2: The Biblical Story and Theology

Question 1

What is the relationship between revelation and systematic theology?

Answer 1

• Systematic theology has tended to reduce God’s revelation to scientia - content knowing, abstract concepts.
• Nevertheless, his revelation is a historical narrative
  
  • God reveals himself by his word, and his deeds (speech-acts)

Question 2

What is the purpose of God’s revelation as a narrative?

Answer 2

• It is a missional revelation.
  
  • “… to tell the epic tale of God’s ongoing quest to ransom his creation.” - Richter, Epic of Eden, 15

Question 3

What is the relationship between theology and mission?

Answer 3

• God’s mission should shape our way of doing theology, and how we conceive it.
  
  • “Theologians seek knowledge as their way of participating in God’s grand project of transforming the world into God’s home.” - Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun, For the Life of the World: Theology that Makes a Difference, 141.

Question 4

What is the metaphysical approach to knowing God?

Answer 4

• God is known apophatically, through denial of the creational. God is what the world is not.
  
  • transcendent
  • eternal
  • immutable
  • etc.

Question 5

What is a personal-historical approach to knowing God?

Answer 5

• God has come to us in history. Our knowledge of God is personal. More than scientific knowledge is an existential apprehension, a recognition and personal acknowledgment of the other. It is acquaintance knowledge.
• “ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν” (Acts 17:28)
• Who is the God with whom we have to do?

Question 6

What is the Objectivist approach to knowledge?

Answer 6

• Objects are known in isolation.
• Relationships and contexts are accidental.
• The essence is what matters.
• Human beings are disconnected individuals.

Question 7

What is the Covenantal approach to knowledge?

Answer 7

• Personal knowing
  
  • Not mastery of the object, but the transformation of the subject (the knower) in relation to the object (the known).
• The knowing subject is embedded in reality rather than transcendent over it

Question 8

What could be a covenantal understanding of personhood?

Answer 8

The self is not ultimately a ‘what’, an essence, but a ‘who’, a person. Moreover, this ‘who’ emerges communally rather than in isolation.

Question 9

How can you explain the concept of Kingdom, God as King?

Answer 9

• Unilateral relationship
• He has all authority
• He is transcendent

Question 10

How can you explain the concept of Covenant, God as Father?

Answer 10

• Bilateral relationship
• Intimacy and Participation
• Immanence (Accommodation)

Question 11

What is the relationship between Kingdom and Covenant?

Answer 11

• The King has entered in relation with his creation
• He is a kingly father, and a fatherly king
• The relationship is not only about authority, but mutuality and familiarity.
• We participate in obedience to God’s sovereign plan.

Question 12

What is meant by “reciprocal fidelity”?

Answer 12

• reciprocity to the covenant
• God calls people to conversion, reminds them of their obligation, and obligates himself to provide all that is good.

Question 13

What are some thoughts on the discussion of Transcendence and Immanence?

Answer 13

• “We should not think that God is transcendent and in relationship, but transcendent in relationship. God is not less than God in the relationships God establishes.” - Terrence Fretheim
• God is metaphysically transcendent, whereas his immanence speaks to his historical activity.
• “The God of the Bible is both the Wholly Other and the Infinitely Near. He is both God transcendent and God with us and for us.” - Donald Bloesch, God the Almighty: Power, Wisdom, Holiness, Love, 24