Exam 1 Flashcards
What is the definition of evangelical?
The gospel.
What is the origin of the word evangelical?
From the Greek word evangelion.
What is the definition of ecumenical?
The entire inhabited Earth.
What is the origin of the word ecumenical?
The Greek word oikoumene.
What is ecumenicism?
The call to foster unity and sharing of experiences throughout the whole of Christianity.
What is the definition of biblicism?
A focus on scripture as the ultimate authority for faith and practice.
Is a doctrinal affirmation.
What is the definition of conversionism?
The emphasis on life-altering religious experiences.
A doctrinal affirmation.
What is the definition of activism?
The concern for doing good works and sharing the faith.
Is an experiential aspect of evangelicalism.
What is the definition of crucicentrism?
A focus on Jesus’s saving work on the cross.
Is an experiential aspect of evangelicalism.
Why is evangelical Christianity orthodox?
Due to sharing the early church’s doctrinal commitments to creedal traditions. ex: The Triune God.
What group is the evangelical movement tied to?
Protestants.
What event created the Protestants?
The reformation of the sixteenth century.
True or False: All Protestant churches are evangelical.
False.
When did the evangelical movement begin?
During eighteenth century revival movements.
When did liberal theology rise in the Protestant church?
The 1920’s.
What is liberal theology?
The theological tradition that reinterprets much of orthodox doctrine in light of modern life.
What are two characteristics of liberal theology?
- Privileging human experience and emotion as the best authority for Christian faith.
- Maintaining that Christianity is about ethics, not doctrine.
What is fundamentalist theology?
The theological tradition that stays true to the fundamentals of scriptural teachings.
What is new evangelicalism?
A splinter group from evangelicalism that is doctrinally conservative and encourages active engagement in/with the culture.
When did the split in evangelicalism occur?
1950’s-70’s.
Who was the primary figure in new evangelicalism?
Billy Graham.
What are separatist Christians?
Christians that reject any association with the world and other Christians. See the world as being sinful/ other Christians as accommodating of sin.
Who was Aquinas?
A professor at The University of Paris.
What were Aquinas’s 2 main beliefs?
- God and everything as it relates to God.
- All things as they have God as their source and end.
What word does religion come from?
Religione (meaning to bind).
What is religion as a rule of life?
How you live.
What is religion as a belief?
What forms/informs your view of the world.
What did Anslem believe?
Faith seeks understanding and understanding brings joy.
What is the “object” of Christian faith?
God.
Is the God from scripture a static entity?
No, nor is he a mere object.
Why is God difficult to study?
He is a free, living, and active subject. Also, he is infinite and we are finite.
What is the situation of Christian faith?
It exists in particular historical contexts and circumstances and not in a vacuum.
True or False: It is okay to have new questions about faith.
True.
What does theology provide Christians?
Tools, not answers.
What are the 5 tasks of theology?
- Dogmatics.
- Correlation.
- Witness.
- Praxis.
- Criticism.
Who promoted dogmatics?
Karl Barth.
What is the definition of dogmatics?
Clear and comprehensive presentation of the Gospel.
What does dogmatics emphasize?
Presentation and proclamation.
Can you explain it?
What point was Karl Barth stuck on?
How we are called to discuss God, but we are too limited and too sinful to discuss God.
*Caught in a loop.
Who promoted correlation?
Paul Tillich.
What is correlation?
Translating the principles of the Christian faith into a different context.
Placing scripture into the experience of the person you are speaking to.
What does correlation assume?
That theology needs to be translated into a different language to be heard.
How does correlation contrast dogmatics?
Not proclamation, but discussion.
You need to talk with people for them to understand.
Who promoted witness?
Stanley Hauerwas.
What is witness?
Reflecting upon the Gospel from the perspective of the life God has given to the church. Including contemporary issues/ethics.
What is the contrast to correlation?
Does not assume translation is needed. You can show them, instead of just telling them.
What does Stanley Hauerwas believe?
The task of Christian theology is to bear witness in word and deed to the truthfulness of the Gospel.
Who promoted praxis?
Gustavo Gutierrez.
What is praxis?
The critical reflection on the practice of the Christian faith within an oppressed community.
What did praxis give rise to?
Liberation theology (God is with those who are suffering).
What assumption does praxis make?
That liberative and justice seeking activities give rise to reflection.
Why does Gutierrez’s seem to be focused on suffering?
He was a theologian in an area where his neighbors were barely getting by, so the traditional message seemed to be moot.
What group did Gutierrez prioritize speaking with?
The “nonpersons”.
Who promoted criticism?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
What is criticism?
Offering a word of judgement upon the world from a theological point of view. Speaking against the world
What context was Dietrich Bonhoeffer living/writing in?
WWII Germany where Hitler was controlling the church.
What is the JV squad of theology?
- Reason.
- Experience.
- Tradition.
What is the Wesleyan Quadrilateral?
- Reason.
- Experience.
- Scripture.
- Tradition.
*REST
What is the claim concerning the JV Squad of theology?
They are not equal.
What is scripture considered to be the source of?
Christian doctrine.
What is the role of the JV Squad as it relates to scripture?
Their role is to help scripture be understood.
What is the premise of sola scriptura?
That all things are examined and corrected by scripture.
What is reason?
The exercise of human thinking on other sources.
What are synonyms to logos?
Order, structure, logic, meaning.
What is the definition of imago dei?
Made in the image of God.
What is Descartes’ objection?
I can doubt all but that I am thinking.
What is Kant’s restriction?
Religion can only be known within certain bounds. Must be proveable.
What is the minimum standard?
- Non-contradictory.
- Intelligible.
- Coherent.
Why is reason not the opposite of faith?
Everyone wants a rational faith.
What can be safely disagreed about, in terms of reason?
Definitions.
What did Schleiermacher state?
That feelings are trustworthy.
Why is experience a source?
- It is theology’s subject.
- People can changed based on it.
- People can experience God.
What are the arguments in favor of experience?
- The experience of conversion.
- The experience of personal salvation.
- The experience of the Spirit.
- Call experience/Being called by God.
- Corresponds to Scripture, though expands upon it.
What are the arguments not in favor of experience?
- Too subjective?
- Changing the subject?
- The Elephant in the Room/You are trying to call to God.
- Individual and private.
Experience is neither _________________, nor _________________.
rejecting the “social location”, Letting “social location” be the absolute norm.
What is tradition?
The historic content of The Faith, as it has been practiced, handed down, and taught by The Church across time.
What are the two types of teaching in tradition?
- Dogma (Binding Statements).
- Doctrine (Rules of Speech).
What two things are at stake in tradition?
- Orthodoxy/Heresy (Rule of Worship).
- Level of Seriousness (“Adiaphora” v. Heresy).
What is heresy?
Any fundamental violation of dogma or scripture.
*Usually statements that would affect salvation.
What is adiaphora?
Being indifferent to things.
What two things in tradition are handed down?
- Apostolic succession (Jesus to apostles to world).
- Catechesis(The process of learning the faith and learning to read scripture).
*Stable.
What two things in tradition are handed over?
- Doctrinal Development (John Henry Newman: This is good).
- An ongoing argument (Alasdair MacIntyre: Your belief will be constantly tested).
What is a revelation?
An unveiling of what is already true. God’s self-disclosure saving knowledge of God and God’s purpose.
What is general revelation?
God revealed through the created world and human conscience.
What is natural law?
The thought that God placed moral structure into the natural world because God is order and he created the world, so therefore the world is ordered.
What are the 2 caveats to general revelation?
- Finite.
- Sinful.
What is special revelation?
God in Christ is the supreme manifestation of the nature and purpose of God.
*Revealed yet hidden.
Where does the world revelation come from?
Apokalypsis.
How many authors are there in The Bible?
40 authors.
What are the books of the Pentateuch?
- Genesis.
- Exodus.
- Leviticus.
- Numbers.
- Deuteronomy.
What are the historical books of the Old Testament?
- Joshua.
- Judges.
- Ruth.
- 1-2 Samuel.
- 1-2 Kings.
- 1-2 Chronicles.
- Ezra-Nehemiah.
- Esther.
What are the poetic/wisdom books of the Old Testament?
- Job (Test Case).
- Psalms (themes vary).
- Proverbs.
- Ecclesiastes (Burden of Wisdom).
- Song of Songs (Lustful).
What is the spirits of wisdom and folly personified as?
As women.
What are the major prophets of The Old Testament?
- Isaiah.
- Jeremiah.
- Lamentations.
- Ezekiel.
- Daniel.
What are the minor prophets of The Old Testament?
- Hosea.
- Joel.
- Amos.
- Obadiah.
- Jonah.
- Micah.
- Nahum.
- Habakkuk.
- Zephaniah.
- Haggai.
- Zechariah.
- Malachi.
What are the gospels of the New Testament
- Matthew.
- Mark.
- Luke.
- John.
*All biographies of Jesus.
What are the books that cover early church history?
- Acts I.
- Acts II.
What are the books of the Pauline Epistles in the New Testament?
- Romans.
- 1 and 2 Corinthians.
- Galatians.
- Ephesians.
- Philippians.
- Colossians.
- 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
- 1 and 2 Timothy.
- Titus.
- Philemon.
What are the books in the General Epistles in the New Testament?
- Hebrews.
- James.
- 1 and 2 Peters.
- 1-3 John.
- Jude.
*2-5 are saints.
What is the last book of the New Testament?
Revelation.
What is el shaddai?
God Almighty.
What is ha-kadosh baruch hu?
Holy One, blessed be He.
What is kadosh?
Holy.
*Literally separate.
What is bore olam?
Creator of the world.
What is av ha-rachamim?
Merciful Father.
*Womb-like.
What are some other names for God?
- Healer.
- Redeemer.
- Sustainer.
What is the logic behind The Trinity?
A. The revelation of God corresponds to God’s innermost life.
B. How God is expressed to us somehow reflects God’s being, God’s own life.
* If A and B add up and if God is expressed in personal ways (particularly 3 distinct personal ways); then there is a basis of the structure of The Trinity.
What are the 3 ways that God’s divine love is expressed?
- Mutual self-giving.
- Community of sharing.
- Society of love.
*Forms the BASIS of God’s history of love.
What is the history of God’s love for the world narrated in?
Scripture.
What is the first step of beginning with scripture?
The Witness (Old and New Testament).
What is the second step of beginning with scripture?
Scripture (Aspects of The Trinity).
What is the third step of beginning with scripture?
Interpreting the Witness through images and concepts (Reflection, not speculation).
What are the two poles of the confession of The Trinity?
- God is One (Shema).
- God is Triune (The logic of Scripture).
What is adoptionism?
The thought that Jesus was an ordinary man who lived a merit worthy life and was adopted by God, becoming The Son of God.
*Trinitarian Heresy.
What is the problem with adoptionism?
- It makes it seems like if we live a good enough life, then that is how we get into heaven.
- It places Jesus in subordination to God.
What is modalism/Sabellianism?
The belief that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are personas/masks that an entity named God wears therefore we do not truly know God.
*Trinitarian Heresy.
What is the problem with modalism/Sabellianism?
- Patirpassianism.
- The River Jordan Conundrum.
- We do not have a relationship with God.
What is arianism?
The thought that Jesus is God’s first and best creation. Jesus is SIMILAR to God, but is NOT the same as God.
*Trinitarian Heresy.
What is the problem with arianism?
- Jesus has not always existed.
- Jesus is not eternal.
- Homoiousia v. Homoousia.
What did early attempts of explaining The Trinity as utility look like?
- Spirit: Sustainer.
- Son: Redeemer.
- Father: Creator.
What is the error with early attempts to explain The Trinity as utility?
It undermines the oneness of The Trinity. It is insufficient, not wrong.
What did later consensus of explaining The Trinity as utility look like?
