Systematic Theology

Biblical Theology

The attempt to arrange biblical teachings or themes in a more systematic way while maintaining biblical image, frameworks, and worldviews.

Christian Theology

The body of beliefs and doctrines that constitute the Christian faith. Theology has been understood as faith seeking understanding (Augustine, Anselm) and the critical reflection on God's revelation. Various theological methods have been used with differing emphases throughout the centuries.

Covenant Theology

A theological perspective most developed by 17th century Reformed theologians. It focuses on the ways in which the divine- human0relationship has been established by covenants. These include God's covenant of grace and works, though the latter is not recognized by all Reformed theologians.

Dispensational Theology

A view of God's activities in history expounded in the Scofield Reference Bible and traced to John Nelson Darby. Each dispensation is a different time period n which humans are tested in responding to God's will Seven dispensations cover creation to judgement.

Dogmatic Theology

Theological reflection on the beliefs of the Christian community. primarily though not exclusively through the study of Christian creeds and confessions of faith

Fundamentalism/fundamentalist

A mentality advocation strict adherence to certain principles or doctrines regarded as basic essential, and "fundamental" to a viewpoint. The term is used for a form of Protestantism in 20th-century America that sought to preserve conservative views and values against liberal theology and the higher criticism of Scripture. A strong focus was on the inerrant and literal interpretation of Scripture

Historical Theology

Raw study of the news of theologians and of the Christian church in their historical contexts

Liberal Theology/ Liberalism

A theological movement stemming from Friedrich Schleiermacher, that sought to reformulate Christian doctrine in contemporary terms. It emphasized the use of reason, science, freedom, and experience while focusing on human goodness and progress and the continuities between the divine and human

Liberation Theology

Various 20th century theological movements that see the gospel as liberation from all forms of oppression - economic, spiritual, political, and social. The emphasis is on praxis, or the practical ways in which God's call for the liberation of the oppressed is acomplished

Modernism

A theological movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries among Protestants and Roman Catholics who sough to interpret Christianity in light of modern knowledge

Philosophical Theology

The approach to theology that employs the methods, terms, and resources of philosophy for theological work

Systematic Theology

The branch of Christian theology that attempts to present theological thinking and practice in an orderly and coherent way. It may be based on Scripture and expressed through doctrines. It implies an underlying philosophical frame of reference and a method to be followed.

Angelology

Study of the doctrine of angels

Anthropology, Theological

The doctrine of humanity that views humans in terms of their relationships to God. IT includes critical reflection on issues such as the origin, purpose, and destiny of humankind in light of Christian theology understandings.

Bibliography

The teachings of churches about the nature of the Bible and ways in which it is to be understood. Elements of the doctrine include issues of authority, inspiration, the function and use of Scripture, and perspectives for interpretation

Christology

The study of the person and work of Jesus Christ. The church’s understanding of who Jesus Christ is and what he has done grew and developed through the centuries. Early church councils produced christological statements.

Demonology

The study of demons

Ecclesiology

The study of the church as biblical and theological topic. The NT presents various images of the church that the early church struggled with as it sought its self understanding in light of the gospel and controversies

Eschatology

Study of the “last things” or the end of the world. Theological dimensions include the second coming of Jesus Christ and the last judgement

Hamartiology

The study of the doctrine of sin

Pneumatology

Theological doctrine of the Holy Spirit. In the early church the doctrine of the Spirit began in the 4th century with controversies about the Spirit’s divinity.

Prolegomena

Those things that come before the main body of a work. In theology, certain issues and questions that prepare the way for treating other major topics.

Soteriology

The doctrine of salvation

Theology Proper

The theological study of the doctrine of God

Anthropomorphism

The attribution of a human quality to God, such as “eyes,” “hands,” or “arms,” It uses analogous and metaphorical language

Authority

The power or right to command belief, action, and obedience

Biblicism

an unquestioning allegiance to eh Bible and one’s own understanding of it

Creed

A formal statement of belief. Christian churches from the early church period to the present have often constructed summary statements of Christian beliefs

Fideism

The view that faith rather than reason is the means by which Christian truth is known

Natural theology

Knowledge of God attained through God’s revelation in nature and available to human reason. The Roman Catholic tradition has emphasized through Thomas Aquinas. Some Protestants affirm it, while others, such as Karl Barth reject it

Orthodoxy

that which is considered correct or proper belief, particularly the teachings of early ecumenical church councils from Nicaea to Chalcedon. When capitalized, “Orthodoxy” refers to the doctrine and practice of Eastern Orthodoxy.

Revelation

An act of self-disclosure and self-communication

Revelation, General

God’s self-disclosure and self-communication in the universe and created world. Theologians have debated whether faith is necessary to perceive this revelation and in what ways it is accessible to those who are sinners

Revelation, Special

God’s particular self0revelation at specific times and places and to particular people, as in teh events of Israel’s history and, for Christians, fully in Jesus Christ. the Bible as the record of God’s word and action is also considered a special revelation

Scripture

A writing regarded as sacred. In the Christian traction the OT and NT are considered Holy Scripture in that they are, or convey, the self-revelation of God. The term may refer to a single verse or the whole Bible

Scripture, authority of

In the Christian view, the conviction that the writings of the OT and NT have unique status in being and/or conveying God’s self-revelation. They are thus to be recognized as such and obeyed as reliable guides for Christian living

Tradition

the transmission of received teaching or practice. In Christianity the church’s tradition centers in God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. The term has come to mean the genuine preservation of the apostles’ faith

Word of God

God’s self-revelation as the incarnate Word (Jesus Christ) the written Word (Holy-Scripture) and the living Word (preaching). The term was virtually synonymous with early Christian proclamation

A posteriori

Latin term referring to thought or knowledge that is based on, or arises after, experience

A priori

Latin term referring to thought or knowledge arising from a concept or principle that prides empirical verification, or that occurs independently of experience

Agnosticism

The view that it is not possible to have any certain knowledge beyond ordinary experience, so that one cannot know whether God exists

Analogy

The use of likeness or proportionateness to relate one known thing to another that is unknown. Thomas Aquinas used analogy to indicated how the same qualities could be ascribed to God (who is infinite) and humans (who are finite)

Atheism

Denial of the existence an reality of any deity

Cataphatic theology

A mode of theology used to describe God positively not eh basis of the divine self-revelation, in contrast to apophatic theology, the “way of negation” Also called “positive theology”

Cosmological argument

Argument for God’s existence that proposes that since all things in the universe must have a cause, God must exist as the ultimate cause of all things

God, Incomprehensibility of

God’s greatness as exceeding all human capabilities ever to understand God fully

Moral argument

An argument for the existence of God based on the view that there must be an ultimate explanation for why there are moral values and a concern for moral activity

Ontological argument

One of the classical arguments for the existence of GOd based not eh powers of reason. As developed by Anselm, it considers God to be “that than which nothing greater can be conceived” As such God must exist because to lack existence would be a defect

sense of divinity

An innate , intuitive perception in all people of the existence of teh divine; it forms a basis for all religion and a natural theology. John Calvin recognized that sin distorted this knowledge and thus it cannot bring salvation. It leaves humans inexcusable before God. Also called sense of deity

Teleological argument

One of the five arguments for the existence of God formulated by Thomas Aquinas. The order of the universe is said to imply a designer who has shaped the universe to fulfill divine purposes as a final goal.

Via Negativa

a way of speaking about God that takes human characteristics and describes God in terms of their opposites such as: humans are finite; God is infinite

Univocity

A view of language in which names are seen as being univocal, having the same meaning throughout their various uses. Also the exact application of a name or term to two different things.

Binitarianism

The view that the Godhead consists of only the Father and Son. It was prevalent in the early church among Monarchians, some Arians, and the Pneumatomachians. Today it is found in views that deny divinity to Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit

Economic Trinity

A view of the Trinity, propounded by Hippolytus and Tertullian that stressed the functions or work of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit rather than their eternal being in relation to each other.

Eternal Generation

The relation of the Son to the Father in the Godhead, with the Son being “eternally begotten” or “generated” by and from God the Father.

Filoque

Phrase inserted into the Niceno-Constantinopoliatan Creed at teh Council of Toledo to say that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both Father and Son (double procession) in teh Trinity. It was rejected by the Eastern church and was part of the reason for the East-West church schism

Hypostasis

The objective essence of something Biblically, the term is used for confidence or assurance. Theologically, it was used in the early church for the three persons of the Godhead, each as an individual reality.

Modalism

A view of the Trinity that the one God was revealed at different ways and thus has three manners of appearance rather than being one God in three persons. The early church considered modalism a heresy.

Perichoresis

A term used in the theology of the Trinity to indicate the intimate union, mutual indwelling, or mutual interpenetration of the three members of the Trinity with one another. Also used for the relation of the two natures of Christ.

Person

defined person as “an individual substance of a rational nature” Contemporary theologians emphasize the relational nature personhood. The three “persons” of the Trinity relate freely, equally, and in full love with one another.

Subordinationism

A theological term for the view that the nature and status of Jesus Christ is less than that of God the Father, or that the Holy Spirit is inferior to the Father and the Son. These positions were rejected by the Council of Constantinople. Subordinationist views appeared in Arianism and in writers such as Origen

Trinity, Ontological

The three persons of the Trinity in themselves, sharing the divine essence (sub-stance) as one God.

Trinity, Relations in (aka relations of origin or personal relations)

In the doctrine of the Trinity, the relations of the three persons to one another: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person has distinct characteristics but shares the same divine essence.

Trinitarian Functions (aka inseparable operations)

The differing works of the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In classical theology, the work of one member of the Trinity is also considered to be the work of the whole Trinity. The term is similar to the term.

Tritheism

Behold in three separate and individual gods. She early formulations by Christian theologians were considered to move in this direction. Early Christian apologists sought to defend the faith from charges of belief in three gods.

Unitarianism

The belief that God is one. It contrasts with Trinitarianism which holds that God is one God in three persons. The modern religious movement arose from the liberal the theologies of Faustus Socinus and others and grew to formation of the Unitarian Universalist Association.