Lecture 4: The Process of Revelation

Question 1

What is Divine Revelation?

Answer 1

God’s self-disclosure of his nature, character, and will to the whole of humanity, which has occurred in multiple forms within human history

Question 2

Not all divine communication constitutes ‘revelation’ in the technical sense

Answer 2

1. God often communicates to (and for the benefit of) specific individuals, not to (and for) the whole of God’s people
2. Not all of God’s communication involves revealing something about himself or about his will for humanity
3. The culmination of God’s revelation occurred in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. God’s revelation is complete

Question 3

Revelation is more than just a set of truth claims about God

Answer 3

1. Revelation is not merely a set of propositions to be intellectually understood and accepted. it is practical, and requires trust and obedience
2. God reveals his personal presence. The purpose of revelation is communion with God

Question 4

Non-Propositional Theology: Mystical Theology

Answer 4

• centres around contemplation and prayer, rather and rational investigation leading pro propositional knowledge
• seeks to know God in spiritual, experiential, non-rational ways

Question 5

Non-Propositional Theology: Apophatic Theology

Answer 5

a type of mystical theology which seeks to describe God only by negation. It states only what may not be said about God. Another name is negative theology

Question 6

How has God Revealed Himself?

Answer 6

1. In Creation
2. By speaking to and through the Prophets
3. In the incarnation of Jesus Christ (the most direct. the climax of his revelation)

Question 7

Jesus Christ: The Revealer of the Father

Answer 7

1. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ is the culmination of God’s self-revelation to humanity
2. Christ in Creation (Christ also revealed God in creation. Before incarnation Christ was the Word of God, the instrument of God’s revelation and the source of creation.
   - Jesus Christ is the Word of God through whom everything was made in the beginning.
   - one of the core beliefs of early Christianity is that before his incarnation Jesus was an instrument of God for revelation of himself through creation

Question 8

Jesus as the word

Answer 8

when God appears to people and speaks to them, it is not the Father who is utterly transcendent, it is the word of God, Jesus Christ who is doing this.
- God has revealed himself in successive stages, starting in creation and resulting in the incarnation and al of it has been through his Word which is Jesus Christ. The Son of God revealed the Father in each of these scenarios