Midterm Test Flashcards
What are the types of Inspiration?
Dictation Theory of Inspiration; Dynamic Theory of Inspiration; Verbal/Plenary Theory of Inspiration
What is the Dictation Theory of Inspiration?
Oldest theory; God dictated the words to the authors/scribes; upside is that the words we’ve got are the ones we’re supposed to have; potential downsides are it fails to account for human personality in the authors and it fails to account for the different personalities in each book
What is the Dynamic Theory of Inspiration?
The argument is that the thoughts and concepts are from God/inspired, but the words are the authors’; positive to this is that it explains human personalities in different books; potential negatives are that it begs the question that how do we know what Paul/other authors wrote what God wanted him to write; other arguments are that it allows for errors in the writings from the authors
What is the Verbal/Plenary Theory of Inspiration?
The argument is that God gave the authors the concept or ideas, yet he so controlled them and influenced them that they picked their own words, but God provided them with those thoughts; God has guided all the circumstances for the authors; it allows for God’s concepts, authors’ personalities, and what God wanted them to write down
What are the types of Revelation?
General Revelation and Special Revelation
What is General Revelation?
Available to all people in general; most common example is nature; God’s sovereignty is seen in creation
What is Special Revelation?
Revelation of God in a special way to a special people/person; it is more focused and targeted; it is necessary for salvation and it is given to us for that purpose
What are the characteristics of Revelation?
Personal (the goal/purpose of special revelation is a personal relationship with God); Anthropic (God reveals Himself in such a way that man can understand it because He speaks to us on our level); Progressive (moving forward; special revelation is never complete); Closed (Revelation cannot be added to); Authoritative (if the Bible answers a question then it is the correct answer; if it is not answered then it is left up to us to answer ourselves); Universal (it is the revelation for anyone to believe)
What is the Doctrine of Canocity?
A canon is a measuring stick by which the books of the Bible were selected to be a part of the Bible; Each book was accepted into the OT canon because they do not contradict the other books and each book was accepted into the NT canon because it had to be by an apostle or associate apostle to be included
What were the 3 rules of canocity that apply to both Testaments?
Had to be written or inspired by an apostle or prophet; had to agree with previous revelation; had to be universally true or valuable
What is the Doctrine of Inerrancy?
The Bible says in multiple places that God cannot lie and if the Bible is the Word of God, then the Bible cannot be wrong; the Bible claims to be without error
What is Limited Inerrancy?
Argues that the scientific and historical sections of Scripture are not a part of God’s Word; those sections are not inerrant, only the spiritual sections are
What is Full Inerrancy?
Argues that the scientific and historical sections, not written to modern specifications, are a part of God’s Word and are inerrant (what was true then, scientists/historians have proved different now and every word was inerrant when it was written but the knowledge base has changed); this view allows science and history to have the last word/say on truth
What is Absolute Inerrancy?
The scientific and historical sections are a part of God’s Word and are inerrant according to modern specifications
What is prologomena?
First word; preface or foreword
What is theology proper?
The sole focus is about who God is and what He is like
How is an atheist still a theist in some way?
They have theories about God because they have chosen to deny the reality of God; they are focused on proving there is no God
What does an agnostic believe?
They say that they cannot know for certain if there is a God or not
What do monotheists believe?
There is one god
What do henotheists believe?
They worship one god among many; there are a lot of gods but they worship only one supremely
What do polytheists believe?
Many gods and they worship many gods
What do pantheists believe?
Everything is god; everything is one
What do panentheists believe?
God is in all things; the deity saturates everything
What are the six arguments for the Existence of God?
Teleological Argument; Anthropic Cosmological Principle; Cosmological Argument; Ontological Argument; Moral Argument; and Biblical Argument
What does the Teleological Argument say about the Existence of God?
Believes the created order gives evidence of a purposeful design; if it has a purpose, then it couldn’t have happened by accident
What does the Anthropic Cosmological Principle say about the Existence of God?
It is a study of the planets and says that if earth was any different, we would not be able to live