The Nature of God and Humanity & Community and Identity

These flashcards encapsulate key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture notes about the nature of God, humanity, community, identity, and love.

Cuckoo in Our Nest

The concept that the god worshipped may not be the God revealed in Scripture, but a different idea derived from outside sources.

Epicureanism

A belief system that posits gods exist but are distant and unconcerned with human affairs, allowing humans to pursue happiness without fear of divine judgment.

Deism

A religious belief that acknowledges a supreme creator who does not interfere in the universe, emerging during the Enlightenment to reconcile Christian faith and rationalism.

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD)

A contemporary belief system where God is seen as distant, primarily wanting people to be happy, rather than focusing on sin and salvation.

Stoicism

A philosophy suggesting the universe is governed by a rational divine power, and human essence is to reason and harmonize with nature.

Community and Identity

The idea that personal identity is social and shaped by community interactions, emphasizing the need for social context.

Purpose of the Church

The church is viewed as a gift from God that helps Christians resist world conformity and supports identity formation.

Virtual Community

A community experienced through technology, which Provan argues cannot replace the importance of real, embodied community in church.

Inclusion on Christ's Terms

This means embracing Christ's lordship and following his commandments as part of true discipleship.

Hard-Edged Love

A biblical understanding that love is not indulgent but morally robust and sometimes requires difficult actions for the good of others.

Christian Compassion

Compassion rooted in biblical faith, valuing life as a gift from God, contrasting with contemporary views that might support practices like euthanasia.