Lecture 3: Atonement, contd; doctrine of the Holy Spirit

Question 1

Give four possible interpretations for “descended into hell” in the Apostles’ Creed.

Answer 1

• Christ had died
• Christ experienced Hell during the passion
• Christ visited Hades
• This is not biblical and should be abandoned

Question 2

Define propitiation specifically as it relates to Christianity.

Answer 2

When Christ died on the cross, God’s wrath towards us cooled.

Question 3

How did the Holy Spirit change after Pentecost?

Answer 3

After Pentecost, we have the Spirit living in communion with believers and indwelling with us. In the Old Testament, the Spirit was only transient, and selective.

Question 4

Give a criticism of interpreting “descending into hell” as Christ experiencing hell during the passion?

Answer 4

It breaks the logical order in the Creed, saying that he died, and then that he suffered.

Question 5

Define propitiation in a general sense.

Answer 5

To appease wrath/placate, or do cleanse or remove.

Question 6

Who distinguished between “hell” (purgatory) and the “hell of the lost”)?

Answer 6

Aquinas

Question 7

Define subjectivity in the atonement.

Answer 7

How we respond to Christ’s work - we can choose to accept his gift or not.

Question 8

Give Aquinas’s interpretation of “descended into hell”.

Answer 8

Christ visited purgatory, but the effect reached the hell of the lost, putting them to shame.

Question 9

Jesus is both _____ and _____ with regards to the Holy Spirit?

Answer 9

Recipient (bearer) and giver

Question 10

Who produced the TULIP acronym?

Answer 10

The Synod of Dort

Question 11

What theory did Hegel come up with? (Two names)

Answer 11

Sublation, aka synthesis

Question 12

Define the P in TULIP.

Answer 12

Perseverence of the saints

Question 13

Who asserted that we should “have the courage to use our own reason”?

Answer 13

Kant

Question 14

Define the L in TULIP.

Answer 14

Limited atonement (meaning Christ died only for the elect)

Question 15

Which group of theologians was Jacob Arminius amongst?

Answer 15

The Remonstrants

Question 16

Who interpreted “descended into hell” as Christ descending into purgatory?

Answer 16

Aquinas

Question 17

Define the U in TULIP.

Answer 17

Unconditional election

Question 18

Which creed contains the phrase “descended into hell”?

Answer 18

Apostles’ Creed

Question 19

Give a criticism of interpreting “descending into hell” as Christ having died.

Answer 19

The creed becomes unnecessarily repetitive to say “was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell”.

Question 20

Define objectivity in the atonement.

Answer 20

God’s work in the atonement - Christ died for all sinners.

Question 21

Why was the Holy Spirit not emphasized during the Enlightenment?

Answer 21

The Enlightenment focused on rationalizing of faith, and the Holy Spirit is subjective and cannot be empirically verified.

Question 22

Define ruach.

Answer 22

The Old Testament word for Spirit, breath, or wind. God gives his ruach to humankind, breathing life into humankind.

Question 23

Define the T in TULIP.

Answer 23

Total depravity

Question 24

What is expiation another word for?

Answer 24

Atonement

Question 25

Describe sublation.

Answer 25

God has three modes that correspond to the Trinity. However, God as Spirit is God in the fullest sense, since God and Christ are the thesis and antithesis of each other.

Question 26

Define the I in TULIP.

Answer 26

Irresistible grace

Question 27

Give Calvin’s understanding of propitiation.

Answer 27

God specifically intended for Christ’s death on the cross to rescue us from God’s wrath and our sin.

Question 28

What did the Remonstrants believe about Christ’s death?

Answer 28

They believed Christ died for the sins of the whole world.

Question 29

Define scientific naturalism.

Answer 29

To define something as true, it must be established empirically. This goes beyond methodological naturalism and into metaphysical naturalism.