Prolegomena Flashcards
Why should we study theology?
- ) Evangelism- Have answers to people’s questions (1 Pet. 3:15).
- ) Discipleship- Help new believers understand God and their faith better.
- ) Relationship- we need to know who God is in order to have a relationship with him (John 17:3).
- ) Combat Heresy and Dangerous Philosophies- to confront and attack spiritually dangerous ideas.
- ) Develop a Balanced Christian Character- to understand who God is and how to be more like him.
What are the dangers of studying theology?
- ) Putting God in a box- thinking we have God figured out.
- ) Technical terminology and jargon- talking over people’s heads so that they don’t understand what we’re saying.
- ) Excessive speculation- pet theories and speculation that cannot be proved from the Bible.
- ) Lack of practical application- failing to help people see the connection between theology and “real life”.
- ) Becoming a know-it-all- knowledge puffs up, love builds up (1 Cor. 8:1).
- ) Leanness in your soul- knowing theology but little or no life/experience with God.
- ) Unbelief- knowing theology but not believing it (falling into doubt or skepticism).
Things necessary to be a good theologian.
- ) A genuine desire to know God and serve him better.
- ) Humility and teachableness
- ) Willingness to apply God’s truth- even if we have to change our ideas or behavior.
- ) Prayer
Angelology
The doctrine of angels
Anthropology
The doctrine of humanity
Biblical Theology
The study of the teaching of individual authors and sections of the Bible and of the place of each teaching in the historical development of the Bible.
Bibliology
The doctrine or ordered study of the Bible
Christology
The doctrine or study of Christ (his nature, attributes, work).
Cosmogony
The doctrine of Creation
Doctrine
What the whole Bible teaches us today about a particular topic.
Ecclesiology
The doctrine of the Church
Eschatology
The doctrine of “last things” (end times, the intermediate state of the dead)
Hamartiology
The doctrine of sin
Pneumatology
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit (his deity, person, and work).
Prolegomena
Introductory matters of theology, assumptions, and definitions, ones approach to theology.