Exam 1 Flashcards
Definition of Biblical Theology
deals systematically with the historically conditioned progress of the self-revelation of God. Narrower focus then systematic theology and strictly dealing with the Scripture.
What are the three ways the Bible passages should be studied exegetically?
- According to the normal meaning of language
- According to the rules of grammar
- In its historical context
Order of disciplines in relation to Bible study…
exegesis, then biblical theology, then systematic theology and dogmatic theology, then historical theology and contemporary theology; practical theology; and apologetics
Differences between biblical theology and systematic theology…
Biblical Theology: Restricts its study to Scripture–Systematic Theology: seeks truth from Scripture and from any source outside the BIble
Biblical Theology: Examines the parts of Scripture– Systematic Theology: examines the whole of Scripture
Biblical Theology: Compiles information on a adoctrine from a specific writer or a particular era – Systematic Theology: Compiles information on a doctrine by correlating all the Scriptures
Biblical Theology: Seeks to understand why or how a doctrine developed – Systematic Theology: Seeks to understand what was ultimately written
Biblical Theology: Seeks to understand the process as well as the result or product – Systematic Theology: Seeks to understand the result or product
Biblical Theology: Views the progress of revelation in different areas – Systematic Theology: views the culmination of God’s revelation
Definition of Systematic Theology
the collecting, scientifically arranging, comparing, exhibiting, and defending of all facts from any and every source concerning God and His works.
Erickson’s view of theology
Theology is biblical, systematic, relevant, contemporary, and practical
Why is systematic theology necessary
It is an explanation of Christianity (fundamental beliefs), an apologetic of Christianity (defense for belief), and a means of maturity for Christians (protects believers from error)
Primary Sources of Systematic Theology
Scripture and nature
Secondary sources of systematic theology
doctrinal confessions, tradition, and reason (as guided by the Holy Spirit)
Definition of Theology Proper
study of God the Father
Cosmological Argument (for the existence of God)
Because something can’t come from nothing, there must be an original cause that is the reason the world exists.
Anthropological Argument (for the existence of God)
Man is not simply a physical being, but a moral being with a conscience, intellect, emotion, and will. A blind force could never produce this complexity.
Moral Argument (for the existence of God)
Man has a sense of morality, which can not be attributed to an evolutionary process.
Ontological Argument (for the existence of God)
If man can conceive of a perfect God who doesn’t exist, he can conceive of someone greater than God, which is impossible.
Practical Atheist
lives as if there is no God
Dogmatic Atheist
openly repudiates God
Virtual Atheist
rejects God by terminology (like denying a personal God)
Agnostic
one who says they cannot know whether or not God exists
Evolution
begins with the premise that there is no God, and seeks to explain life apart from God
Polytheism
belief in many gods
Pantheism
Everything is God and God is everything
Materialistic Pantheism (subcategory of pantheism)
belief in the eternity of matter and that matter is the cause of all life
Hylozoism (subcategory of pantheism)
belief that has a principle of life or psychical properties
Neutralism (subcategory of pantheism)
life is neutral, neither mind nor matter
Idealism (subcategory of pantheism)
ultimate reality is mind, either individual mind or infinite mind
Philosophical Mysticism (subcategory of pantheism)
absolute monism, teaching that all reality is a unity
deism
belief that an impersonal God created the world and then divorced himself of the human race, leaving man alone in his created world
general revelation
reveals aspects about God and his nature to all mankind so that all humanity has an awareness of God’s existence (e.g. heavens, earth, providential control, conscience)
special revelation
dreams, visions, theophany (visible or auditory manifestations of god), through Scriptures, through Jesus Christ
Absolute Attributes of God
spirituality, self-existence, immanence, immutability, unity, truth, love, goodness, holiness, transcendence
relative attributes of God
eternity, immensity, omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotent, truth, mercy, grace, justice,
names of God
Elohim, Adonai, Yahweh, El Shaddai, El Elyon, El Olam
Definition of the Trinity
three united persons without separate existence–so completely united as to form one God
Tri-theism
misinterpretation of the Trinity that teaches that the three Persons are related to each other as humans, which abandons the unity of the trinity
sabellianism or modalism
misinterpretation of the Trinity that believes that God is one but does not exist as three persons (having 3 sides like a pyramid but all the same)
Arianism
misinterpretation of the Trinity that believes Jesus is inferior to the Father and created by the Father
Definition of God’s Decree
established in eternity past and has reference to God’s sovereign control over every realm
Characteristics of God’s Decree
- single plan encompassing all things
- was formed in eternity past but is manifested in time
- is a wise plan because God who is wise planned what is best
- is according to God’s sovereign will (God does as he pleases)
- has 2 aspects: the directive will of God and the permissive will of God
- The purpose is the glory of God
- though all encompassing, man is responsible for sinful actions, known as antinomy or a paradox
- some aspects of the decree are carried out by people
directive will of God
things that God is the author of
permissive will of God
things under God’s control that he allows but is not directly the author of
eternity of God
eternal in time and rule
immensity of God
transcends all spatial limitations but is present at every point of space with his whole being
mercy of God
the goodness or love of God shown to those who are in misery or distress
grace of God
unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation
justice
God is entirely correct and just in his dealings with humanity
rectoral justice
God is moral ruler who promises reward for the obedient and punishment for the disobedient
distributive justice
the execution of law in terms of both reward and punishment
remunerative justice
positive distributive justice that dispenses reward to the obedient
retributive justice
negative distributive justice that expresses divine wrath and punishes the wicked
Elohim
emphasizes God’s transcendence
Adonai
emphasizes God’s servant-master relationship; God is sovereign in his rule and has absolute authority
Yahweh
“to be” or “I AM WHO I AM”
El Shaddai
“God Almighty”
El Elyon
“God Most High”, supremacy of God
El Olam
“Everlasting God”, unchanging character of God
definition of historical theology
the study of the unfolding of Christian theology throughout the centuries (the formation of the doctrines) in order to describe the historical origin of dogma of the Church and trace its developments
Characteristics of the Ancient Church
- close to the event of the life of Christ
- canon of the 27 books of the NT was formed as a result of Marcionites trying to corrupt the doctrines of the Holy Spirit and eschatology
characteristics of the medieval church
- known as the Dark Ages because of church corruption
- Roman Catholicism and its unbiblical doctrines were prominent
characteristics of the Reformation Theology
Martin Luther and John Calvin were prominent divergents and opponents of the Roman Catholic Church
characteristics of Modern Theology
- effected by the Enlightenment period
- emphasis of centrality of man and reason
Martin Luther
Roman Catholic priest who sparked the Reformation when he nailed the Ninety Five Theses opposing the Catholic Church on the Church door at Wittenberg, Germany
John Calvin
Swiss reformer, pastor, writer, politician, and scientific interpreter of the Bible; emphasized sovereignty of God and predestination
definition of dogmatic theology
deals with the doctrinal truth of Scripture in a systematic way as confessed by the Chruch
Roman Catholic dogma
uses tradition and official church decisions along with Scripture to form its dogma
Protestant dogma
uses Scripture alone as authority for its dogma
John Locke
introduced subjectivism by teaching that knowledge comes from experience; nothing in the mind that is not first in the senses
George Berkeley
denied special revelation by declaring that things are only as they are experienced
David Hume
Scottish skeptic who carried Locke and Berkeley’s ideas to their logical conclusion by denying spiritual realities
idealism
philosophy that reality does not lie int he physical realm but in the mind
Immanuel Kant
argued that knowledge cannot exist apart from experience that can be proved through testing
Georg W. F. Hegel
German idealist who taught that only the mind is real, everything else is an expression the Divine mind
