Exploring Christian Faith Exam 1

First Exam flashcards of the study guide

What is the Fundamental Belief of Christian Theism?

God exists as the personal, transcendent, and immanent creator of the universe.

What is the fundamental belief of atheism?

There is no God or supernatural reality; the physical universe is all that exists

Creed

Formal statement of Christian beliefs and faith, used for instruction and public confession.

What is the fundamental belief of pantheism?

God and the universe are identical; everything is divine, and the universe itself is sacred

What defines Dogma?

Core, non-negotiable teachings universally affirmed by the global Church across history.[

In theological terms, what is an opinion?

Individual beliefs or theological ideas on non-essential matters where Christians are free to disagree

What is the distinction between Fides qua and Fides quae?

Fides Qua - Active trust and reliance on God; Fides quae is objective content of faith (beliefs/doctrines believed.)

What is Theology?

The study of God, Faith, and religious practice; reasoned discourse about the divine

What is Systematic Theology

An organized, coherent discipline that arranges Christian doctrines into an interrelated, logical whole.

What is General Revelation?

God’s self-disclosure through nature, history, and human conscience available to all people everywhere.

What is special Revelation?

God’s specific self-disclosure through historical events, Scripture, and supremely through Jesus Christ

Main distinction between general and special revelation?

General - Awareness of Gods Power through creation. Special - Specific saving knowledge through Scripture and Jesus Christ.

What is Progressive Revelation?

Concept that God revealed his truth and character more fully and clearly over time throughout redemptive history, culminating in Jesus Christ

What is the “rule of faith” or the “great tradition”

Core summary of apostolic teaching and tradition that guided the early Church in interpreting Scripture correctly.

What was a core commitment of the Reformation regarding religious authority?

The supreme authority of scripture over church traditions, popes, and councils.

What does ‘Sola Scriptura’ mean?

‘Scripture Alone',’ bible is the ultimate authority.

What foundation for religious authority is associated with the Anglican Church?

Wesleyan Quadrilateral foundation: Scripture interpreted through the lenses of tradition, reason, and experience.

How is doctrine best described?

Official teachings or theological interpretations held by a specific denomination or tradition

What is Deism’s view of religious authority?

Reason and human intellect serve as the primary authority, rejecting supernatural revelation and institutional church dogmas

What are John Wesley’s four sources of authority (The Wesleyan Quadrilateral)?

Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience

What holds the primary authority in John Wesley’s tradition

Scripture, holding highest level of authority and normative status.

What is Liberal Protestantism’s primary religious authority?

Human experience modern scientific knowledge, and contemporary values, viewed alongside critical analysis of Scripture

What characterizes a Postmodern view of authority?

Rejection of meta-narratives and absolute authorities, favoring subjective, localized, and community-constructed perspectives.

What is Scripture?

Sacred writings recognized as authoritative and inspired by God, compromising the Old and New testaments.

What types of literature are contained in the Bible?

Narrative/history, law, poetry, wisdom, literature, prophecy, gospels, letters, and apocalyptic literature.

What is the difference between God’s written word and God’s living word?

Written Word - refers to the Holy Scriptures; Living Word - refers to Jesus Christ, the eternal word incarnate.

What is the doctrine of inspiration

Theological belief that God superintended human authors to write what God intended to communicate using their own personalities and styles.

What is the doctrine of illiumination?

Work of the holy spirit in helping readers understand, interpret, and apply the spiritual meaning of scripture.

What describes the dictation theory of inspiration

The view that God dictated the exact words of Scripture to passive human scribes who recorded them without using their personal styles.

What is the verbal Plenary Inspiration?

The view that every word of the bible is fully inspired by God without error.

What does canon mean in a biblical context?

An official standard applied to scripture, closed list of books recognized as authoritative and inspired.

What is the canon of scripture

Definitive collection of books accepted by the Church as the authoritative word of God.

How did the process of canonization occur

Historical process by which the early church recognized and collected authoritative books based on apostolic authorship, widespread usage, and theological consistency.

What are the deuterocanonical or Apocryphal books?

Ancient Jewish writings composed between the Old and New Testaments that are accepted as canonical by Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Traditions.

What is an autograph in biblical studies?

The original handwritten document or manuscript produced by the original biblical author.

What is a manuscript

Handwritten copy of an ancient document or biblical text

How was the bible copied before the printing press?

Hand-copied meticulously by professional scribes and monastic copyists

What is the goal of textual criticism?

The academic discipline that compares ancient biblical manuscripts to determine the exact wording of the original autographs

What is the Doctrine of Inerrancy?

Belief that the bible, in its original manuscripts, is completely free from error or falsehood and in all that it teaches and affirms

Doctrine of Infallability?

Scripture is unfailing and trustworthy in all matters related to faith. practice, and salvation without misleading its readers.

What is the original language of the Old Testament?

Hebrew with small portions of Aramaic

What is the original language of the Old Testament?

Greek

What describes a formal equivalence translation style?

A word for word translation philosophy that prioritizes matching the original source vocabulary and grammatical structure as closely as possible.

What describes a functional equivalence translation style?

Thought for thought translation philosophy that prioritizes communicating the original meaning in natural, contemporary language for the target audience.

What is a paraphrase in biblical terms?

Restatement of biblical text using a modern author’s own phrasing to convey perceived meaning, rather than a direct translation from original languages.

What is hermeneutics?

The principles, rules, and methodology of interpreting texts, particularly Scripture.

What does Exegesis mean?

Rigorous process of drawing out the original, intended meaning from a biblica text.

What is the grand narrative of the bible?

Overarching storyline of scripture that traces God’s sovereign plan of creation, fall, redemption, and ultimate restoration.

What are the seven C’s of the biblical grand narrative?

Creation, Crisis, Calling. Cycles, Christ, Church. Consummation

What is a covenant in the Bible?

A solemn, binding relational agreeement initiated by God that establishes mutual commitments and promises between God and his people.

What were God’s promises to Abraham, and how did he respond?

God promised Abraham descendants, land, and to make him a blessing to all nations; Abraham responded in active faith and obedience by leaving his homeland.

What is the doctrine of the trinity?

Foundational Christian belief that one God eternally exists in three distinct persons: Father, son, and holy spirit, sharing same divine essence.

What is the distinction between natural and moral attributes of God?

Natural - God’s infinite divine nature (ex. omnipresence, eternity.) Moral - Describes his ethical character in relation to creation (ex. love, justice, holiness)

What does Omniscient mean?

All-knowing; God possesses complete, perfect knowledge of all things past, present, and future.

What does Omnipresent mean?

Present everywhere; God is fully present throughout all creation without spatial limitation.

What does Omnipotent mean?

All-powerful; God has absolute power and authority to accomplish all his holy will.

What does it mean that God is transcendent?

God’s absolute otherness and superiority above the created universe.

What does it mean that God is immanent?

God’s active presence, closeness, and involvement within his creation and among his people.

What does it mean that God is eternal?

Exists without beginning or end; God transcends time.

What does Immutable mean regarding God?

Unchanging in God’s character, perfections, and ultimate purposes.

What is the meaning of the title Elohim?

A hebrew generic title for God denoting supreme power, majesty, and creator status.

What is the meaning of the title Adonai

Hebrew title meaning Lord or Master, emphasizing sovereign authority and ownership

What is the meaning of the name Yahweh (YHWH)

“I am who I am” Personal covenant name of God revealed to Moses.

How does a musical chord serve as an analogy for the Trinity?

Just as a single chord consists of three distinct notes sounding simultaneously as one harmonious chord, God is three distinct persons sharing one divine essence.

How does the Trinity help us understand that “God is Love”

Because God is triune, love is intrinsic to his eternal nature; the father, son, and holy spirit have experienced perfect, self-giving interpersonal love for all eternity prior to creation.

What is Arianism?

A heresy claiming that Jesus Christ was a created being and not co-eternal with the father.

What is Modalism?

A heresy claiming that the one God is only one person who sequentially manifests himself in different modes or roles: Father, son, or holy spirit.

What is adoptionism?

A heresy teaching that Jesus was merely a normal human adopted by God as his son, usually at his baptism or resurrection.

What theological concept is described in Psalm 19:1-2(‘The heavens proclaim the glory of God…’?)

General revelation.

What is the Bible? (ABCF)

Sixty-Six God-inspired Books that teach us about God and how to be holy as He is holy.

Who wrote the Bible?

Across 1600 years, more than forty people who were guided and inspired by God.

Who is God?

God is the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three persons in one God.