Emil Brunner Flashcards
Q: What is Brunner’s view on Augustine and Calvin’s belief about the fall’s impact on human reason?
A: Brunner argues that Augustine and Calvin are wrong to think the fall destroyed human reason’s potential to know God’s existence.
Q: What does Brunner claim was destroyed by the fall, and what was not?
A: The fall destroyed the material imago dei (relationship with God) but not the formal imago dei (rationality, language, and moral responsibility).
Q: Which biblical passage supports Brunner’s view that humans retain the formal imago dei?
A: Psalm 8, which states humans are lower than the angels but higher than animals, supports this view.
Q: What does Brunner argue is the natural knowledge we can gain through reason?
A: The natural knowledge we can gain through reason is knowledge of preserving grace, which is evident in the order of the universe.
Q: How does Brunner justify the idea that God’s grace is evident in creation?
A: The ongoing existence of the world and humans reveals God’s gracious preservation, shielding creation from the effects of sin.
Q: Does Brunner believe that natural theology alone can provide full knowledge of God?
A: No, Brunner believes that natural theology alone will always result in a distorted knowledge of God due to our sinful state.
Q: What does Brunner believe is necessary to achieve full knowledge of God?
A: Brunner believes that the special revelation of Christ is necessary to achieve full knowledge of God.
Q: According to Brunner, what aspect of the imago dei remains intact despite the fall?
A: The formal imago dei, which includes rationality, language, and moral responsibility, remains intact.
Q: How does Brunner’s view differ from Augustine’s regarding human nature post-fall?
A: Brunner disagrees with Augustine, arguing that human reason was not completely destroyed by the fall.
Q: What does Brunner see as evidence of God’s preserving grace in the world?
A: The ongoing order of the universe and the continued existence of humans are seen as evidence of God’s preserving grace.
Q: What does Barth claim about Brunner’s stance on humanity’s corruption by sin?
Barth claims that Brunner contradicts himself
Q: What does Barth claim about Brunner’s stance on humanity’s corruption by sin?
Q: How does Barth argue that the formal image of God is affected by sin?
Barth claims that Brunner contradicts himself
A: Barth argues that even though reason was not totally destroyed, it is still corrupted and therefore unreliable for gaining knowledge of God.
Q: What aspect of humanity does Brunner claim remains intact despite the fall?
Barth claims that Brunner contradicts himself
A: Brunner claims the formal imago dei, including reason, remains intact despite the fall.
Q: According to Barth, why can corrupted reason not produce knowledge of God?
Barth claims that Brunner contradicts himself
A: Corrupted reason cannot produce knowledge of God because its corruption makes it unreliable.
Q: What does Barth believe about the impact of sin on human reason?
Barth claims that Brunner contradicts himself
A: Barth believes that the corruption of sin extends to human reason, making it incapable of producing reliable knowledge of God.
