Theology & Suffering, Exam #2 (THE-240)

Define "Prophet"

one who "speaks forth" words from God

Who appointed court prophets?

Kings

When did prophets become independent of monarchs?

After the nation of Israel split

Who did the Hebrew "prophetic tradition" begin with?

Elijah, who criticized the king

Prophets championed over what 4 oppressed groups?

the poor, widows, orphans, strangers

Exile was interpreted as...

punishment for violating the covenant

From exile, forward, the belief was that...

God created all people and seeks the welfare of all people, not just the Israelites.

Retributive Justice

Fair punishment that fits the seriousness of the misbehavior.

Part I of the Book of Job contains...

a philosophical poem

Part II of the Book of Job contains...

why bad things happen

Apocalyptic

unveiling, unrevealing spiritualities that cannot be seen

Apocalypticism

A worldview held by many ancient Jews and Christians that maintained that the present age is controlled by forces of evil, but that these will be destroyed at the end of time when God intervenes in history to bring in his kingdom, an event thought to be imminent.

What group of people started Apocalypticism?

The poor

What is the main message of Apocalypticism?

suffering of martyrdom endured by God's people on earth are really part of the cosmic battle between forces of good and evil.

What does "Messiah" mean in Hebrew?

annointed one

Antiochus IV

King who hated Judaism; invaded Jerusalem, slaughtered a pig, put an idol outside the Holy Temple

What is the donkey a symbol of?

peace

What is a white horse a symbol of?

victory

What do angels and demons represent?

The modification of monotheism

Apolcalypticism eventually led to a belief in...

satan

Genesis 2-3

Suffering results from failure to recognize that while we are free, we cannot escape consequences of violating prohibitions

Henotheism

Developed out of Exodus; God delivers the oppressed who are faithful suffering comes to those who are not faithful.

Monotheism

Developed out of exile; Instead of rescuing us from suffering, God may strengthen us to endure it and ultimately transform our persecutors

Wisdom Tradition

Some suffering cannot be explained; bad things happen to good people for no reason

After exile, what were the 2 movements that came from the divided over nature of the Jewish tradition?

1. Sadducees

2. Pharisees

Sadducees

wealthy elite in Jerusalem, preistly class named for David's High Priest Zadok, emphasized centrality of temple, cooperated with Romans, and maintained political power

Pharisees

Reformers who broke with the Temple, establihing synagogues. Taught Torah directly to the people, quoted prophets as scripture, Jesus's teachings are largely consistent with leading Pharisees.

Zadokites

Sadducees sect of Jews formed around the time of the Hasmonean revolt

Shammai

Interpreted Torah strictly, demanded close close adherence to Sabbath, diet, marriage, and divorce laws

Hillel

Echoed the prophets the prophets: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah. The rest is explanation. Go and learn."

Who did Jesus teach in the tradition of?

Hillel

"Allah" comes from the Hebrew word...

Elohim

Semites includes

Jews and Muslims

Muslims are children of...

Abraham through Ishmael

Hagar

Abraham's concubine who conceives and bears Ishmael

Kaaba

The most sacred temple of Islam, located at Mecca

Muhammed

direct descendent of Ishmael, greatest of God's prophets, born in Mecca,

Bahira

monk who foretold a young Muhammad's future prophetic career

Hanifs

"Pious ones"; a group of pre-Islamic Arabs who shared the ethical monotheism of Jews and Christians

5 Pillars of Islam

1. Faith (Shahada)

2. Prayer (Salat)

3. Alms (Zakat)

4. Fasting (Sawm)

5. Hajj (Pilgrimage)

Islamic teaching about suffering

distinction between natural and human-caused suffering, if it is part of God's created order, it serves a greater purpose.

In Islam, if it is a result of human error, it still serves one of 3 purposes:

1. punishment

2. purification

3. patience

Those who suffer must not be...

judged

Muhammad's Social Ethics

Fair distribution of wealth, racial equality, sex only within marriage, opposed force except for self-defense

Types of Jihad

1. Personal

2. Verbal

3. Physical

What does "Jihad" mean?

Struggle

What are the 3 types of Jihad?

Personal, Verbal, Physical

Personal Jihad

most basic, struggle to purify oneself from all evil influences

Verbal Jihad

struggle for justice through non-violent testimony to the truth

Physical Jihad

self-defense when attacked

What is the Wahabi interpretation of the Jihad?

It is the justification of violence in defense of Islam (This theory is rejected by every other school)

Aurelius Augustine

Born to Patricus and Monica, studied in Carthage, and his son, Adeodatus, born outside marriage

The Five Conversions

Greek Philosophy, Manicheanism, Skepticism, Neo-Platonism, Christianity

Plotinus

Roman philosopher (born in Egypt) who was the leading representative of Neoplatonism

5 themes of Augustine's writing

1. All being is from God

2. Humans are wayfarers

3. Humans have appetites

4. Sin, that which leads towards non-being, is a sickness

5. Salvation is healing for the sickness of sin

Where did Augustine believe evil and sin come from?

it cannot come from God because God is only good and created everything, so evil must be good gone bad.

What does Augustine believe the first and second instances of evil were?

1. Angels rebelling against God in heaven

2. The sin in the Garden of Eden

Privatio Boni

a phrase used by Augustine to mean an absence of goodness

Augustine believed that Adam and Eve were...

literal people, not just metaphorical

Augustine believed that the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve was...

Satan

Augustine believed that when humans ate the forbidden fruit, they...

corrupted their perfect natures and brought evil into the world, losing the ability to do good.

Augustine believed that before Adam and Eve's "fall from perfection," they were...

immortal

According to Augustine, Adam's sin was passed on...

biologically to the rest of the human race

Original Sin

From the Latin origo, meaning "beginning" or "birth," the sin of the first human beings, who disobeyed God's command by choosing to follow their own will and thus lost their original holiness and became subject to death, the fallen state of human nature that affects every person born into the world.

Augustine's believed that all suffering and evil is a result of...

human sinfulness

Principle of Plentitude

given infinity and the richness of the universe, any real possibility must occur - at least once

The Principle of Plentitude states that natural suffering and animal suffering is...

good and part of the complexity of creation

The Principle of Plentitude states that harmony is maintained by...

moral balance

To maintain moral balance, there must be...

a state of eternal suffering

Origen

Greek philosopher and theologian who reinterpreted Christian doctrine through the philosophy of Neoplatonism

Gregory of Nyssa

teaching is the principle that the spiritual life is not one of static perfection but of constant progress; he formulated the doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in response to Arians.

San Hedrin

Jewish religious & legislative body, headed by the High Priest

How did Jesus' followers interpret his death?

He was the Messiah and had been resurrected

Why was Jesus' followers' interpretation of his death puzzling?

The Messiah was supposed to resurrect, not be resurrected, resurrection was supposed to be general, resurrection was supposed to begin the new Kingdom of God, yet nothing had changed.

Belief that Jesus died to...

confront the power of evil behind unjust, earthly powers

Cosmic Revolution

"Jesus is Lord"

Suffering is rooted in...

fear

Fear is rooted in...

oppression

By defeating death, Jesus...

destroyed the principle weapon of oppressive powers to rule with fear

Oppressed are free to...

reject oppressive rule and live by the values of God's kingdom

Iraneus

Bishop of Lyons, best known for writings against the Gnostics, defined theology of the Church

Iraneus' interpretation of Genesis 1-3 distinguished...

between the "image" and "likeness" of God

Iraneus believed that the "Image of God" was synonymous with...

our essential nature

Iraneus believed that "Likeness" was synonymous with...

potential for being like God

Iraneus believed that Adam and Eve...

were children and their sin was the result of immaturity, not rebellion

Iraneus believed that in regards to Original SIn, there was...

no "fall," but an occasion for growth

Iraneus believed that good and evil...

co-exist so that we may learn the difference between them and choose well

Augustine's stance on creation

We are created perfect and destroyed our perfection

Iraneus' stance on creation

we are created imperfect so that we may mature

Augustine's stance on first sin

First sin was a crime for which we are guilty

Iraneus' stance on sin

First sin was a lapse of judgment due to immaturity

Augustine's stance on evil

Evil is punishment for sin

Iraneus' stance on evil

Mix of good and evil allows us to grow toward perfection

Kabbala

A philosophy of certain Jewish rabbis especially in the middle east, based on mystical interpretation, only open to men over 30

Zohar

the chief text of the Jewish Kabbalah, presented as an allegorical or mystical interpretation of the Torah.

The Zohar stated that human beings are made in...

God's image

Shekina

the light of God

When did the sin come into the world according to Zohar?

when man, woman, and God were all separated from Shekina in Eden

Those who follow the Torah experience Shekina on...

the Sabbath

When the faithful die, Shekina...

resides in them fully