Christian Theology Test 2

Economic Trinity

The Trinity as revealed in Salvation

Immanent Trinity

The Trinity in itself

Trinitarian Implication

1. Father, Son & Holy Spirit are EQUALLY God

2. Father, Son & Holy Spirit are DISTINCT

3. YET, there is ONE God

Trinitarian Formulas

1. Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16)

2. Baptism Formula

Modalism

One God, 3 Roles. NOT coexistent

1. Oneness Pentacostals

2. Sabellians

Subordinationsim

DENIAL: Colossians 2:9

Christ and Spirit are LESS THAN the Father

1. Arianism: Christ is Most powerful CREATED BEING

Tritheism

3 SEPERATE Gods with 1 purpose

Latin Trinity

St. Augustine

Starts with how they are ONE

Then discusses how they are separate.

Social Trinity

Richard of St. Victor

Starts with 3 Persons

How they are all ONE

Providence Question (Why does an Event X happen?) 2 Views.

1. Meticulous Providence (Theological Determinism): EVERY event is decided by God

2. General Providence (Theological Indeterminism): SOME events are decided by God

Freedom Question (What is human freedom?) 2 Views.

1. Libertarian Freedom

   1. A predetermined choice CAN’T be free

   2. You can choose A OR B

2. Compatibilist Freedom

   1. A predetermined choice CAN be free

   2. You can choose A OR B, but you will choose A.

Foreknowledge Question (Does God have exhaustive Foreknowledge?)

Everyone thinks so.

BUT does he know free-will choices?

Foreknowledge/Determinism Question (Are foreknown choices determined?) 2 Views.

1. Yes. What God knows will happen WILL happen.

2. No. Foreknowing and Deciding are very Different.

Calvinism

John Calvin

Q1-Q2: Meticulous Providence/Compatablist Freedom

Q3: God foreknows because He foredains

Q4: Foreknowledge entails determinism

Arminianism

Jacobus Arminius

Q1-Q2: General Providence/Libertarian Freedom

Q3: God has exhaustive, definite foreknowledge

Q4: Foreknowledge does NOT entail Determinism

Open Theism

Clark Pinnock

Q1-Q2: General Providence/Libertarian Freedom

Q3: God does NOT know the future, free, human choice

Q4. Foreknowledge entails determinism.

Ehpesians 1:11

Divine Determinism Text

Micah 5:2

Divine Foreknowledge Text

Genesis 22:12

Open Future Text

Problem of Evil. 3 Problems

Philosophical Problem

Existential Problem

The Problem of Suffering

Philosophical Problem of Evil

“Why does evil exist, if there is a PERFECT and ALL-POWERFUL God?”

Existential Problem of Evil

“Why does God allow an evil that SEEMS to be unnecessary/gratuitous?”

Problem of Suffering

“How can one PERSEVERE in faith and hope through evil happening in life?”

Trilemma

If God is all-powerful, He CAN get rid of evil

If God is all-good, He should WANT to get rid of evil

Evil exists.

Theodicy

A response to the Philosophical Problem of evil.

1. Soul-Building Theodicy

2. Aesthetic Theodicy

3. Free Will Theodicy

4. Warfare Theodicy

Soul-Building Theodicy

Irenaeus

The Greater good received from evil is Character building.

Aesthetic Theodicy

Later Augustine

We do not appreciate good, if we do not have evil

Free-Will Theodicy

Early Augustine

We can not love someone if we have no free will; free will gives the option to turn away from goodness.

Warfare Theodicy

Origen

Angels were free, and Satan's turning away caused an ongoing spiritual war

Moral Evil

Evil that is the result of someone with a moral compass.

IE: Me punching someone in the nose.

Natural Evil

Evil in nature as a result of the fall

IE: Cancer, Volcanoes

Gratuitous Evil

Evil that outweighs the good that might stem from it.

I.E. a baby dying painfully of cancer vs. dying in their sleep.

Lament

Biblical Response to the Problem of Suffering. Communal Lament is the best way to get over pain and suffering.

Ex Nihilo

Creation “Out of nothing”

Monism

One substance: ALL FLESH NO SPIRIT

Dualism

flesh and spirit are different makeups of humans

Preservation

Colossians 1:16

Not only did God create, but He is ONGOINGLY sustaining Creation.

(Colossians 1:16-17)

“When” Question. 4 Views

1. Young Earth: Genesis is 6 real 24-hour days. Comes to 6-10k years old.

2. Gap Theory: Creation, GAP, 6 24-hour days of “restoration.”

3. Day-Age theory: not 24-hour days, could be 6 “ages” of creation

4. Literary Framework: Genesis is poetic and is not actually giving creation order.

“How” Question. 4 Views

1. Fiat Creationism: No evolution; God created everything in 6 days. Creation’s COMPLETE.

2. Progressive Creationism: No evolution; God creates in stages.

3. Evolutionary Creationism: Micro-Evolution stems back to original animals in the line. (Dog to all the different breeds).

4. Theistic Evolution: Macro-Evolution stems back to the beginning creature.

Adam and Eve. 4 Views

1. Special Creation: DIRECTLY created by God, no ancestors.

2. Soul Creation View: God used evolution to create the bodies, but gave them souls

3. Arch-Type: God picked two evolved humans to be “the start,” giving just them souls.

4. Myth: The story of Adam and Eve is myth, but just has meaning.

Monism

One substance

Dualism

Soul and Body

Trichotimism

Soul and Body and Spirit

Afterlife debate. 2 Views

1. Immortal-Soul view: The soul continues to exist after the death of the body

2. Resurrection View: Existence after death requires bodily ressurection

Origin of the Soul Debate. 3 Views

1. Pre-existence View: Our souls are created by God before the creation of the world. (Pool of souls)

2. Creationism View: Our souls are created by God after conception

3. Traducian View: Our souls EMERGE from our physical body sometime after our bodies are created.

Image of God debate. 3 Views

Genesis 1:26

1. Substantial View: Our rationality, personhood

2. Relational View: Our relational capacities

3. Functional View: Our calling to be caretakers of creation

Women in Ministry Debate. 4 Views

1. Patriarchalism: Men as leaders are better because men are better by nature

2. Complementarianism: Men and Women complement each other in roles, and by nature of their gender have roles.

3. Egalitarianism: Females and Males can have identical roles, just decided off of gifts.

4. Feminism: The only difference between men and women has been taught and biological.

Harmartia

“To miss the mark”

Objective vs Subjective Sin

Objective Sin: Murder

Subjective Sin: Drinking alcohol

Unforgivable Sin

Hebrews 6:4

Objecting to the Holy Spirit or something

The Fall. 2 Types

1. Humans falling into sin (Genesis 3)

2. Lucifer and the angels rebelling. (Revelation 12)

Original Sin. 3 Views

Romans 5:12

1. Pelagian- Deny Corruption & Guilt

2. Augustinian- Accept Corruption & Guilt

3. Contextual: Deny Corruption/ Deny Guilt

Effects of Original Sin. 4 Effects

1. Volitional effects: sin is self-replicating

2. Noetic effects: sin has caused us to forget

3. Relational effects: sin has affected our relationships

4. DEATH

   1. Spiritual: RN separated from God

   2. Physical: Bodies die

   3. Eternal: Hell