Theology 1 - Midterm

What is ontology?

Study of being

What is epistemology?

Study of knowing

What is a proposition?

An assertion, which means it has a truth value.

What is a worldview?

A collection of propositions concerning fundamental questions.

A lens through which we view the world.

What is theology?

The study of who God is and what he has done. (Bible, humanity, and sin)

Why is the Bible the foundation of our theology?

It is God’s word.

Must God reveal himself for us to know him?

Yes. We need God’s special revelation.

What are some of the qualities of Paul’s theologizing in Acts 17?

Biblical (Uses a biblical worldview)

Applicable

Contextual (Different than how he shares it with the Jews)

What are the theories of truth?

Coherence theory

• It is true if it matches your worldview.

Pragmatic theory

• It is true if it is useful.

Correspondence theory

• It is true if it maps onto the objective world.

What is the weakness of the coherence theory of truth?

Different worldviews may have contradicting propositions which means they cannot both be true.

What is the weakness of the pragmatic theory of truth?

Certain things may be useful but false.

What is the strength of the coherence theory of truth?

Truth cohering with your worldview may be a necessary condition but not a sufficient one.

What are the two parts of the hermeneutical spiral?

Bias exists.

We are not a slave to it.

What is the difference between theology and exegesis?

Exegesis is good reading of the Bible.

Theology is about getting the biblical texts to talk to one another.

What is the law of noncontradiction?

No proposition can be true and not true at the same time and in the same way.

What is modus ponens?

1. If p then q

2. p

3. Therefore, q

What is modus tollens?

1. If p then q

2. Not q

3. Therefore, not p

What is an example of a necessary condition?

4 sides for a square.

What is an example of a sufficient condition?

3 sides for a triangle

What is a deductive argument?

An argument where the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises.

What does it mean for a deductive argument to be sound?

The premises are true.

What does it mean for a deductive argument to be valid?

The conclusion follows from the premises.

What is an abductive argument?

An appeal to the best explanation.

What role does tradition play in our theology?

Helps us recognize our bias.

Helps us read our Bibles well.

Useful but not necessary or ultimate.

What is revelation?

God communicating to us through a variety of means.

What is special revelation?

God’s revelation to specific people at specific times which allows us to know him and have a relationship with him as sinners.

What is general revelation?

God’s revelation to all people at all times which renders us without excuse.

What is the difference between natural theology and general revelation?

Natural theology believes you can have a saving relationship with God merely through general revelation.

General revelation does not hold that.

How does Romans 1 relate to natural theology?

Denies natural theology.

How does Psalm 19 relate to natural theology?

Says general revelation goes out but no one hears it, hinting that natural theology is not possible.

Why is natural theology useful?

Functions as apologetics which give us an anchor when we are experiencing doubt.

The cosmological argument

An argument from the origin of the universe.

Argument

• If something begins to exist, then it has a cause.

• The universe began to exist.

• Thus, the universe has a cause.

Sound

• Premise 1 - Intuitive; We don't see things randomly pop into existence.

• Premise 2 - Big bang; Problem of an actual infinity

• Premise 3 - Good reason to think that cause is God.

The teleological argument

An argument from the fine-tuning of the universe.

Argument

• The universe is designed, a result of chance, or natural law.

• Not by chance or natural law

• Therefore, designed.

Sound

• Premise 1 - Nothing else possible

• Premise 2 - The universe could have been different (natural law). The universe has apparent fine tuning (chance)

• Premise 3 - Follows from the other 2

The moral argument

An argument from the existence of objective moral values.

Argument

• If God does not exist, then objective moral values do not exist.

• Objective moral values do exist.

• Therefore, God exists.

Sound

• If there is no God, there is no standard outside of ourselves.

• Self-evident

Universalism

Everyone goes to heaven.

Inclusivism

Everyone can go to heaven if they act in accordance with their own moral code.

Exclusivism

Everyone can go to heaven, but they must respond to the gospel in faith.

Inspiration as applied to the Bible

Verbal-plenary theory: God may use different means, but all of the Bible is God’s word.

The historical-critical model of the canon

The process of creating the canon was merely a human process.

The weakness of the historical-critical model of the canon

Excludes the divine part without warrant.

The weakness of the Roman-Catholic model of the canon

Pushes the problem back a step onto the church.

Lacks historical accuracy.

The biblical merit model of the canon

Looks at attributes in the text.

• Written by an apostle

• Universally accepted by the church

• Fits with what we know to be canonical

The weakness of the biblical merit model of the canon

Wrongly thinks there are neutral criteria to establish these attributes.

The self-authentication model

Subjective

• The Holy Spirit helps us to see what is biblical and what is not.

Objective

• Biblical merit model

The weakness of the self-authentication model

Requires circular reasoning.

However, all foundational worldviews face an issue of circularity.

How does the resurrection help establish the canon?

If Jesus rose from the grave, what he said is true.

He rose from the grave.

Jesus believed in the Protestant canon.

Inerrancy

If rightly interpreted and from the original autographs, the Bible does not make any claims that are false.

Sufficiency

The Bible is enough for life and godliness.

However, it is not our only way to learn.

What determines meaning in epistolary literature?

The author’s intent, which is found in the flow of thought.

How are narratives different than epistles?

Epistles are thought, narrative is plot.

Less direct.

What is the nature of promises in proverbs?

Generally true maxims, not promises.

What are some of the defining qualities of Hebrew poetry?

Has symbolism that points to the Old Testament.

Uses parallelism in structure.

The Roman-Catholic model of the canon

The church infallibly decides what is canonical.