Theological Basis of Biblical Counseling Midterm

What are the foundational commitments of soul care?

Epistemology, theology proper, soteriology, anthropology

Epistemology

Study of knowledge

Theology proper

Doctrine of God

Soteriology

Doctrine of salvation

Anthropology

Doctrine of man

Types of knowledge

Knowledge by acquaintance
Know how
Knowledge by description
Knowledge is a justified, true belief

Theories of knowledge

Naturalism, scientism, post-modernism, pragmatism, logical positivism

Naturalism

Observed in a natural environment

Scientism

Using tests; strong(mature) scientism and weak(immature) scientism

Post-modernism

Your truth is your truth, my truth is my truth; each decides their own

Pragmatism

The true is the name of whatever proves itself to be good in the way of belief, and good, too, for definite assignable reasons

Logical positivism

Philosophical problems that can only be solved through logical analysis

How do we justify truth claims?

Through perception, introspection, reason, memory, testimony

Key ingredients of foundationalism

1. Epistemically authority that informs basic belief
2. Basic belief (“universals”)
3. Propositional truth
4. Justified, true belief (“particulars”)

Propositional verbalized revelation

The belief that we can know outside of ourselves and our own thinking, and that we can have true communication from someone other than ourselves

General revelation

The reality that God shows himself to the world in the things he has made so that the world is without excuse in their rejection of him (Psalm 19:1-6)

Special revelation

God’s word addressed to specific people at specific times, including the words of the Bible (Psalm 19:7-11)

What is the inspiration of scripture?

God through His spirit inspired every word penned by the human authors in each of the sixty-six books of the Bible in the original documents (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

What is the inerrancy of scripture?

The bible is without error in the original copies. It is therefore free, when properly interpreted, from affirming anything that is untrue or contrary to fact (John 17:17, Matthew 5:17-19, John 10:35)

What is the sufficiency of scripture?

The Bible contains all that we need to know God’s will and live a life pleasing to him (2 Peter 1:3-4, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 19:7-10)

What are the different types of sufficiency?

Progressive sufficiency
Completed sufficiency
Formal sufficiency
Material sufficiency

What is the role of extra-biblical data in interpreting the Bible?

Makes the understanding of scripture possible; we had to learn and understand basic things about life. The application of scripture to modern life

What are the steps in applying scripture to modern life?

Normative premise - God alone decides what is moral
Situational premise - application of the normative
Existential conclusion - conclusion of the concept

What is the process of change as stated in 2 Corinthians 3:18?

Cause and effect relationship;
Cause-beholding the glory of God
Effect-transformed into that same image
“By the Spirit”