Lesson 1 - Introduction to Theology

Question 1

What is the definition of theology?

Answer 1

A word from God about God to God.

• Source
• Subject
• Goal
• Romans 11:33-36

Question 2

What is Archetypal Theology?

Answer 2

a. ) Archetypal - God’s Theology
- knowledge whereby God knows himself and all divine things in his divine way
- belongs uniquely and exclusively to God
- Independent and Infinite in nature
- Source of all other modes of theology
- Tripersonal in mode
- Response = worship and awe

Question 3

What is Ectypal Theology?

Answer 3

• Our Theology that is derived from God
• Wisdom of Divine matters, from God, through the communication of His grace for His glory
• Divine in source, creaturely in nature (habit, relative, finite, discrete, communicable)
• Spiritual habit
• We can’t understand the way God understands things, but he stoops down to reveal some things to us

Question 4

What does it mean for theology to be a habit?

Answer 4

Habit = perspective, orientation where theology is a Godward disposition toward life, not just intellectual knowledge.
- A spiritual disposition to know and love God more that is formative in all of life.

Question 5

What are the three modes of Ectypal Theology?

Answer 5

1. ) Theology of Vision: the wisdom concerning divine matters that belongs to the “blessed”, the saints and angels who enjoy the beatific vision (1 John 3:2, Rev. 22:1-5)
2. ) Theology of Revelation: wisdom concerning divine matters that belongs to “pilgrims”; those traveling to their eternal home in God. (Through works and Word)
3. ) Theology of Union: wisdom concerning divine matters that belongs to God-man, Jesus Christ. The Word shares archetypal theology with the Father and the Spirit receives Ectypal Theology from the Father by the Spirit in his human nature in order to communicate that theology to us. Supreme source of Ectypal Theology.

Question 6

What is the genus of Theology?

Answer 6

Wisdom: it is both theoretical and practical (knowledge and love)

• Contemplative aspect = wonder
• Practical aspect = life of virtue
• Immediate End = our virtue
• Ultimate End = God’s eternal glory and our eternal happiness in the vision of God

Question 7

What is the object of Theology?

Answer 7

• God and all things in relation to God as revealed by God in Holy Scripture
• Material Object = God and all things in relation to God
• Formal Object = as revealed by God in the Holy Scriptures

Question 8

How does the study of theology affect the student of theology?

Answer 8

• We were created to know God
• The Fall has displaced the virtue of “studious” (learn from Christ) with the vice of “curiosity” (looking to know more than we should)
• Regeneration gives us a new spiritual habit where intellectual greed is replaced with hunger for divine instruction
• Religion is the context where our spiritual habit of theology may be cultivated and matured

Question 9

What are the ends of theology?

Answer 9

a. ) Godliness
b. ) Enjoyment of salvation and its fruits
c. ) Maturity and unity of the church
d. ) Glory of God

Theology is truth for life to the glory of God, truth for a life of happiness in God.