CT 2 Exam 1

Theology

compound greek word - theos (God) and logos (Word), the word concerning God.

Theology is used as…

1. a discipline

2. a substitute word for philosophy

Doctrine

what is taught

Dogma

is a doctrine that is fixed or set /established.

The three circles

1. too inclusive “orthodox”, heretic

2. too exclusive (Master’s) does not accept anything from the outside.

3. the in between

Order of arrows for theology

1. Assumptions/ presuppositions, hermeneutics (interpretation)

2. Exegesis - ex (from, out of), Ago (lead) Bible study

3. Biblical theology - Author -Book

4. Systematic Theology: whole Scripture - the synthesis of biblical theology (biblical Theo + nothing -biblical theology and something

Reality

Metaphysics

Knowledge

Epistemology, we determine what is right and wrong through falsification

Values

Axiology

Purpose

Teleology

Being

Ontology

God

Theology Proper

Man

Anthropology

Sin

Hamartiology

Salvation

Soteriology

Future

Eschatology

Systematic Theology

Attempts to catalog or systematize all the Bible teaches on a given topic.

Interpretation (hermeneutic)

The whole of Scripture

Prolegomena

Is a compound word of two Greek words, pros (before) and lego (say). The term implies to say before.

Prolegomena discusses the presuppositions necessary for a study of theology.

Bibliology

the study of the major doctrines of the scriptures including such topics as revelation, inspiration, canonicity, transmission, preservation, hermeneutics, and biblical study.

Theology Proper

the formal study of the doctrine of God including such topics as Trinitarianism, the attributes of God, His essence, nature and existence.

Christology

The study of the doctrines regarding our Lord Jesus Christ, including discussion of His person and work.

Pneumatology

the study of the doctrines concerning the Holy Spirit, centering on His person and work.

Angelology

the study of spirit-beings and is generally sub-divided into two key areas: the elect angels, the evil angels (demonology, satanology)

Anthropology

the study of the doctrines concerning humanity (mankind) including discussion of origin, nature, and destiny.

Hamartiology

the study of the doctrine of sin including its origin, nature and destiny.

Soteriology

study of the doctrines concerning salvation and sanctification

Ecclesiology

the study of the doctrine of the Church including its nature, origin, government and ordinances.

Eschatology

study of the major end time events, including the rapture, tribulation, kingdom, judgments, and the eternal state.

Biblical theology

an exegetically based analysis of the themes or emphases of a given biblical author (writings) or a particular (specific) biblical book.

Historical theology

discipline.

studies:

-Individuals from church history: what did they teach, contributed.

-Documents from church history: confessions, catechisms.

-Meetings from church history: also referred to as councils, diets, synods.

Historiography

the study of these types of methodologies.

The essential methodologies used in historical theology are primarily utilized by the historian.

Practical theology

This is also known as applied theology or pastoral theology. This branch of theology concerns itself with the implications of theology.

This from of theology is interested in the outcome or outworking of theology in life-context. Biblical counseling

Orthodoxy

established, authorized, or acknowledged theory, belief or doctrine.

Orthopraxy

established conduct, practice or behavior.

Theological Anthropology - the doctrine of Humanity

Anthropology is a combination of two Greek words: anthropos (man), and logos (the word about or concerning).

The study of the Biblical teachings concerning mankind (or humanity).

Sociocultural anthropology -non theistic

the evolution of human society and culture

Biological (Physical) Anthropology -non theistic

the study of the evolution of the human species.

Archeological Anthropology -non theistic

understanding human beings in a past archeological context. It is very interpretive.

Linguistic Anthropology -non theistic

the evolution of human language

Transhumanism

integration of technology and humanity

Atheistic evolution - Dysteleological, naturalistic evolution, biological evolution

biological evolution occurring apart from any supernatural processes or interventions.

Modern Neo-atheism and evolutionary theory

Perspectives:

New atheism is the name given to the ideas promoted by a collection of modern atheist writers and thinkers who have advocated the view that religion should not simply be tolerated but countered, criticized, and exposed by rational argument wherever its influence arises. This group also attempts to leverage scientific argument (and conceptual theories) against traditional belief systems.

Atheistic literature

Richard Dawkins

Considering the challenges to atheistic thought

1. The problem of existence - why does anything exist at all

2. The problem of ethics - where/how does society derive moral values and ethical choices

3. The problem of evil - how does anyone determine any preferability between good and evil within nature beyond personal or social preference.

Theistic evolution - Evolutionary creationism, threshold evolution

Position affirms that religious view of God are compatible with modern scientific understandings of biological evolution. It is not a scientific theory but a range of views about how the science of evolution relates to religious beliefs. they reflect the conflict thesis.

Creative evolution

postulates an alternate explanation for Darwin’s mechanism of evolution, suggesting that evolution is motivated by an elan vital, vital impetus, that can also be understood as humanity’s natural creative impulse.

Nature itself possesses an immanent life-force which accounts for all evolutionary development.

Progressive creationism

all basic life forms were created directly by God at different times over millions (billions) of years.

Discussions

-Central concern - Old Earth vs Young earth: the appearance of age question

-Gap Theorists: the relationship between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2

-Redefinition of Genesis 1 Day - Hebrew yom

1. mythical poetical, non-literal usage

2. Revelatory day not actual 24 hrs

3. non-literal to literal in Genesis 3

-Issue of the appearance of age, functionality, and maturity

Special Creationism

The universe and all life-forms were created by unconditional divine “fiat” or decree over a literal 24 hour six day period.

The reactionary emergence of the Intelligent design movement

emergence of the Fundamentalist modernist controversy (gave birth to TMU)

ex nihilo

out of nothing

spoken

Biblical theism

ex deo

out of God

subsumed

pantheism

Ex materia

out of stuff

stuff

atheism

Classical argument - the Kalam cosmological argument

1. Everything that has a beginning of its existence has a cause of existence

2. The universe has a beginning of its existence, therefore

3. the universe has a cause of its existence

Order of creation

Universe

Earth

Sea

Land

Plants

Sea Animals

Land Animals

Man

three usages of the concept of heaven

1. the firmament (sky) - 1st heaven

2. Space (celestial bodies, planets, stars, cosmos) 2nd heaven

3. Heaven - the abode of God 3rd heaven

Likeness of Man to God

1. Functional likeness: ruling or dominion aspect over the earth.

2. Substantive: attributes or qualities consistent with God, capacity to love, exercise choice, reason. Possible alignment with the communicable attributes of God.

3. Relational: ability desire and capacity for deep and meaningful relationships.

Likeness to God, Theological possibilities

1. Personality: individuality, intellect, emotion, will, the idea of sentient self.

2. Morality: concepts of good, evil and just/injustice, human rights

3. Rationality: powers to infer, deduce, reason- engage in higher intellectual functioning.

4. Creativity: capacity to innovate, experiment, curiosity, imagine

5. Spirituality: awareness and sensitivity to spiritual things

6. Sovereignty: dominion over the created order

7. Dignity: uniqueness of man as man

8. Aesthetical: humanity’s perception of beauty and rejection of ugliness.

creation of woman

identification of the problem of man- aloneness

Egalitarian (role of men and women)

equality in all aspects and roles, including church offices.

Complimentarian (role of mean and women)

equal, but acknowledging male headship in areas of marriage and church leadership.

Goal of biblical marriage

oneness

Non material aspect of mankind (Spiritual, non -corporal)

Soul : nephesh, living being , that which animates man, psyche

Spirit : ruah, pneuma

Marriage is not…

about finding the right person but being the right person.

Concept of Soul

Consciousness

Rationality

Spirituality

Personality

Spirit

sensitivity to spiritual things

Monism

The body and the soul are not considered separate components of a person but rather as two facets of a united whole. This represents more Hebrew thoughts, whereas body-soul dualism is more Greek philosophy and platonic.

Dichotomisim

a human being is made up of two components: material and spiritual. The soul or spirit departs from the body at death and will be reunited with the body at resurrection.

Trichotomism

a human being is made up of three distinct components: body, soul and spirit.

Pre-existence theory

refers to the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception, and at some point before birth enters or is placed by God into the body.

Creationism

the belief that God creates a soul/spirit for each body that is generated by procreation. God creates a soul ex nihilo for each person.

Traducianism

key idea - to transfer - one;s soul is derived by procreation from the souls of the parents. Means that this immaterial aspect is transmitted through natural procreation along with the body.

Determinism

everything has been determined by God in advance.

Indeterminism

everything is up to man, God manages human choice.

self-determinism

Sovereignty of God over human responsibility, God opens and closes doors. He has a plan for my life but humans still have responsibility.

Two named trees in the garden

The tree of life

The tree of knowledge of God and Evil: by man’s choice, suffering, injustice, unfairness, broken-ness, death and loss would be known both theoretically and practically.

Process of temptation

1. instills doubt in man (Satan will use Scripture)

2. Directly contradicts the truth

3. Corrupts and impugns God’s motives

The consequences of the fall

1. guilt- an awakening of the conscience (shame)

2. Fear - an avoidance of the presence of God (aversion)

3. Blame - an avoidance of personal responsibility (victimization/blame shifting)

Protoevangelium

Genesis 3:15

the depravity of humanity

• the whole of humanity is sinful - every human is depraved.

• humanity is wholly sinful - we are totally depraved. every aspect of our beings are affected by sin.

Errant concepts regarding human depravity

-Unbeliever has no ability to do good deeds (from a human perspective)

-Unbeliever does every kind of sin ( a person is not as bad as they can possibly be)

-Unbeliever is as bad as possible.

Proper concepts of human depravity

Extent of the fall is complete, or total on humanity’s personhood (intellect, emotion and will, all of one self is affected)

Pelagianism

the belief that original sin (Adam’s fall) did not taint human nature and that moral will is still capable of choosing good or evil without special divide aid. Adam’s sin affected Adam alone.

Arminianism or Semi-pelagianism

a distinction is made between the beginning of faith and the increase of Fatih. teaches that the latter half (growing in faith) is the work of God while the beginning of Faith is an act of free will with grace supervening only later.

Augustinianism

man is totally depraved. After the fall, mankind is unable to not sin. In order for a person to be delivered from this dreadful state, God must intervene. Also referred to as total depravity

Effects of Adam’s imputed sin on humanity (individual)

1. on the mind and out thinking (intellectual)

2. On the will and our choices (volition)

3. On the emotions and our feelings (emotional)

definition of sin proper

any lack of conformity on the part of the sentient/rational creature, whether in act, nature, or state to the moral law and person of God.

judicial sin/ Adamic sin

imputation of Adam’s sin to all humanity. All are intrinsically sinful and all are under condemnation by virtue of Adam’s fall. Regards legal standing before God. All of humanity’s guilty and found wanting.

Natural sin

individual possession of a sin nature. This is understood as a predisposition and proclivity to sin by virtue of a fallen and corrupted nature. This is seen as an inherent disposition and inevitably of exhibiting sinful thoughts and traits. This regards an individuals moral state/self before God.

Personal sin

Individual personal acts of the will in rebellion against God. This regards both personal actions and attitudes before God. This reality is where much preaching and teaching focuses. This is hourly/daily.

Rebellion finds its expression in two ways

Active sin- sins of commission- doing what we are not supposed to do.

Passive sin - sins of omission - not doing what we are supposed to do.

At its core, the essential nature of sin is…

pride and conceit - self - exaltation

selfishness - self -centeredness

the nature of sin

action - volitional choice

thoughts - intellectual activity

state or nature - positional reality

p.116 see circle (nature, thoughts, action)

nature: recognize the reality of the sin nature

thoughts: guard your thought life

actions: practice the art of righteous living

temptation

the opportunity or solicitation to do evil. Looked at as an external solicitation or an inward desire to sin.

hardness or callousness to sin

continual and habitual sin, and resistance to repentance. This callousness is hardening.

the consequence of sin

death: separation from something

-Physical death: the separation of the material and the spiritual

-Spiritual death: complete separation from God

-Eternal death (second death): ultimate and eternal separation from God and others

the unpardonable sin

-rejection or disregard of the Gospel

-an unidentified or unnamed sin

-rejection of Christ in the gospels by assigning His Holy Spirit powered works to Satan

remedy for sin

confession of sin: acknowledgment of sin

repentance from sin: turning from sin