culturally associated with such response. |
|
|
Term
| What is the difference between worship and tradition? |
|
Definition
Tradition is the full gamut of rituals, trappings, etc., which become culturally
associated with the Divine Service and worship. |
|
|
Term
| What is the difference between heritage and superstition? |
|
Definition
Heritage are the treasured rituals and tradition handed down from preceding
generations, which provide context and focus to the current generation as it
wrestles with the Word of God. Superstition are those rituals and tradition
received from preceding generations, which do not accord with the Scriptures. |
|
|
Term
What is the origin of the patterns used by the majority of the Church on earth?
Are such patterns required? beneficial? |
|
Definition
The patterns used by most developed as a heritage of traditions used to help
retain the Word of God, especially the Gospel, by repetition leading to
memorization. |
|
|
Term
| List the basic church year parts in order. |
|
Definition
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany (including Pre-Lent), Lent, Easter, Pentecost,
and Trinity |
|
|
Term
| Describe the basic pattern used in the Divine Service. |
|
Definition
| Preparation, imparting and receiving, response |
|
|
Term
Does this development of these patterns resemble the source chains discussed
under historical theology? If so, what must we do when drawing conclusions? |
|
Definition
Yes, it is such a chain. The end in the present should always be connected to
and compared with the Word. |
|
|
Term
| What does “Lex orandi, lex credendi.” mean? |
|
Definition
We respond in accord with what we
believe. |
|
|
Term
What are the three services typically found in a
mass? |
|
Definition
| Preparation, Word, Sacrament |
|
|
Term
| What pattern does each service follow? |
|
Definition
Preparation, impartation and receiving,
response |
|
|
Term
| What are the high-points of each service? |
|
Definition
| Baptism/Absolution, Gospel-centered sermon, Holy Communion |
|
|
Term
| Distinguish between sacramental and sacrificial. |
|
Definition
Sacramental things bring God’s grace to
us. Sacrificial things are our response to
God’s giving. |
|
|
Term
What is confession in the context of
Confession and Absolution? |
|
Definition
Confession in this context is not
confessing the faith as we don in the
Creed but rather it is that penitent
voicing to God of our sins. |
|
|
Term
| What is the purpose of Holy Baptism? |
|
Definition
The purpose of Holy Baptism is to impart faith and grant the faithful the full and free forgiveness of all
and every sin. |
|
|
Term
What power does Baptism have that is not
found in Holy Communion? |
|
Definition
| Baptism, unlike the Lord’s Supper, bestows faith. |
|
|
Term
| For whom is Holy Baptism? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
With what Words did God Himself institute
Holy Baptism? |
|
Definition
Christ Himself instituted baptism when He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all things whatever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Amen” (Mat 28:19). |
|
|
Term
From which historical event do the words of
the Gloria in Excelsis derive? |
|
Definition
The angels’ singing at the birth of
Christ |
|
|
Term
What is the significance of the three-fold
repetition within the Kyrie? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
From whence do the words of the introit
generally come? |
|
Definition
| a reading from the Psalms |
|
|
Term
| What does “gloria Patri” mean? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A structured, formal prayer. |
|
|
Term
| What is the purpose of a pericopal series? |
|
Definition
To ensure that the whole counsel of
God is preached |
|
|
Term
What chief teachings must the pastor bring out
in a sermon? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Which are the books of the Torah? |
|
Definition
| Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Matthew, Mark, Luke and John |
|
|
Term
| What is the chief function of the sermon? |
|
Definition
| To proclaim and impart the forgiveness of sins. |
|
|
Term
| What is Augustine’s definition of a sacrament? |
|
Definition
When the Word is joined to the
external element, it becomes a
sacrament. |
|
|
Term
Which of the following is NOT needed for
receiving Holy Communion? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
Where does one find the Words of Institution
for the Lord’s Supper in Paul’s First Letter to
the Corinthians? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What does “sanctus” mean? |
|
Definition
| holy – set apart for the true God |
|
|
Term
Which of the following does NOT belong in
the Service of Holy Communion? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What three things were included in Augustine of Hippo’s definition of a hymn? |
|
Definition
| praise, true God, singing |
|
|
Term
What three requirements for a Christian hymn did Matthew Lundquist
enumerate? |
|
Definition
| Biblical, Christ for us, Christ in us |
|
|
Term
| What were the qualities of an enduring hymn, which Prof. Backer enumerated? |
|
Definition
Liturgical, Biblical and doctrinal, doxological, poetic and musical, melodic
and harmonic |
|
|
Term
| When and by whom were the majority of the Psalms written down? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Name at least one canticle. |
|
Definition
Magnificat (Song of Mary, Luk 1), Benedictus (Song of Zechariah, Luk 1),
Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon, Luk 2)
Also, Cantemus Domino (Song of Miriam, Exo 15), Exultavit Cor Meum (Song
of Hannah, 1Sa 2), Confitebor Tibi (Song of Isaiah, Isa 12), Beati Pauperes
(Beatitudes, Mat 5), Dignus Est Agnus (Worth is the Lamb, Rev)
Also, Te Deum (We Praise You, O God, Liturgical) |
|
|
Term
| 1. How does Veith compare the “ordinariness” of what happens in the means of grace with the “ordinariness” of Christ? |
|
Definition
| Veith compares the “ordinariness” of the Means of Grace to the “ordinariness” of Christ by noting that the Means of Grace in worship by themselves seem like nothing out of the ordinary, as did Christ as true man. The physical elements in the Means of Grace are inherently unimpressive and commonplace. Veith writes: “It seems strange to think that Christ is actually present in such a saving way in that little Styrofoam-like wafer of bread or in the small sip of astringent wine.” (Veith 55) He also mentions the ordinariness of the ink and paper that carries The Word, and the Pastor that preaches the word in a sermon. This parallels the “ordinariness” of Christ as he becomes true man as a Jewish carpenter. Veith writes, “That He came in weakness, humiliation, rejection, and suffering is, to say the least, unexpected.” (56) |
|
|
Term
| Read Isaiah 45:15. How does God “hide” himself? |
|
Definition
| God “hides” himself by concealing his presence in our every-day lives. Veith says that, “To say that God is hidden, of course, does not mean He is absent…God conceals Himself, often in things that we would least expect- a crucified criminal, a book, water, bread, wine, a gouty pastor, trials and suffering, human beings working and raising their families.” So in the same way that the Christ was concealed in the lowly form of man incarnate, God is concealed in ways that humans find commonplace. (56) |
|
|
Term
| 3. How does Veith suggest that a “theology of glory” is at work in much of what passes for “spirituality” today? |
|
Definition
| Veith suggests that a “theology of glory” is at work in much of what passes for “spirituality” today by noting that this “spirituality” promotes the “victorious Christian life,” which is supposed to be attained through step-by-step following of specific moral or spiritual principles. This success-centered spirituality is about glorifying the Christian through their successes, achievements, victories, and happiness. We can refer to the page where Veith writes, “Even if their step-by-step spiritual principles are valid, given our inability to keep God’s law, we never consistently follow them.” |
|
|
Term
| How does the theology of the cross cut across the grain of all natural religion? |
|
Definition
| The theology of the cross cuts across the grain of all natural religion in that it has its origins in decidedly non-glorious places, in very ordinary ways. The Christ child was born in a manger, conceived out of wedlock, and lived his life as the son of a young Jewish girl and a carpenter. He was unpopular, and he associated with criminals and prostitutes, the undesirables of society. Veith references Isaiah 53:2-3 to illustrate this. The verse says, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Natural religion desires immediate glory and gratification, but the theology of the cross provides glory only after you have “carried your cross,” dealing with suffering, defeat, and weakness, instead of the simple glory that we might desire. (60) |
|
|
Term
| How do these Bible verses demonstrate the theology of the cross? (Philippians 2:6-8, Isaiah 53:2-6) |
|
Definition
| Philippians 2:6-8 demonstrates the theology of the cross by reminding that Jesus didn’t come to earth in the form of a conquering king, or the image of power. He came humble, and lowly, “Becoming obedient to death,” in contradiction to the glorious figure that we would imagine. He carried his cross of suffering and humiliation in order that we may now possess the glory of heaven. In regards to Isaiah 53:2-6, I repeat my sentiment from my response to question four when I say that Natural religion desires immediate glory and gratification, but the theology of the cross provides glory only after you have “carried your cross,” dealing with suffering, defeat, and weakness, instead of the simple glory that we might desire. (60) |
|
|
Term
| What is implied in Luke 9:23 and 14:27 about the theology of the cross in the life of the Christian? |
|
Definition
| Luke 9:23 and 14:27 imply about the theology of the cross in the life of the Christian, that it is not an easy task to follow Christ. Veith comments on the verses saying, “This by no means implies that we have to suffer as Jesus did, much less that suffering is some sort of meritorious act or payment for our sins. Jesus did all of that for us. It does mean that the spiritual life has to do with suffering, defeat, and weakness- not simply with the experience of “glory” as we might like.” (60) |
|
|
Term
| How is the theology of the cross illustrated in Paul’s life according to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10? |
|
Definition
| The theology of the cross is illustrated in Paul’s life according to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 because it shows how his weakness leads him to depend fully on Christ’s saving grace. Veith elaborates on this on page 62, saying, “Being helpless and utterly dependent, however, is precisely our spiritual condition. We are utterly helpless to save ourselves. We are utterly dependent on God. Saving faith involves giving up on our pretensions of being self-sufficient, strong, and in control. Instead, we are to rest in utter dependence on Jesus Christ. “My grace is sufficient for you;” the Lord told St. Paul, “for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) |
|
|
Term
| What does Veith mean by this statement, “Our cross, Luther taught, is never self-chosen, self-imposed”? |
|
Definition
| Veith means by the statement, “Our cross, Luther taught, is never self-chosen, self-imposed,” that we cannot choose our own crosses because they would not be much of a burden to us at all. He writes on page 64, “Any crosses we choose for ourselves can hardly have much of an effect. Rather, bearing one’s cross has to do precisely with the suffering that we do not choose for ourselves, the trials and difficulties that are imposed on us from the outside, that we have no control over whatsoever.” Therefore, our pain cannot be something we choose, but instead something that has been imposed on us. |
|
|
Term
| What is God’s purpose in imposing the cross on his people? See 2 Corinthians 5:7. |
|
Definition
| God’s purpose in imposing the cross on his people is to bring them closer through the trials and hardships that we go through. Veith writes on page 63, “To believe in God’s Word of promise, despite one’s feelings, is faith. This is why all trials, both major and small, are occasions for the exercise of faith. “We live by faith, and not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) In the darkness, when we cannot see, we can only listen for God’s voice, whereupon we can draw closer to the hidden God. The cross serves as a way to get us to depend further on God, instead of ourselves. |
|
|
Term
| How is the Christian life itself hidden? See Colossians 3:3-4. |
|
Definition
| The Christian life is itself hidden in that, like Christ, our glory is not revealed during our present sufferings, but instead hidden with Christ. Veith writes on page 66, “Furthermore, the Christian’s spiritual life is itself hidden. ‘For you died,’ says St. Paul, ‘and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.’ (Colossians 3:3-4). Having been buried with Christ in Baptism and having been joined with his cross in faith, the Christian’s life is “Hidden.” At the resurrection of the dead and the eternal life in heaven, there will of course be no crosses, God will clearly manifest in everything, and then will be the time for glory. But for now, the Christian’s life is hidden with Christ.” Our glory in Christ will be revealed later, but it is hidden in our current weaknesses and struggles until then. |
|
|
Term
| Read Galatians 5:16-26. How does the theology of the cross help us understand the conflict between the “old man” and the “new man” in the Christian life? |
|
Definition
| The theology of the cross helps us understand the conflict between the “old man” and the “new man” in the Christian life because the theology of the cross is about present suffering and weakness, and then later glory in Christ. Veith says on page 67, “Luther speaks much of how our “old man” is in conflict with our “new man.” The baptized, converted sinner is given a new spiritual nature, a new life in Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. But the old sinful nature, inherent in our fallen flesh, remains…These are in conflict, so that the Christian may still succumb to his sinful flesh, which in turn must be disciplined and resisted, while the “new man” is to grow in faith and love. Only at death, when the flesh passes away, will this conflict be resolved, with the regenerated nature attaining full perfection when it enters eternal life.” |
|
|
Term
| What are the “Masks of God”? |
|
Definition
| Veith describes the “Masks of God” as being the “spheres in which God is at work, through human means. Luther described the various occupations- parenthood, farming, laborers, soldiers, judges, retailers, and the like.” Every job that we can do as a Christian is one of these masks. (71) |
|
|
Term
| How does Veith describe the “spiritual significance” of good works? |
|
Definition
| Veith describes the “spiritual significance” of good works as acts that by themselves do not bring us salvation, but instead, in the life of a Christian, anything that we do as a part of our vocation is a good work that is pleasing to God. Veith writes on page 72, “In the doctrine of vocation, spirituality is brought down to earth to transfigure our practical, everyday life.” Therefore, the spiritual significance of good works is that we can only do good works with the help of God in our everyday lives. |
|
|
Term
| Veith notes that God’s providence stands over the whole of His creation. See Hebrews 1:3 and Matthew 10:29. How does God exercise his providence over creation? |
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Definition
| God exercises his providence over creation by, “Keeping it in existence, ‘sustaining all things through his powerful word’ (Hebrews 1:3). God governs and is intimately involved in everything that He has made, that is everything that exists. This sovreighnity includes the laws of physics and the motions of galaxies, the affairs of nations and the fall of a sparrow (Matthew 10:29), and His providence extends over nonbelievers no less than believers.” God rules over everything he has created by taking care of it, even the people who don’t believe in him. (73) |
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Term
| How is God’s governance of the spiritual realm and his governance of the earthly realm both similar and dissimilar? |
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Definition
| God’s governance of the spiritual realm and his governance of the earthly realm is both similar and dissimilar in that, “In both His spiritual and His earthly kingdoms, God is active, and He works through means. In the spiritual realm, He works, as we have seen, through the Word and the Sacraments. In the earthly realm, He rules through Vocation.” |
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Term
| How is God at work behind our work? |
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Definition
| God is at work behind our work in that, since he created all offices and positions, God’s work is fulfilled through the things that humans do on earth. Veith writes, “In His earthly kingdom, just as in his spiritual kingdom, just as in His spiritual kingdom, God bestows His gifts through means. God ordained that human beings be bound together in love, in relationships and communities existing in a state of interdependence. In this context, God is providentially at work caring for His people, each of whom contributes according to his or her God-given talents, gifts, opportunities, and stations.” |
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Term
| What does it mean “to have a calling”? |
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Definition
| “To have a calling” means that you’re doing God’s work with your unique talents and abilities in exactly the way that God meant you to, in order to serve the people around you. |
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Term
| Comment on this quote from Wingren: “God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does.” |
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Definition
| Veith says on the subject, “The person who has been justified by faith, who realizes the forgiveness of Christ and who is thereby changed by the holy Spirit, is motivated by love, not by the rules and regulations and threats of the Law. The good works which follow, however, are not done, as is often piously said, ‘for God,’ but for other people. Strictly speaking, we do not “serve God”- rather, He is always the one serving us; instead we serve our neighbors.” So we cannot really do good works “for God,” only for the people around us. (77) |
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Term
| How does God use even our selfish motivations to accomplish his purposes? |
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Definition
| God uses our selfish motivations to accomplish his purposes by using everything we do towards the good that he is doing. An example from the text says on page 79, “The owner of a company may have no interest whatsoever in loving his neighbor or serving others. His sole motivation might be greed. And yet, because of his vocation, he manages to give jobs to his employees so that they can support their families, his company provides products that other people need or enjoy, making him, however inadvertently, a blessing to his neighbors. Our own sinful inclinations do not necessarily thwart the way God works in vocation.” |
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Term
| How do we know what our vocations are? |
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Definition
| Veith answers the question of “How do we know what our vocations are?” when he writes on page 80, “How do we know our vocation? Strictly speaking- and contrary to the way we pressure young people to “decide” what they are going to do when they grow up- a vocation is not something we choose for ourselves. Rather, it is given by God, who “calls” us to a particular work or station. God gives each individual unique talents, skills, and inclinations. He also puts each individual in a unique set of external circumstances, which are understood as having been providentially arranged by God.” |
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Term
| What are examples of a person “acting out” of his vocation? See Romans 12: 19-13:4. |
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Definition
| Some examples of a person “acting out” of his vocation are: having sex outside of marriage, taking personal revenge, committing abortion, and committing any other sins that scripture forbids. |
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Term
| How is the pastoral office a mask for God? |
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Definition
| The pastoral office is a mask for God in that he does the work of God that is to “Call sinners into a kingdom that does not pass away.” On page 85, Veith discusses this when he writes, “It is God who baptizes, through the hands of the pastor. It is Christ who presides over his sipper, as the pastor distributes the bread and the wine. It is God’s Word that rings out in the pastor’s sermon. Lutheran pastors wear robes and vestments and collars to symbolize that this human being- no different in himself from his parishioners- is clothed in an office, in which he must act in the stead and by the command of Christ.” (85) |
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Term
| How does the “theology of the cross” apply to vocation? |
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Definition
| The “theology of the cross” applies to vocation because we experience hardship and suffering in our vocations, that bring us closer to Christ. Veith writes on page 86, “For all of the exalted spiritual significance in everyday life posited by the doctrine of vocations- how God is present and active in our work and our relationships- it is evident that we often fail, suffer, and experience frustrations in our vocations….Often or occasionally, vocation turns into a burden, a cross to bear. The theology of the cross applies in particular to vocation.” |
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Term
| What place does prayer play in vocation? |
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Definition
| In vocation, prayer plays the place of “The door through which god, creator and Lord, enters creatively into our home, community, and labor.” (88) Veith also writes, “Trials in vocation drive us to prayer. ‘He who labors knows that there are times when all human ways are blocked,’ observes Wingren. ‘In a special sense this is the time for prayer.’ When we can handle our own problems through our own ingenuity and effort, there is little need to appeal to God. But when we are at our wits’ end, when nothing is working and we are in a state of desperation, then we turn to God.” |
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Term
| How is the “Two Kingdoms” teaching a paradox? |
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Definition
| The “Two Kingdoms” teaching is a paradox because the very nature of the teaching is that we are citizens of one kingdom, not of this world, but we are sent into this world just as Jesus was. There is conflict between this kingdom, and this conflict can be explained in the prayer that Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane, saying, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17:14-18) (Veith 96) So in this way, the teaching is a paradox because we cannot be members of both, but it is meant to be that way. |
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Term
| 2. How does the “Two Kingdoms” teaching serve as a “blueprint for Christian activism” while safeguarding against worldliness? |
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Definition
| The “Two Kingdoms” teaching serves as a “blueprint for Christian activism” while safeguarding against worldliness by teaching that a Christian needs to be “In” the world, but not “Of” the world. Veith explains this on page 98 when he writes, “Christians are citizens of both kingdoms. They are thus to be active members of their cultures, called in vocation to serve their neighbors through moral action. They are also members of Christ’s church, justified entirely by faith. In the spiritual kingdom, they are passive recipients of God’s grace. In the earthly kingdom, they are active for God in the tasks of their vocations. Christians must function in both realms at once, so that they are “in, but not of” the world.” (98) Therefore our Christian activism is encouraged by our citizenship in one kingdom, but we must protect ourselves from being too much a part of the other. |
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Term
| What possibilities does Veith identify for the Christian’s relationship to culture? |
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Definition
| Veith identifies a couple of possibilities for the Christian’s relationship to culture on page 92 when he writes, “Should Christians withdraw from the sinful society or somehow try to reform it?...There are different ways to approach the this perennial conflict between the church and the state, the sacred and the secular.” He says on page 96, “Whether preaching the need to conform to society, reform it, or separate from it, all of these options are theologies of Law, not Gospel.” So while there are multiple ways to approach the world from a Christian point of view, many of these ways are not in line with what God wants in the life of a Christian. |
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Term
| How does John 17:14-18 help us to understand the Christian’s relationship to this world? |
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Definition
| As I mentioned in the answer for question one, John 17:14-18 helps us to understand the Christian’s relationship to culture because it explains how, while we are citizens of another kingdom, right now our place is in this kingdom. Veith writes on page 99, “His followers- and He includes not just His disciples but “those who will believe in me through their message” (17:20), namely us- are not “of the world,” yet He sends them “into the world.” Somehow Christians must be “in, but not of”- engaged in the world, while still being otherworldly.” We are part of the culture in that we are born into it and we must endure it until death, but we can never be true citizens of this world because our true citizenship is in heaven. |
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Term
| How does Veith describe the lordship of God in both kingdoms? |
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Definition
| Veith describes the lordship of God in both kingdoms as very different for each kingdom, earthly, and spiritual. Veith writes on page 98, “God rules His earthly kingdom by power; He rules his spiritual kingdom by love. God’s earthly kingdom is under the Law; His spiritual kingdom is under the Gospel.” So in this way God tailors his lordship to be one of law and power for the earthly kingdom, and with grace and love for the spiritual kingdom. |
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Term
| What does Veith mean by his assertion that “a Lutheran perspective on politics…will be profoundly realistic”? |
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Definition
| Veith means by his assertion that “a Lutheran perspective on politics…will be profoundly realistic” that “It will be very skeptical towards all utopian schemes. No humanly-devised system or institution will be perfect. They all must be subject to moral criticism based on the transcendent, trans-cultural law of God. At the same time, the doctrine of vocation in God’s earthly kingdom validates social, cultural, and political activism. Christian citizens will be under no illusion that they can create heaven on earth through their activism, but they must still uphold and apply God’s moral demands.” (100) So by understanding Lutheran doctrine, we can apply that knowledge to politics by taking a necessarily skeptical view of any earthly institution. |
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Term
| How does Veith answer those who claim that Christians are trying to “impose their morality” on others? Note his use of Romans 2:14-15. |
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Definition
| Veith answers those who claim that Christians are trying to “impose their morality” on others by reminding that the point of Christianity is not to “impose” on anyone, and in fact to do so would be in contradiction of the gospel. He writes on page 101, “Trying to “impose” one’s religious beliefs on others would indeed be a violation of the Gospel. The church, Luther insisted, may not use coercive power. The church is not allowed to use the sword. Only the Word….Faith is a gift of God, the work of the Holy Spirit operating through the means of grace. It cannot be imposed on anyone through some act of power or the sword.” So to impose our morality on others is not something that fits into Christianity at all, because it is only God that works faith, and not what we could do or impose. |
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Term
| What happens when the two kingdoms are confused with each other? |
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Definition
| When the two kingdoms are confused with each other, problems naturally ensue. Veith writes on page 101, “Problems come when the two kingdoms are confused with each other- when the church functions like the culture, or the culture functions like the church. What is appropriate in one realm is often not appropriate in the other.” The devil uses the confusing of these two kingdoms as a tool for his own devices, and Christians must be on their guard against that happening. |
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Term
| How do both freedom and slavery characterize the Christian life? |
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Definition
| Freedom and slavery characterize the Christian life because, “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” (104) Veith writes that “the spiritual kingdom is one of perfect freedom, in which kings and peasants, the rich and the poor, men and women of all cultures and vocations, are equal before Christ. They are free from the demands of the law and from the demands of the world. And yet, as they live in the earthly kingdom, they freely set aside their spiritual freedom for a life of service. Christians voluntarily serve their neighbors, subjugating their own interests for the good of others, living out their vocations in love and good works. Once again, everyday life is transfigured. And faith and good works turn out to be different sides of the same coin.” So in this way, the Christian life is characterized by freedom and slavery because we have freedom in Christ, but are still subject to a life of service on earth. |
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