...Beyond Time‟, and „Good Infection‟) Preparation Questions: 1. How does Lewis try to make the Christian notion of the Trinity more understandable to his readers? Briefly discuss his explanation of the ideas of „begotten‟, „personalities‟, and the idea of God „beyond time‟. His explanation of the word begotten comes very easily when he says “a man begets a child, but he only makes a statue.” He makes things of the same nature as himself. Not everything is the same way he was but is in a way a statue of what god really was. 2. Considering question #1 above, choose one (1) passage from the Lewis reading that you think was most important (either to Lewis‟ argument or to your own understanding). Type out this quote and then explain why you think it’s important. Something I found important was when he says “we are not begotten by God; we are only made by Him: in our natural state we are not sons of God, only statues.” I think this is important because it is saying that if we share in this life of god that we will be sharing in this life of Jesus Christ and it will always exist, we came here to exist and share to other people this life and we will be blessed in doing so we are all sons of God. 3. Note that Lewis says that „Theology is practical‟. In what ways does Lewis see the theology of the Trinity as practical for the Christian life? That is, what difference would it really make (for Christians or for anyone else) if Jesus was fully God, or not? I think that it would...
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...I What does “prolegomena” mean? ➢ Things that are said before; introduction to the study of theology. What are the three presuppositions of prolegomena? ➢ 1) There is a God, 2) truth exists, & 3) person can know truth. What is the contemporary usage of the word “theology?” ➢ 1) Science of God and relations between God and the universe, and 2) essential being and His relationship to the universe as set forth in the Holy Scriptures. pg. 7 What is catechism? ➢ A scheme of questions and answers. What are five presuppositions for the task of theologizing? ➢ 1) there is a God and He has revealed Himself, 2) there are laws that are self-evident, 3) man has the ability to know things to the degree to which he directly observes them, 4) truth does not contradict itself, but is consistent and corresponds to reality, & 5) the mind accepts that which is logical and rejects that which is illogical. What are the tests used to verify theological truths? Explain. ➢ 1) test of consistency, 2) test of correspondence, 3) test of priority of data (what’s essential or irrelevant?), 4) test of cohesiveness, & 5) test of thoroughness (examine beliefs) pg. 12 What is the aim of Biblical theology? ➢ To arrange and classify the facts of revelation, confining itself to the scriptures for its material, and treating of doctrine only so far as it was developed at the close of the apostolic age. Where does Biblical theology get its material? ➢ Apostolic age What does historical...
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...THEOLOGY OF MISSIONS PAPER INTRODUCTION At the beginning of time, the pinnacle of God’s creation was man. From man God created woman, and they were sinless and called “very good.” Adam and Eve’s purpose was to have dominion over the earth and to multiply. They were given the ability to choose to follow God’s plan or their own lusts, which is a test they failed. Sin entered the world because of their failure to obey God, Adam and Eve were no longer considered pure, resulting in their separation from God. The sin curse exists today in every human because people are the seed of Adam. Separation from His creation is not what God wants. His utmost desire is for humanity to spend eternity with Him. This desire to pour out grace and mercy was demonstrated through the miraculous work of Jesus Christ on the cross, which provided redemption and restoration for sin. God’s will is for all of humanity to know this wonderful news, and it is the Christian’s responsibility to share it as stated throughout scripture. Once Christ returns, there will be no more sin and suffering. Instead Christ love will fill the earth and those who have submitted their lives to Christ will experience His joy and peace. According to John 3:17 it is God’s will for all to experience this, He wishes for none to perish. Therefore, God’s people are to preach the Gospel to all the nations until He returns. OLD TESTEMENT TEXT AS RELATED TO MISSION Some Christians disregard the Old Testament believing it is not relevant...
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.......2 Summary of Material………………………………...........................................................3 Practical Application…………………………....................................................................7 Works Cited……………………………………………………………………….............8 Introduction – Goal of Biblical Counseling David Powlison has developed a biblical theology of biblical counseling with the foundation of this counseling style being the Bible as God’s authoritative word. Powlison believes that the Bible is sufficient to provide the basic framework for the counselor in addressing every problem in any area of life. Powlison is quoted as saying, “it becomes clearer and clearer that Scripture is about counseling: diagnostic categories, causal explanations of behavior and emotion, interpretation of external sufferings and influences, definitions of workable solutions, character of the counselor, goals for the counseling process…These are all matters to which God speaks directly, specifically, and frequently. He calls us to listen attentively, to think hard and well, and to develop our practical theology of conversational ministry” (Powlison 2010, 102). A biblical counseling movement emerged in the late 1960’s and the main spokesman for this movement was Jay Adams. In 1968 Mr. Adams helped establish an organization known as, “Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation or CCEF. (Christian Counseling 2013) The...
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...Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary A Paper Submitted to Dr. Marcus Tanner, LMFTA in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course, Theology and Spirituality in Counseling PACO 507 - D05 Name of Student: John Santiago Student ID: L24473755 Class: PACO 507-D05 LUO Instructor’s Name: Dr. Marcus Tanner, LMFTA Date Submitted: 03/20/2014 Summary Dr. Crabb’s book “Effective Biblical Counseling: a Model for Helping Caring Christians Become Capable Counselors,” (Crabb, 1997), breaks problematic areas up into two categories. The first categories are those resulting from natural or physical causes. The second is composed mostly of problem that are essentially moral. It has been said by some and demeaned by others that Dr. Crabb has a somewhat unique approach to counseling. His Biblical counseling explained in his afore mentioned book and his first book, Basic Principles of Biblical Counseling, extols upon the basic parts and theories of his system, along with many changes in theology and he places an emphasis on his belief that, “. . . the most basic problem of every human being is his separation from God, a gulf made necessary by the fact that God is holy and we are not" (p. 17). Primary Goal: (What is the desired outcome?). Crabb first describes for us what he terms as; “Separate but equal” approach (Crabb, 1977). This approach representitive of those who would believe through Christ, “scripture deals with the spiritual and...
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...and some Christians toward psychology” (p.217), that arise from the intertwining of psychological and Christian theological views, in order to help us understand and appreciate humanity better than viewing from either perspective individually. “The closer one gets to considering psychotherapeutic and pastoral concerns, the greater the common ground and the greater possibility for conflict” (p. 36). The book’s focus is on integrative approaches in a well comprehended Christian worldview by which “we can evaluate our beliefs and behavior in light of the biblical message (p. 63), and “form a body of theories from which all prejudice, bias, and unjustifiable conjecture have been eliminated” (p. 199). The historical opposition and advocacy of the integration of the two views, along with the current integration research and application, is presented with the help of multiple psychological researchers. Entwistle’s view is that integration is possible if the proper cautions are taken; that “human nature can be mapped from two directions” (p. 198), if the disciplines participate in a productive interchange of complimentary findings. He seeks to treat the total patient - mind and spirit through integration, noting that ethical teachings of Christian faith are integral to psychology, not merely parallel to it. Entwistle takes the position that if we keep the books of God in mind, all theories, knowledge, and research that is not in harmony with the books, God’s Word [theology] and God’s...
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...Most of us who have religious beliefs, often these beliefs are closely tied to our values and to the ethical principles we believe. But it would be a mistake to assume that ethical values are simply religious values. At least, the relationship is more complex than people sometimes realize. Religion and ethics are obviously intertwined as it exist countless studies of Christian ethics, Islamic ethics, Hindu ethics and so on. Both religion and ethics serve a common need in our society. Societies are built on the plank of co-existence and mutuality. Ethics is the study of what "ought" to be. It is a theoretical study and is otherwise referred to as the study of morality. Moral is an important part in ethics. Ethics as a branch of “philosophy”, has three components (Feiser 2003): "meta-ethics" studies the sources and meaning of ethical terms; "normative ethics" does the more practical task of examining the moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct; and "applied ethics" examines controversies such as abortion, infanticide, animal abuse, environmental concerns, homosexuality and capital punishment. To behave ethically is to behave in a manner consistent with what is right or moral. Ethics is simply the principles used by people that control their conduct. Religion is a system of thoughts, feelings, and approach that is shared by a group of members and that gives the members an object of devotion; a code of behavior by which individuals may judge the personal and social...
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...Study Guide: Lesson 16 Philosophy of Religion: Introduction Read chapter. 1 of Philosophy of Religion: Thinking About Faith, “What is Philosophy of Religion?” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions: Explain the distinctions between philosophy of religion and sociology, history, theology, and religious philosophy. philosophy of religion focus on the truth and reasonableness of religious beliefs. While the historian or sociologist may study religious beliefs, but his focus is not specifically on the truth or reasonableness of such belief theologian looks at religous beliefs from within, as an adherent or representative of a religous tradition. philosophy of religon may be engaged in by thinkers who are not religous at all, as well as by committed religous thinkers philosophy of religion not so much religious thinking as it is thinking about religion. Religious Philosophy is Religious thinking Explain the arguments for and problems with fideism. Fideism: human beings are never religously neutral; they are always either in faithful service to or in rebellion against God. Claims that faith is the precondition for any correct thinking about religion Problem: fideist cannot attempt to win over his critics by rational argument as the presupposition of such dialouge means the possibility of common ground (fideists deny common ground) eliminates the possibility of showing the nonbeliever the superiority of a religous worldview where should...
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...classical philology, technical exegesis, Gnostic studies, existential philosophy, and hermeneutics to the Gifford Lectures, the theological essay, popular and literate dialogue about the Church, demythologizing, and the relation of the New Testament to daily life?3 If the theological significance is judged in terms of intellectual climate, moral force, and scholarly style or by the more tangible but subtle influence on several generations of scholars, then the theological significance seems almost as elusive as it is palpable. Fortunately, diversity of form and subject is more apparent than real. The theological atmosphere and problematic shaped by Bultmann may be traced to concepts and procedures available to any critical reader. While it is quite correct to note, as did Hans Jonas on the Feiertag celebrated in honor of Bultmann in Marburg, November 16,1976, that it is impossible to separate the man from his writings, for he lived as he wrote,4 we are not here primarily concerned with Bultmann's personal psychological integrity, striking as it is. It may, however, be accurate to say that this escalating unity of life and work is grounded in the one objective to which Bultmann committed himself: the mediation of the Christian tradition, the attempt to make a particular religious vision and its theological interpretation fruitful for the present and future. 1 Rudolf Bultmann, "Der literarische Character der neutestamentlichen Schriften," Christliche Welt 22 (1908) 378 (two paragraphs)...
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...Shawn Andrews Summer 2014 Theology 313-D05 LUO Student #23805109 Analysis In the book Is Jesus the Only Savior?, author Ronald Nash does an excellent job in presenting his arguments in a comprehensive, thorough method. In the preface, he does well to address the important clarification of terms needed when discussing whether or not Jesus is the only savior. It is essential to understand these terms—exclusivism, pluralism, and inclusivism—when diving into the various beliefs and interpretations concerning Christ and His claim that, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6). While the intention of the book is to address such beliefs and interpretations, it is important to establish early in the text, as he does, what the different beliefs are and to define them in a very basic form. In the first chapter, Nash lays the foundation for the rest of his book—exclusivism. Similar to the importance of defining all three of the different general views in the preface, it is incredibly important for him to establish a baseline of good theology, initially, in order to effectively discuss and argue the views of pluralism and inclusivism. This is certainly one of the greatest strengths of the book as a whole. Nash lays out the main purpose of the book on page 25, stating, “The major question I will seek to answer in the rest of this book is whether pluralists or inclusivists have produced arguments strong enough to justify...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Theology of Missions Submitted to Dr. Jeff Brawner, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the course GLST 500 – D08 Global Studies Survey By Boyd Ouden November 29, 2015 Contents Old Testament and New Testament Texts Related to Missions 3 How God Relates to the Mission field 5 Themes and Patterns of Mission Theology 5 Understanding God through Suffering 5 Evangelizing in the Midst of Suffering 5 Testimonials through Suffering 5 Saving lives through suffering 5 Purpose of Suffering 6 Conclusion 8 Bibliography 10 Old Testament and New Testament Texts Related to Missions As we look at the theology of missions we must start with the Word of God. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and loo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” (Matt 28:19-20) This is “The Great Commission” from the Bible calling man to the mission arena. While we see evidence of the mission filed throughout the Old Testament it is in the New Testament where the call and instructions and encouragement come to light. The first scripture that addressed the mission mandate was Genesis 12:1-4 when God told Abraham to father a nation. This became the basis for mission work in the Old and New Testament...
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...Context The Church In this series of conferences begun last year, we are in process of reflecting on the direction and focus of the ministry and ministerial training in the Church of the Nazarene as our community of faith moves into the twenty-first century. We have attempted to approach our task from two complimentary perspectives, caricatured last year as the "field" of hands-on work and the "realm" of reflective inquiry (although I think there are serious problems inherent in such an artificial dichotomy of responsibilities). -1- From our initial attempts, it has become obvious that we face a multiplicity of issues in such an endeavor. The range and diversity of these issues arise partly from the variety of theological, historical, and practical concerns operating with each of us as individuals and partly from the assumptions and perspectives imported from particular arenas of ministry. One common element that keeps reappearing in various forms is the issue of the nature and mission of the Church. This issue is not unique to our enterprise in these conferences, as the new eleventh Article of Faith on "The Church" adopted by the 1989 General Assembly demonstrates. Since the Church will be focus of one of our sessions in this conference, we have already realized that this issue is a crucial one if we are to understand what we should be about in ministry. The topic for this morning's discussion is "Divine-Human Synergism in the Ministry." The topic could be taken in several directions...
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...the truth of scripture and then using that truth to prove the existence and nature of God. To do this the evidentialist has to successfully defend his understanding of past events and his interpretation of texts and historical theories and ideology. The evidentialist also assumes a shared view of experiences, scientific theories, and the general rules of logic when engaging a skeptic, and there has to be some shared study and common ground of the nature and philosophy with the unbeliever to have a meaningful discussion. One of the advantages of being an evidentialist you can argue both for theism and for Christian theism at the same time without recourse to an elaborate natural theology. For instance, you can begin by arguing for the historical factuality of Jesus resurrection and then argue that such an unusual event is explicable only if a being like the Christian God exist. Having established God's existence via Christ resurrection although miraculous, this then leads the evidentialist to show that Jesus resurrection also authenticates his claims to be God incarnate. The evidentialist...
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...and Old Testament Ethics. Prior to this he was Senior Vice President of Education, Academic Dean, and Senior Vice President of Distance Learning and Ministries, and Professor of Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. In 1977 he was the president of the Evangelical Theological Society. Currently he serves on the boards of several Christian organizations. He is the author of dozens of books and commentaries. Also many of his articles appear in the Journal for the Study of Old Testament, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Christianity Today, Westminster Theological Journal, and the Evangelical Quarterly. His primary purpose in writing this book, Preaching and Teaching from the Old Testament: A Guide for the Church, is to address the lack of preaching and teaching from the Old Testament that is currently going on in the modern church. The general consensus is that the Old Testament just does not matter to us anymore. Kaiser states, “Instead of receiving the Old Testament with gratitude as a gift from God, all too many in Christ’s church view it as an albatross around the necks of contemporary Christians.” He continues by saying that basic questions that challenge the Old Testament of its significance, its relevance regarding back then...
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...CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN A POSTMODERN WORLD The Rise of Postmodernity Since Federico de Onis’s use of the term ‘postmodernismo’ to describe the Spanish and Latin-American poetry of 1905-1914 which had reacted against the ‘excess’ of modernism in 1934, (Rose 1991: 171) “Postmodernism” became very popular. It has been used in the fields of art (Christo-Bakargiev 1987), architecture (Pevsner 1967), literature (Hassan 1971), video, economics, films (James 1991), ideology (Larrain 1994: 90-118), theology (Tilley at al 1995), and philosophy (Griffin et al 1993). In trying to understand ‘postmodern’, we have to understand ‘modern’ first. According to Rose (1991: 1), there are many related yet different meanings associated with the term ‘modern’. First of all, Arnold J. Toynbee understands modern as referring to the historical phenomenon of The most significant of the conclusions that suggest themselves is that the word ‘modern’ in the term ‘Modern Western Civilization’, can, without inaccuracy, be given a more precise and concrete connotation by being translated ‘middle class’. Western communities became ‘modern’ in the accepted Modern Western meaning of the word, just as soon as they had succeeded in producing a bourgeoisie that was both numerous enough and competent enough to become the predominant element in society. We think of the new chapter of Western history that opened at the turn of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries as being ‘modern’ par excellence because...
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