Phil 1317 Final

What was the primary focus of Thomas Aquinas’s thought?

Bringing together Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy

What is the major work of Thomas Aquinas?

Summa Theologica

What did Aquinas argue about the physical world?

Creation is good because it comes from God

What philosophical influence did Aquinas change?

He challenged Manichaeans and extreme Platonic influences

What is the New Aristotelianism in Aquinas’s thought?

It emphasizes studying the natural world through observation and reason

What are the Five Ways proposed by Aquinas?

Arguments for God’s existence: from motion, efficient cause, contingency, degrees of perfection, and design

What is the argument from motion?

Everything that changes is changed by something else; there must be a first mover which is God

What does the argument from efficient cause state?

Everything that happens must have a cause; there must be a first cause which is God

What does the argument from contingency assert?

Things depend on something else for existence; there must be a necessary being which is God

What is the argument from degrees of perfection?

Recognizing different levels of goodness points toward a highest standard which is God

What does the argument from design suggest?

Nature operates according to order and purpose, indicating an intelligent source which is God

How did Aquinas view the relationship between reason and revelation?

He believed they come from the same God and cannot truly contradict each other

What is the famous summary of Aquinas regarding nature and grace?

“Grace does not destroy nature, it perfects it”

What was Meister Eckhart’s main teaching?

He emphasized a deep spiritual relationship between humans and God

What did Eckhart criticize in religious life?

He criticized an overly external or superficial religious life, advocating for inner faith and genuine devotion

Who was William of Ockham?

An English Franciscan philosopher and theologian who criticized parts of medieval scholastic theology

What is nominalism?

The belief that universals do not exist as real things outside individual objects

What did Ockham argue about human reason?

He argued that human reason cannot know as much about God as some medieval thinkers claimed

What was Ockham’s view on God’s freedom?

He believed that God’s will is greater than human logic and not restricted by philosophical systems

What was Ockhams’s criticism of church authority?

He criticized excessive papal power

What did Aquinas believe about human reason after the Fall?

Aquinas emphasized that grace builds on nature rather than destroying it

What did Aquinas argue about the physical world in relation to God?

He argued that the changing physical world does not mean something is unreal; it points toward God

What did Aquinas believe about the knowledge gained through senses?

He believed that human knowledge begins with the senses and experiences

What is the significance of the Summa Theologica’s structure?

It presents theology systematically through questions, objects, answers, and arguments

What is the importance of inner transformation in Eckhart’s teachings?

It emphasizes the need for personal transformation and a direct experience of God

What is the significance of God’s will in relation to human logic?

God’s will is greater than human logic

What did Ockham criticize about church authority?

Ockham criticized excessive papal power and argued that church authority should not be limited

How did Ockham contribute to the Reformation

He helped create an environment where people questioned church traditions, authority structures, and the relationship between Scripture and church teaching

Who was John Wyclif?

John Wyclif (c. 1328-1384) was and English theologian and reformer

What philosophical stance did Wyclif support?

Wyclif supported realism, which teaches that universalists are real and abstract realities exist beyond individual objects

What was Wyclif’s view on Scripture?

Wyclif argued that Scripture should have greater authority than church traditions

What criticism did Wyclif have regarding church wealth?

He questioned the wealth and political power of the church, believing religious leaders should follow the example of Christ

What was Wyclif’s stance on the translation of Scripture?

His movement supported making Scripture available to ordinary people

What were indulgences in the context of the medieval church?

Indulgences were practices connected to penance and forgiveness of sins, allowing believers to reduce time in purgatory

What is purgatory?

Purgatory is the belief that some Christians undergo purification after death before entering heaven

What is the treasury of merits?

The treasury of merits is the idea that saints and Mary had performed more good works than needed for their own salvation, creating a ‘treasury’ that the Church could distribute

What did Martin Luther’s 95 Theses target?

Luther’s 95 Theses targeted the theological understanding behind indulgences and questioned the Church’s authority to remove spiritual consequences through payments

What was Luther’s main message in Thesis 62?

The true treasure of the Church is the Holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God

How did Luther’s understanding of God’s righteousness change?

Luther shifted from viewing God’s righteousness as a standard for judgement to seeing it as a gift given to sinners

What is justification by faith according to Luther?

Humans are justified by grace through faith, meaning salvation is not earned but given by God

What is the difference between imputed and imparted righteousness?

Imputed righteousness is credited to believers from Christ, while imparted righteousness is a quality given to a person to make them righteous internally

What did Luther argue about human nature and free will?

Luther rejected Pelagianism, arguing that humans are deeply affected by sin and cannot choose God without grace

What was Luther’s response to Erasmus regarding free will?

Luther argued that sinful humans are captive to Sin and cannot choose God on their own; salvation depends completely on God’s grace

What are the three major principles emphasized by the Reformation?

Sola gratia (grace alone), sola fide (faith alone), and sola scriptura (scripture alone)

What does sola gratia mean?

Salvation is completely a gift from God and cannot be earned through good works or personal merit

What does sola fide signify?

People receive salvation through faith, with good works being the result of faith, not the cause of justification

What is the meaning of sola scriptura?

Scripture is the highest authority for Christian belief and practice, superseding church tradition when in conflict

How did Luther view good works in relation to justification?

Good works to no cause justification, they are evidence of true faith, which is a response created by God’s grace

What is the priesthood of all believers according to Luther?

Luther argued that all Christians have direct access to God through Christ, rejecting the idea that only priests have special access

Who was Ulrich Zwingli?

A Swiss theologian and early leader of the Reformed movement, influenced by Renaissance humanism

What did Zwingli believe about Scripture?

Ho believed Christians should return to the original biblical message and that Scripture should speak for itself

How did Zwingli’s views differ from Luther’s regarding tradition?

Zwingli was more suspicious of traditions not explicitly found in Scripture, while Luther was more willing to retain some traditions

What was the main disagreement in the Eucharist debate between Luther and Zwingli?

Luther believed in consubstantiation (Christ’s presence in the Eucharist), while Zwingli viewed the Eucharist as symbolic

What is Zwingli’s view on the physical presence of Christ in the Eucharist?

He emphasized that Christ’s physical body is in heaven and cannot be in multiple locations

What is the significance of Zwingli’s work ‘On the Providence of God’?

It discusses God’s sovereignty and the distinction between primary and secondary causes

What is predestination according to Zwingli?

God’s knowledge and will determine the course of history, and human free will cannot operate independently from God’s providence

Who was John Calvin?

An influential thinker in Reformed theology, known for his work ‘Institutes of the Christian Religion”

What was Calvin’s goal in his theological work?

To organize Reformed beliefs into a systematic theology and explain the biblical foundation for God’s soveriegnty

What does Calvin teach about election?

God chooses people for salvation according to his own will, independent of human merit

What is the difference between monergism and synergism?

Monergism asserts that God alone accomplishes salvation, while synergism involves cooperation between God’s grace and human response

What were the Five Points of Calvinism (TULIP)?

Total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, preservation of the saints

What was the Anabaptist challenge to infant baptism?

Anabaptists argues that infants cannot express faith, thus only believers should be baptized

What does ‘believer’s baptism’ entail according to Anabaptists?

Baptism requires repentance, personal faith, and commitment

What is the Schleitheim Confession?

A major Anabaptist statement of belief affirming that baptism is only for believers

Who was Balthasar Hubmaier?

An important Anabaptist figure who argued that infant baptism cannot produce faith

What did Anabaptists emphasize about the Christian life?

Christianity requires a personal relationship with Christ and discipleship, not merely societal belonging

What was the Synod of Dort?

A council that rejected Arminain theology and affirmed the five Points of Calvinism

What is the main focus of Jacob Arminius’s theology?

He argued that human response matters and that God’s predestination is based on foreknowledge of who will believe

What is the difference between supralapsarianism and infralapsarianism?

Supralapsarianism posits that God’s decree of election precedes creation, while infralapsarianism states that election follows humanity’s fall into sin

What does ‘irresistible grace’ mean in Calvinist theology?

It means that God’s saving grace cannot ultimately be rejected by the elect

What is ‘total depravity’ in the context of Calvinism?

It asserts that humanity is affected by sin and cannot save themselves

What does ‘limited atonement’ refer to?

The belief that Christ’s death specifically secures salvation for the elect

What is ‘perseverance of the saints’

The belief that those truly saved will remain in faith

What was the significance of the Remonstrance of 1610?

It presented five objections to Calvinist teaching, emphasizing human free will and the possibility of losing salvation

What is the primary belief of Arminianism?

That salvation involves cooperation between God’s grace and human response

What is synergism in the context of Anabaptist beliefs?

The belief that human cooperate with God’s grace in the process of salvation

How do Anabaptists view justification and sanctification?

They see them as inseparable, emphasizing that rue faith transforms a person’s life

What key teachings did Anabaptists emphasize?

The sermon on the mount, community, and separation from worldly systems

What practices did many Anabaptists adopt?

Pacifism, nonviolence, and refusal to participate in government violence

Who was Menno Simons?

An important Anabaptist leader known for his beliefs in believer’s baptism, holiness, and pacifism

What is the significance of the Amish community?

Founded by Jacob Amman, they practice a simple lifestyle and separation from society

What beliefs do Hutterites hold?

Communal ownership, pacifism, and believer’s baptism

Why were Anabaptists considered dangerous?

They challenged church authority, state authority, and the connection between Christianity and government

What is the Münster Rebellion?

A radical Anabaptist movement that attempted to establish a Christian kingdom in Münster, Germany, which became violent and collapsed

What was the role of Thomas Cranmer in the English Reformation?

He supported Henry VIII’s separation from Rome and helped move England toward Protestant theology

What was the Act of Uniformity?

A law that created a uniform worship system in England, leading to the introduction of The Book of Common Prayer

What did dMary 1 do during her reign?

Restored Roman Catholicism in England and persecuted Protestants, executing over 300

What was the Elizabethan Settlement?

A compromise under Elizabeth 1 that restored Protestantism while attempting to maintain some Catholic traditions

What are the Thirty-Nine Articles?

A set of doctrines that defined the Church of England/s beliefs, causing divisions among Catholics and Protestants

Who were the Puritans?

English Protestants who believed the Church of England needed further reform and sought to ‘purify’ it

What was the Westminster Assembly?

A gathering during the Puritan period that produced the Westminster Confession of Faith

What is the difference between Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Congregational church governance?

Episcopal is governed by bishops, Presbyterian by elected elders, and Congregational by independent local churches

What are the main beliefs of Baptists?

Biblical authority and believer’s baptism, meaning baptism is only for those who personally believe

What was the impact of the English Civil War on Puritan power?

It led to the decline of Puritan political influence after the restoration of the monarchy under Charles II

What did John Knox contribute to the Reformation?

He helped lead the Scottish Reformation and co-authored the Scots Confession

Who was Richard Hooker?

An Anglican theologian who defended the Anglican Church structure and tradition alongside Scripture

What was the main emphasis of Spiritualists during the Radical Reformation?

The inner work of the Holy Spirit and the importance of inner spiritual experience over external church structures