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Definition
1. Prologomena- first things in theology
Includes….
1. Nature of theology
2. Theological language
3. Creator/creature) |
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| theology directs the Church’s attention to the realities which the gospel declares and attempts to make those realities a matter of responsible thought that helps us come to a truer knowledge about God” |
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| Certain Aspects of theology (3 major motifs of theology) three ways to think about God. |
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Definition
1. Worship
2. Drama/grammar
3. Theology and Baptism |
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1. Worship- Exchanging false gods for the true god
o Theology helps us correct the exchanging of false god form the true god. It helps us get back in line. |
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Drama/Grammar – Scripture as a record of the dramatic action of God, theology as a grammar
---Drama is the “metanarrative”God’s work throughout history…so God’s work of redemption.
o Dorthy Sayers: "the dogma (authoritative teaching”word of God”) is drama (a story).” Theology is not dull: creation, fall, redemption, etc.
---Theology is how we talk about that…or the grammar we use when talking about that. |
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Theology and Baptism – dying/rising;
---mortification/vivification
o Romans 6:3-4
“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
o Theology maps into our lives
From death to coming to life. Dying to old self. Becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ.
Theological correction—dying “to sinful self” (mortification)
Theological growth – coming to life “becoming a new creation in Christ” (vivification)
You have to die before you can live! |
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***Why We Need Systematic Theology
(Can’t we just read the Bible?) |
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Definition
1.Example: Arius & Nicaea
---He believed that Jesus was created by God and was subordinate to him.
2.Scripture & Theological
understanding the sense of scripture on a topic so that we understand the small passages and how to interpret them |
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| *** Why Systematic Theology? |
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Definition
it produces dogmas...(Christian principles that are accepted as true)
Organizing the themes in scripture into branches of theology and from that producing dogmas, principles that are over achingly true in scripture. |
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Term
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Definition
1.What’s the canon
2.What’s Biblical Studies
3.What is Historical Theology and/or Church History
4.What is Moral/Ethical Theology
5.What is Biblical Theology
6.What is Systematic Theology
These studies complement and correct each other. |
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Definition
| (OT/NT) –exegete Scripture |
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| 3. What is Historical Theology and/or Church History |
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Definition
| history of interpretation (faithfully/unfaithfully) |
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| What is Moral/Ethical Theology |
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Definition
| How Christians ought to live with respect to the church and the world |
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| What is Biblical Theology |
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Definition
Language and thought patterns of Scripture
Topographical Map shows the landscape. Ex. Language, thought patterns. (shows the connection within Scripture. (Ex. Temple = OT, JC, HS.)
Biblical theology is constantly getting back to the story which is taking place.
It is historical in nature. |
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| What is Systematic Theology |
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Definition
Street Map (showing all the details and small roads that connect together.) using the language and thought patterns to talk about scripture. Using the heights and depths…the tertian to
It is logical in nature. |
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Definition
***Models of God/world “Theology as pilgrimage” 3 ways of attempting to travel…or find God.
1.Overcoming Estrangement
2.The Stranger we Never Meet
3.Meeting a Stranger |
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Term
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Definition
Creator and creature overlap; salvation is simply to overcome that estrangement either in perception or in reality – we reach toward the “god” already inside of us (pantheism; panentheism)
•Pantheism- all is divine
•Panetheism- all is within dividity….
•Both want to erase the distinction between God and creatures. |
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Term
| The Stranger we Never Meet |
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Definition
Creator and creature are utterly distinct; they are never related in history or in salvation (God is distant = deism, or does not exist = atheism)
like the divine watchmaker. |
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Term
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Definition
The Christian way of thinking about God and the world.
God is a stranger in the sense that he is qualitatively different than us. But we do get to know the stranger because of the work of redemption and salvation.
Creator is ontologically and ethically different than us.
- the ethical part is the bad part; sin has divided us form God.
because he created us out of nothing. uncreated/created.
it is in opposition to the other two ideas because it is God coming to us form the outside and not something to be found on the inside. |
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| ***Creator/creature 2 types of Knowledge |
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| (original) – God’s perfect knowledge of himself and all things which is unlimited by finitude or sin |
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Definition
(copy) – creaturely knowledge of God and what he has made which is limited by finitude and sin.
God’s thoughts are not our thoughts (our minds are no more divine than our bodies). |
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| ***3 Competing Views of Knowledge |
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Definition
| “three main “isms” of knowledge: rationalism, idealism, empiricism. |
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Definition
Rene Descartes was a key figure here. Descartes wanted a sure and certain foundation for knowledge in himself – apart from external authority… “I think therefore I am.”
LOVE OF OUR OWN REASON OR OUR OWN ABIBLITY TO REASON. Only my thoughts count.
Critique: “God is, therefore we are.” Cannot arrive at certainty apart from God. |
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Term
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Definition
G.E. Lessing was a key figure here.
Lessing said there was an ugly ditch between the necessary truths of reason and the accidental (non-necessary) truths of history.
Individual way of reasoning is put over historical facts.
All about individual reasoning. Only what you knw from within yourself.
Critique: This cuts off form knowing God…because if we cut our selves off from the Bible which records God’s works, and we know God by his works, then we cannot know God. |
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Term
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Definition
David Hume was a key figure here. Hume taught that only our sense experience produces objects of knowledge –everything else can be radically doubted.
- Religion was a way for humanity to cope with life. |
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Definition
Tried to harmonize human reason and sense experience by coming up with a concept(rationalism and empiricism) trying to pull together two contrasting things.
He is a hugely influential figure who sets up some modern dualisms (objective v. subjective).
more focused on the process of cognitive thought. |
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Definition
Hegel responded to Kant’s separation – his dualism – by bringing everything together very rationalistically as one (monism)
. So God is becoming himself in the world – Father/Son/Spirit – and we can know God because he is immanent within the world.
God is fused with the world. Got ride of of Kant's distinctions.
betrays the Creator/creation distinction
more focuse don knowing God. |
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Definition
| Definition of Theology Proper – the study of God in his attributes and internal work as Trinity |
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| ***Knowledge of God (according to John Calvin) Institutes of the Christian Religion |
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Definition
1. Without the knowledge of self, there is no knowledge of God
Without knowledge of God, there is no knowledge of self
look at ourselves to realize who God is and look at God to realize who we are.
2. when God talks to us he uses our human language. basically dumbs it down to our finite understanding.
uses creatually language: ex. would be through the many names he uses to describe himself for us.
el-elohim GOD (generic name for God.)
adonia- LORD attempting not to say Yahweh all caps is Yahweh.
OT names..Exodus 3:14 "i am who i am" that's what Yahweh means.
NT names
Theos--generic name for god in NT--means LORD. |
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| ***Divine Attributes/Perfections |
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Definition
1.Incommunicable attributes
2.Communicable attributes
(Remember: The incommunicable v. communicable distinction is meant to help us categorize, not to be hard and fast.) |
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Term
| Incommunicable attributes |
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Definition
Simplicity--God is able to be everything at one. all attributes, even conflicting. so he is not quality. quality equals...the way he is all of these things fully. he has the abiblity to be all things at once. he is not compounded like us.
Aseity--self-existent. not dependent on anything. did not have to do anything...emphasizes his grace.
Immutable- unchangeable. James 1:17 nothing surprises him.
Impassible--immune to suffering.
Eternal & Omnipresent--transcends time and space |
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Term
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Definition
Intellectual: Omniscience and Omnipotence
- we can have knowledge and power. he is all powerful and all knowing. we are the finite of these things.
Ethical: Goodness, Mercy, and Love
Ethical: Holiness Righteousness, and Justice
Jealousy and Wrath |
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Definition
| Fact: Trinity is concealed in the OT, revealed in the NT |
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Term
| ***Biblical Paths in viewing the Trinity |
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Definition
1.Biblical Path #1--Jesus from the end
2.Biblical Path #2--Jesus from the beginning
Conclusion: Both paths focus on the mission of Jesus and the Spirit. |
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Term
| Biblical Path #1--Jesus from the end |
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Definition
Jesus from the end – he ascend to the father and then the spirit is poured out at pentecost. Acts 2:14-26
his passion/suffering to his glorious exaltation provide clear manifestation of the mystery of the Trinity; exaltation to right hand of the Father and the outpouring of the Spirit |
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| Biblical Path #2---Jesus from the beginning |
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Definition
Jesus from the beginning – LOGOS word with god and was god with spirit.
Father say's who i am pleased in and then the dove comes as a dove.
incarnation by the Spirit, Baptism Father/voice Spirit/dove…; even his pre-existence before his incarnation (Word with God, was God – and together with the Spirit in Gen 1 God created all things by) |
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| ***Trinity: In Revelation of Father |
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Definition
Meaning/origin of the Name
- god the father sent the son...the spirit and the son precede from the father.
point to the relation of origin...
o Good loving carer
–Intimacy/Unity
–Reciprocal love/knowledge
–Unity of Action/Power
–I and the Father are One |
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Term
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Definition
1. univocal- using one word the same way. baseball football. using two words identically.
2. equivoal- using one word in different ways. football cinderella's ball.
3. analogical using a word in similar ways. |
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Term
| Revelation of Jesus the Son |
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Definition
Accomplishes the works of God
–Is sent from the Father
–Presents himself as the Son of Man
–Is the Son of God
–Is the object of worship |
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Term
| Revelation of the Holy Spirit |
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Definition
Is the gift of God
Is the agent who accomplishes salvation |
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Term
| It’s the grammar of the gospel |
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Definition
| 2. The Trinity is the mystery we confess to say the One God acts in three persons. It’s the grammar of the gospel (we are saved by Christ, joined to him by the Spirit, wherein God becomes our Father). |
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| Trinity: Historical Paths |
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Definition
1. Historically, the doctrine of the Trinity developed in response to heresy. Three particular heresies to take note of:
1.Adoptionism
2.Modalism
3.Subordinationism |
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Definition
| – becomes son (honorific title) |
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Definition
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Definition
| son is a creature (intermediary figure) |
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Definition
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| Defense against the heresies: |
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| We said the Son has been confessed as the eternal Son (against adoptionism), who is truly the Son of the Father (against modalism), thus he is begotten not made (against subordinationism). |
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Term
| The Council of Nicaea in 325 |
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Definition
was the first ecumenical council to meet. There, the church wrestled with the questions associated with the status of the Son. And from Nicaea in 325, to Nicaea-Constantinople in 381, the church refined its Trinitarian confession.
, we said a clear grammar developed. We can speak about God two-ways:
o –Essentially – we talked about what God is = Oneness (attributes – shared by the three); COMMON
o –Personally – we talk about who God is = Threeness (relations – persons – Father/Son/Spirit); PROPER |
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Definition
Definition: Bibliology – the study of Scripture.
the doctrine of revelation is under this. |
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Definition
God’s gracious self-disclosure through particular events and words
of the prophets through whom he communicates these events and their meaning.” |
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Term
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Definition
1.General Revelation
2. Special revelation |
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Term
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Definition
general in time/location – generally accessible Major example: creation
general revelation must be seen in light of special revelation to be properly understood. |
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| Scripture, dreams, and visions. |
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Term
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Definition
| is our creaturely reception of that communicative act that God gives through Scripture. |
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| : Inerrancy – Scripture is absolutely trustworthy. Scripture is true in all it affirms. |
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Definition
Truth is an attribute of God (2 Sam. 7:28; Heb. 6:18)
Sooooo...God speaks truthfully (John 3:32-33)
Inspiration establishes that Scripture (graphe) originates (God-breathed = theopneustos) from God (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
So Scripture is the word/speech of God (2 Peter 1:20-21)
Therefore Scripture is true |
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Term
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Definition
| the church’s act of recognition, not of determination – the church recognizes God’s voice in and through Scripture (external proofs help, but come after) |
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| ***Perspicuity/clarity of the Scripture |
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Definition
| Scripture is intelligible to anyone with the normal reading ability of an educated adult |
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| ***Doctrine of sola Scriptura |
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Definition
The doctrine of sola Scriptura – Scripture alone or by Scripture alone.
sufficiency of Scripture for the Christian life |
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Term
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Definition
All authority comes from God (Gen. 17:1)
Inspiration establishes that Scripture (graphe) originates from God (2 Peter 1:20-21)
Nothing else originates from God the way Scripture does
Since Scripture uniquely originates from God, it alone is His authoritative and sufficient word (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Therefore, Scripture is the only trustworthy and final authority for Christians in matters of faith and practice |
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Term
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Definition
| 1.Definition: Creation – the study of all that God made |
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Term
| ***Faulty Views of Creation |
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Definition
Emmanationist (dualist)
Panentheist (monist)
Materialist (monist) |
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Term
| Emmanationist (dualist) |
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Definition
| o Creation is bad since it is physical; it needs to return to God as spirit (e.g. – Gnostic host of spirit beings) |
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Term
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Definition
| o Creation is a sort of extension of God; it needs to overcome all difference and live in harmony as/with God (e.g. – McFague world = God’s body) |
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Term
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Definition
| o Creation is an accidental state of affairs within eternal matter; it should live as it will with no end goal (e.g. – science and eternal particles) |
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Term
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Definition
not explicitly taught in Scripture, but does arise naturally from a synthetic reading of all Scripture.
Key texts: Gen 1:1-3; John 1:1-3; Heb 11:3 |
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Term
| ***Aspects of creation ex nihilo |
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Definition
1. Creation is a personal act of the triune God
2. The triune God is free as Creator
3. The triune God directly makes his creation
4. Creation is contingent
5. Creation is good
6. Creation has integrity |
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Term
| ***Geological Data (age of the earth) |
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Definition
1. Rock Layers
Rock layers with fossils appear to have been deposited, eroded, and other layers deposited over millions of years
Silt layers (2 per year – spring/winter) are evident in river beds, some with several million
2. From this, scientists think the earth must be at least a few million years old. |
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Term
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Definition
The process looks at radioactive material that decays at predicable rates (precision clocks are made on the basis of this decay).
Looking at parent material (original) and daughter material (decayed) scientist calculate the age of the rocks.
Using radiometric dating some rocks have been estimated to be approximately 4.5 billion years old. |
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Term
| Creation in Six Days: Young Earth |
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Definition
1. Creation in Six Days: Young Earth
Literal Six Days
Gap Theory
Flood Geology |
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Term
| 2. Creation in Six Days: Old Earth |
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Definition
Day-Age Theory questioning whether a day is actually a 24 hour day.
Days of Proclamation-- did not actually do it in 6 days but just proclaimed it and laid it out ahead of time for us.
Literary Framework (analogical days) |
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Term
| ***Non-negotiables of Creation |
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Definition
1. Creation in Six Days – the language of the six days of creation must be plausibly interpreted
2. God is Sovereign in the Process – the sovereignty of God as maker/sustainer must be upheld
3. Humanity is God’s special creation – humanity is made by God as his image, distinct from animals |
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Definition
1. Definition: Providence – the study of God’s work in and through all he has made
"ordering and sustaining" |
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Term
| Providence – The Father’s sovereign ordering |
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Definition
original (creatio originalis)world came into existance; continuing (creatio continua)altering creatures; new (creatio nova)
345. |
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Term
| ***Providence “ex nihilo” |
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Definition
God is creative with what he has created, but
the act of creation itself only occurs once ex nihilo.
Providence describes the rest of God’s continuing work. |
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Term
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Definition
| extraordinary work versus God’s ordinary work |
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Term
| Providence: Three kinds of passages to consider |
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Definition
1. Soteriological Passages
2. Common Grace Passages
3. Theodicy Passages |
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Term
| 1. Soteriological Passages |
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Definition
| – those which are connected specifically with salvation |
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Definition
| – those which refer to God’s more general governance |
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Definition
| those which defend God’s ways in the world despite the reality of evil |
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| ***Theological parameters in considering the doctrine of providence |
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Definition
1. Direct/Indirect Cause - God is always the primary cause, but typically works through secondary causes. God’s normal work in the world is through ordinary means.
2. God’s Hidden/Revealed Will – We also make a distinction between God’s Hidden and Revealed will. Since the “secret things” belong to God (Deut 29:29) and that which is “revealed” belongs to us (Deut 29:29), we can actually take comfort that we know in part not in full.
We can rest in God because he truly does know the secret things that we do not and is working together for our good and his glory (Rom 8:28). |
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| ***Providence: Problem of Evil (PoE) |
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Definition
1. Six basic rules/concepts
1) Evil exists.
2) An all powerful God could eliminate evil.
3) A good God would eliminate evil.
4) Therefore, God is either not all powerful, not good, or not existent.
5) For all people, especially Christians, this is a very serious problem.
6) How do we respond? |
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