Introduction to
Theology
An Invitation to Theology?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
“Jesus said to him, ‘Love the Lord your
God with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind.’”
–Matthew 22:37
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question Outline
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Who are you and why are you here?
What is The Theology Program?
What is theology?
Who is a theologian?
How do we do theology every day?
What are the different categories of
theology?
What is the Theological Process?
What is epistemology?
What is postmodernism?
What questions are postmoderns asking?
What is the postmodern view of truth?
What is the modern view of truth?
What is the Christian view of truth?
What truths are relative and what truths
are objective?
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What truths are essential for orthodoxy?
How certain are you about your beliefs?
What is the essential difference in Roman
Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and
Protestantism?
Why are there so many Protestant
denominations?
What are the different sources for truth?
What are the benefits and deficiencies of
each source?
How do the different sources interact to
form our theology?
Does God still speak today?
What is the Continuationist view of
prophecy?
What is the Hard Cessationist view of
prophecy?
What is the Soft Cessationist view of
prophecy?
How do we do theology in our emerging
context?
Course Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
Introduction to The Theology Program
Defining Theology
Categories of Theology
Postmodern Epistemology
Christian Epistemology
Essentials of Theology
Traditions of Christian Theology
Sources of Theology
Does God Still Speak Today?
Unity and Diversity
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Defining the “Rules of
Engagement”
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Question
Who are you and why are you here?
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who you are and why you are taking
this course?
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
• Practical Pricilla: You are a person who
has never seen the practicality in deep
theological study. You are here to see if
we can change your mind.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
2. Scared Susan: Big words scare you. You
don’t really think that you are smart
enough to be here. You are here this time,
but you may not be here the next.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
3. Know-it-all Nick: You already know
everything. You are just here to see if we
do… and to pick up where we leave off.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
4. Fundamental Fred: You are the Godordained guardian of orthodoxy. You are
here to sit, with arms crossed, and
protect.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
5. Want-an-answer Will: You have a lot
of questions. You are here not to do
theology in community, but to write
theology down with a pen and paper.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
6. Traditionalist Teri: You want to learn,
but your traditions and preconceived
notions bind you. You are here to have
your traditions confirmed to be true.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
7. Confrontational Carl: You are not a
believer in Christ or the Bible and have no
intention of becoming one. You are here
to argue.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
8. Struggling Sam: You are a believer in
Christ, but you have a lot of doubts and
struggles. You have never had a safe place
to express those doubts. You are here to
see if this is the place.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Introduction to
the Theology Program
Who are you and why are you taking
this course?
9. Curious Carla: You are not really sure
why you are here, but you’re excited to
find out.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
We are all real people created by a real
God, and we all have real struggles,
real questions, and real convictions.
We are glad that you are here!
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Question
What is The Theology Program?
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
The Theology Program is an intense theological
studies program, designed for busy people who may
never go to seminary but who want deep theological
training. While there are many great subjects, biblical
and spiritual, that Christians can and need to study,
our focus is on seven specific courses of systematic
theology. Our desire is to teach people how to think
by opening their minds to diverse views, learning
from history, wrestling with difficult issues, and
graciously engaging an increasingly relativistic and
postmodern world.
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Introduction to
the Theology Program
Mission:
Renewing minds and changing
lives by purposefully guiding
people through a study of
historic and biblical Christian
theology.
Goal:
“Our goal is not so much to
teach good theology, as
important as that is, but to teach
people to think.”
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Introduction to The
Theology Program
What makes The Theology Program
different?
1. Intensity in studies
2. Irenic theology
3. Intentional program design
4. Comprehensive coverage
5. Doing theology in community
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Intensity in Studies
The Church must have an avenue of intense,
interactive Christian education through a
program which gives people an opportunity to
learn at a level that other venues cannot
provide. TTP endeavors to be this avenue.
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Intensity in Studies
Sermon
Low Commitment
Fellowship/
Sunday School
Interactive Classroom
High Commitment
Intensity in Studies
Sermon
Fellowship/
Sunday School
Low Expectations
Interactive Classroom
High Expectations
•Attendance
•Assigned readings
•Books
•Papers
•Case studies
•Memorization of Scripture
•Grades
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Intensity in Studies
Fellowship/
Sunday School
Sermon
Devotional
(Brings encouragement for the week)
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Interactive Classroom
Foundational
(Builds theology for a lifetime)
Intensity in Studies
Sermon
Fellowship/
Sunday School
Short-term life change
Interactive Classroom
Long-term life change
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Intensity in Studies
Sermon
Fellowship/
Sunday School
Exhortation
Interactive Classroom
Education
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Intensity in Studies
Sermon
Fellowship/
Sunday School
Interactive Classroom
The education program of the
Church needs to include all of
these in balance.
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Irenic Theology
Key Terms
Irenic Theology:
Polemic Theology:
Apologetic Theology:
Theology that is done peaceably,
accurately representing all views,
even when you oppose them.
Theology that is done in a
warlike manner inside the Church,
prophetically speaking against
those with whom there is
disagreement.
Theology that is done to defend
the faith against those who
oppose outside the church.
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Irenic Theology
Irenic
Peace
War
Polemic
Defense
Apologetic
Intentional Program Design
Comprehensive Coverage
In the courses, we will address all the relevant
major issues, current and historic, of which we
think people need to be aware.
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Doing Theology in a
Community
We believe that truth is not found in Spiritilluminated individuals, but in a community of
Spirit-illuminated individuals. Therefore, we
believe that the Body of Christ, both alive and
dead, must come together to understand
theology, shaping it from many perspectives
and differing experiences. This is doing
theology in a community.
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The “T” stands for
“Theology” in The Theology
Program.
Notice how the draft is incomplete and erased at
places. This illustrates how our theology is never
finished in this life, but is always undergoing
change and development.
The tablet upon which we construct our theology
is broken. This represents an imperfect people,
broken by sin, doing our best to understand God
in our state of imperfection.
Notice how the draft goes outside the lines at
times. This represents how our theology, while
having a great respect for tradition, must break
with tradition at times. This is the Reformers’
principle of semper reformanda (“always
reforming”).
The column represents a pillar,
communicating that our theology
creates a strong foundation
upon which our life, purpose,
and actions exist.
Discussion Groups
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Defining Theology
“What does it mean to ‘do’
theology?”
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Question
What is theology?
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Traditions of Theology
Epistemology
Denominations
Eastern Orthodox
Pluralism
Protestant
Experience
Cessationism
Relativism
Rationalism
Truth
Modernism
Roman Catholic
Exclusivism
Special Revelation
Postmodernism
Prophecy
Protestant Theology
Cessationism
Defining Theology
What is Theology?
Write a one or two sentence definition of
theology:
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Defining Theology
“The study or science of
God.”
–Millard Erickson
Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2001), 22
“The Science of God
and of the relations
between God and the
universe.”
–A. H. Strong
“Rational discussion
respecting the deity.”
–Augustine
“Thinking about God
and expressing those
thoughts in some way.”
–Charles Ryrie
Basic Theology (Wheaton, IL: 1986), 9
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Defining Theology
“The science of God or of religion; the science which
treats of the existence, character, and attributes of
God, his laws and government, the doctrines we are to
believe, and the duties we are to practice; divinity; (as
more commonly understood) the knowledge derivable
from the Scriptures, the systematic exhibition of revealed
truth, the science of Christian faith and life.”
—Webster’s Dictionary
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Question
Who is a theologian?
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Defining Theology
Who is a theologian?
Anyone who has asked the ultimate questions of life:
• Why am I here?
• What is life?
• What happens after death?
• What is the difference between right and
wrong?
• Why is there something instead of nothing?
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Defining Theology
The question is not, “Who is a
theologian?” but “What kind of
theologian am I going to be?” Are you
going to be a good theologian or a bad
theologian? This is a more accurate
question because, as one writer put it,
“not all theologies are equal.”
–Source unknown
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Defining Theology
“We live in what may be the most antiintellectual period in the history of
Western civilization. . . We must have
passion—indeed hearts on fire for the
things of God. But that passion must
resist with intensity the anti-intellectual
spirit of the world.”
—R. C. Sproul
“Burning Hearts Are Not Nourished by Empty Heads,” Christianity Today 26 (Sept. 3, 1982), 100
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Defining Theology
There are basically six arenas in which
we can do theology:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Tabloid Theology
Folk Theology
Lay Theology
Ministerial Theology
Professional Theology
Academic Theology
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Defining Theology
Tabloid
Folk
Lay
Ministerial
Professional
Academic
Defining theology
Describe this chart in relation to practicing medicine
Tabloid
Folk
Lay
Ministerial
Professional
Academic
Defining Theology
Now describe this chart in relation to practicing theology
Tabloid
Folk
Lay
Ministerial
Professional
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Academic
Defining Theology
Tabloid Theologian: One who constructs his or
her theology based upon
naïve hearsay information
that has no basis in fact and
very little, if any, evidence
to be believed. Many times
people are Tabloid
theologians because of the
theology’s appearance of
originality. As well, it can
be “cutting edge” in many
people’s minds.
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Defining Theology
What are some examples of Tabloid
theology?
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Defining Theology
• Tabloid theology examples
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Defining Theology
• Hitchhiking angel
• Growing fire hose
• “I Saw Heaven”
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Defining Theology
Folk Theologian: One who uncritically
and unreflectively
constructs his or her
theology according to
traditions and religious
folklore. The Folk
theologian is often very
dogmatic about his or
her beliefs.
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Defining Theology
What are some examples of Folk
theology?
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Defining Theology
Folk theology examples:
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Defining Theology
Folk theology examples:
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Views of Heaven (clouds, harps)
Ghosts
Angels’ wings
Good works salvation
All people are good at heart
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Defining Theology
Folk theology examples:
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Peter’s gate
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Devil’s pitchfork
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“God helps those who help themselves”
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Demon possession
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People who commit suicide automatically go
to Hell
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When you die there will be a screen in heaven
which shows to the world all the bad things
you have done
•
Name-it-claim-it, health-and-wealth gospel
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Defining Theology
Why do you think that it is so hard for
Folk theologians to learn?
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Defining Theology
Lay Theologian:
A layperson who constructs his
or her theology and who, unlike
the folk and tabloid theologian,
is . . .
(1) more reflective upon learned
theological concepts
(2) likely to formulate a system
of beliefs which distinguishes
between essential and nonessential doctrine
(3) more critical of unfounded
traditions
(4) willing to use study tools
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Defining Theology
Ministerial Theologian: A layperson who constructs his
or her theology and who, unlike
the lay theologian is . . .
(1) educated in theological
methodology
(2) able to use study tools and
resources at a more effective
level
(3) able to openly critique
personal theology against
competing models
(4) intent on devoting more time
to reflection so that theological
integration can take place
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Defining Theology
Professional Theologian:
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One who constructs his
or her theology and
makes a living doing so.
They usually. . .
(1) are didactically
purposed toward lay and
pastoral theologians
(2) conduct practical
original research
(3) critically evaluate
common theological
trends and folk theology.
Defining Theology
Professional theologians are often
accused of “quenching the Spirit.” Why
do you think they receive this
accusation?
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Defining Theology
Academic Theologian: A professional theologian
who constructs his
theology with an overly
speculative and critical
spirit. His dialogue can
usually come only with
other theologians. It is
often called “Ivory
Tower theology.”
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Defining Theology
What are some examples of
Academic theology?
Why do you think someone would
want to be an Academic theologian?
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Defining Theology
Skeptical
Naïve
Critical
Gates permanently locked
Sensational
Gates wide open
Tabloid
Folk
Lay
Ministerial
Professional
Academic
Defining Theology
Acceptable range
Tabloid
Folk
Lay
Ministerial
Professional
Academic
Defining Theology
“Theology is for everyone. Indeed, everyone
needs to be a theologian. In reality, everyone is
a theologian—of one sort or another. And
therein lies the problem. There is nothing
wrong with being an amateur theologian or a
professional theologian, but there is
everything wrong with being an ignorant or
sloppy theologian.”
—Charles Ryrie
Basic Theology (Wheaton, IL: 1986), 9.
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Defining Theology
How do we “do” theology every day?
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Defining Theology
How do we “do” theology every day? In other
words, how does our theology influence our
daily routine?
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Defining Theology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
When we think about God.
When we share the Gospel.
When we interpret the Bible.
When we get sick.
When we defend the faith.
When we plan for the future.
When we choose schooling for our children.
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Defining Theology
8. When we vote.
9. When we attempt to deal with sin in our
lives.
10. When we decide on who we marry.
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Defining Theology
What is theology?
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Defining Theology
credo ut intelligam
“faith seeking understanding”
This is a Latin phrase coined by Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)
meaning “faith seeking understanding.” This is one of the earliest
definitions of theology. It starts with the assumption that we are
believers and, as such, we are seeking to understand our beliefs better.
Discussion Groups
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Categories of
Theology
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What are the different categories of
theology?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Categories of Theology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Systematic
Biblical
Historical
Philosophical
Creedal/Dogmatic
Apologetic
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Categories of Theology
Systematic Theology
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Prolegomena:
Literally means “things which are spoken
beforehand.” Deals with the foundational
issues of theology such as theological
methodology, sources, and reasons for the
study of theology.
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Categories of Theology
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Bibliology:
The study of the nature, transmission,
canonization, and purpose of Scripture.
Theology Proper:
The study of God’s existence, nature, and
attributes. Sometimes called
“Trinitarianism.”
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Categories of Theology
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Christology:
The study of the person and work of
Christ.
Pneumatology:
The study of the person and work of the
Holy Spirit.
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Categories of Theology
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Anthropology:
The study of the purpose and nature of
humanity, both in its pre-fall and post-fall state.
Hamartiology:
The study of the nature, origin, and effects of sin
on all creation.
Angelology:
The study of the nature and works of demons
and angels.
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Categories of Theology
•
•
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Soteriology:
The study of salvation.
Ecclesiology:
The study of the nature of the Church.
Eschatology:
The study of the end times.
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Categories of Theology
Biblical
Systematic
• Restricts the formulation of theology
only to the Scripture.
• Formulates theology from all sources of
theology, including Scripture.
• Sometimes will examine the individual
parts of Scripture in order to formulate a
particular theology that is restricted to a
certain time period and a particular people
(e.g., Pre-mosaic theology).
• Correlates the entirety of Scripture to
formulate a general theology for all
time and for all people.
• Sometimes examines the theology of a
certain author (e.g.,, John or Paul).
• Correlates information on a doctrine
by examining the theology of all the
authors.
Categories of Theology
Historical
Systematic
• Restricts the formulation of theology
only to the history of the Church.
• Formulates theology from all sources of
theology.
• Sometimes will examine the individual
periods of Church history in order to
formulate a particular theology that is
restricted to a certain time period (e.g.,,
Patristic, Medieval, Reformation).
• Correlates the all of Church history to
formulate a general theology for all
time and for all people.
Categories of Theology
Philosophical
Systematic
• Restricts the formulation of theology
only to that which can be ascertained by
reason.
• Formulates theology from all sources of
theology.
• Sometimes will examine the individual
periods of philosophical history in order
to formulate a particular theology that
is restricted to a certain time period (e.g.,,
enlightenment, modern,
postmodern).
• Correlates the all of philosophical history
to formulate a general theology for all
time and for all people.
Categories of Theology
Creedal
Systematic
• Restricts the formulation of • Formulates theology from
all sources of theology
theology only to that of a
including the creedal
particular religious institution
statement of many
or denomination.
institutions and
denominations.
Categories of Theology
Apologetic
• Formulates theology for
the purpose of explaining
and defending the faith to
those outside the faith.
Systematic
• Formulates theology for
the purpose of creating a
comprehensive and
coherent understanding of
various doctrines.
Question
What is the Theological Process?
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Truth
Extract timeless
principles
2 Theological Statement
“What is the timeless truth taught?”
1 Exegetical Statement
.
•
•
•
•
Historical interpretation
Grammatical interpretation
Contextual interpretation
Literary Interpretation
Ancient Audience
“What did it mean then?”
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time bound Audience
Contextualize
Principles for today
Analogy
of Scripture
.
3 Homiletical Statement
.
“How does it apply to us?”
Systematic
Theology
Ancient Audience
Biblical
Hermeneutics
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Application
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Liberal Theology
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Ancient Audience
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Hypocritical Folk Theology
?
Ancient Audience
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Ancient Audience
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Subjective Theology
Ancient Audience
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Irrelevant Theology
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
?
Ancient Audience
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
?
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Ancient Audience
Contemporary Audience
Folk Theology
?
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Short-circuit Theology
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Eisegetical Theology
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
Exegetical Theology
?
Ancient Audience
?
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
?
•
•
•
•
Historical interpretation
Grammatical interpretation
Contextual interpretation
Literary Interpretation
Ancient Audience
1. Exegetical Statement
“What did it mean then?”
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
Contextualize
Principles for today
Analogy
of Scripture
Theology
3. Homiletical Statement
“How does it apply to us?”
Categories of Theology
Scripture
Biblical Theology
Historical
Theology
Philosophical
Theology
Systematic
Theology
Apologetic
Theology
Creedal/Dogmatic
Theology
Postmodern
Epistemology
Understanding Our
Changing Culture
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Postmodern Epistemology
What is Epistemology?
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Postmodern Epistemology
“The theory or science of
the method or grounds of
knowledge.”
—Webster’s Dictionary
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Postmodern Epistemology
“The branch of philosophy that is
concerned with the theory of
knowledge. It is an inquiry into
the nature and source of
knowledge, the bounds of
knowledge, and the justification
of claims to knowledge.”
—Paul Feinberg
Walter A. Elwell ed., “Epistemology” in The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2001), 382.
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Postmodern Epistemology
Key Terms
Relativism:
Subjectivism:
Skepticism:
Perspectivism:
Pragmatism:
Objectivism:
The belief that all truth is relative, being determined
by some group.
The belief that all truth is subjective, being defined by
the perspective of the individual.
The belief that truth cannot be known with certainty.
The belief that truth is found in the combined
perspectives of many.
The belief that truth is ultimately defined by that which
works to accomplish the best outcome. “The end
justifies the means.”
The belief that truth is an objective reality that exist
whether someone believes it or not.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
Which best describes our culture
today?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Relativism
Subjectivism
Skepticism
Perspectivalism
Pragmatism
Objectivism
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
Which is true?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Relativism
Subjectivism
Skepticism
Perspectivalism
Pragmatism
Objectivism
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What is Postmodernism?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
“Christian’s today cannot work with the same
assumptions that we did just 20 years ago. At
that time, people would join you in your search
for absolute truth. It is different now. Today,
before we begin to lead people to the truth of
Jesus Christ, we may have to lead them to the
truth of truth. Common ground must be created
before the Gospel can be proclaimed”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
“Apologetically, the question which arises in the
postmodern context is the following. How can
Christianity’s claims to truth be taken seriously,
when there are so many rival alternatives, and when
‘truth’ itself has become a devalued notion? No-one
can lay claim to possession of truth. It is all a
question of perspective. The conclusion of this line of
thought is as simple as it is devastating: ‘the truth is
that there is no truth”
–Alister McGrath
A Passion for Truth (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1996), 188
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
A Conversation Between Protagoras and
Socrates (4th Century B.C.)
Protagoras: Truth is relative. It is only a matter
of opinion.
Socrates: You mean that truth is mere subjective
opinion?
Protagoras: Exactly. What is true for you is true
for you, and what is true for me is true for me.
Truth is subjective.
Socrates: Do you really mean that? That my opinion
is true by virtue of its being my opinion?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
Protagoras: Indeed I do.
Socrates: My opinion is: Truth is absolute, not opinion,
and that you, Mr. Protagoras, are absolutely in error.
Since this is my opinion, you must grant that it is true
according to your philosophy.
Protagoras: You are quite correct, Socrates.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
Self-defeating Statements
“I cannot speak a word in English.”
“My wife has never been married.”
“We cannot know anything about God.”
“There is no such thing as truth.”
“Truth cannot be known with certainty.”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
A short history of western civilization
Three periods:
1. Premodern (400-1600 A.D.)
2. Modern (1600-1900 A.D.)
3. Postmodern (1960-present)
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Postmodern Epistemology
Premodern
400
Modern
1600
Postmodern
1960
Postmodern Epistemology
Back
Stage of Truth
Front
Postmodern Epistemology
Postmodern
Transition
1960-?
Modern
Postmodern Epistemology
Modern Generation
– Preboomers
– Boomers
53%
Postmodern Generation
– Busters (Gen X)
– Bridgers (Gen Y)
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
57%
Postmodern Epistemology
Modernism
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Intellectual
Reason
Optimism
Hope for the future
Objectivism
Exclusivism
Science method
Man is evolving
Postmodernism
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Anti-intellectual
Feeling
Pessimism
Despair for the present
Subjectivism/relativism
Pluralism/inclusivism
Distrust in science
Man is devolving
Postmodern Epistemology
The Ideal Modern Man:
Mr. Spock
• Spock is always logical and
objective.
• Never acts upon feeling,
because that would be
“illogical.”
“Physical laws simply cannot
be ignored. Existence cannot
be without them.”
“Pain is a thing of the mind.
The mind can be controlled.”
Postmodern Epistemology
The Ideal Modern Man Mocked:
Data
•
•
Data is the “perfect”
modern human.
Despite his
“perfection,” Data . . .
1. Wants to be human.
2. Rebels against logic.
3. Attempts to develop
emotions and feelings
Postmodern Epistemology
• Premodern: “There’s balls and
there’s strikes, and I call them as
they are.”
• Modern: “There’s balls and
there’s strikes, and I call them as
I see them.”
• Postmodern: “They ain’t
nothing ‘til I call ‘em.”
Postmodern Epistemology
“In Postmodernism, there is no
objective, universal truth; there is only the
perspective of the group. . . . In
postmodernism, all viewpoints, all lifestyles,
all beliefs and behaviors are regarded as
equally valid. . . . Tolerance has become so
important that no exception is tolerated.”
–Charles Colson
How Now Shall We Live? (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), 23
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian
Epistemology
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What questions are postmoderns
asking?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Modernist Objections to Christianity
1. What about all the contradictions?
2. God is just a crutch. Religion was invented by
man.
3. Jesus was just a man.
4. The Bible we have today is not the same as when
it was written 2000 years ago.
5. I don’t believe in what I can’t see.
6. Evolution has proven Christianity to be wrong.
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Christian Epistemology
7. The Bible is a myth full of fairy tales.
8. How did Noah get all of the animals on the
Ark?
9. There are no such thing as miracles.
10. Do you really believe in the story of Adam
and Eve?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Postmodernist Objections to Christianity
1. If God exists, why is there evil?
2. The Inquisition and the Crusades show that
Christianity is oppressive.
3. Christianity is a way to God but not the only
way.
4. Christianity is arrogant and exclusive.
5. How do you know that your Bible is better than
other religious writings?
6. Why does God allow bad things to happen to
good people?
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Christian Epistemology
7. What about those who have never heard?
8. The church is full of hypocrites.
9. Why would God send anyone to Hell?
10. The God of the OT is cruel, partial, and
unjust.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Modernist
Postmodernist
Facts
Rationality
Evidence
Fairness
Relationships
Emotion
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Question
What is the modern view of truth?
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Christian Epistemology
Correspondence view of truth: (1) Truth
is an objective reality that exists whether
someone believes it or not, (2) and that
objective reality is grounded in nature.
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Christian Epistemology
True statements are those which correspond
to that objective reality.
False statements are those which do not
correspond to that objective reality.
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Christian Epistemology
Law of non-contradiction applies
A ≠ -A
at the same time and in the same relationship.
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Epistemology
Key Motto
“Man can and will know all truth.”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What is the postmodern view of
truth?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Relative view of truth: (1) Truth is a
perspective reality that exists in the
perspective of the individual or group, (2) and
that perspective reality is grounded in time.
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Christian Epistemology
Law of non-contradiction does not
apply
A = -A
at the same time and in the same relationship.
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Christian Epistemology
Key Motto
“The truth cannot be known.”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Religious Spin on Postmodern Epistemology
Universalism:
The belief that all people, good or
bad, will eventually make it to
Heaven.
Pluralism:
The belief that there are many ways
to God that are equally valid.
Syncretism:
The assimilation of differing beliefs
and practices.
Inclusivism:
The belief that salvation is only
through Christ, but Christ may be
revealed in other religions.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Vatican II (1962-1965) and inclusivism
“But the plan of salvation also includes those who
acknowledge the creator. In the first place among
these there are the Moslems, whom professing to
hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the
one and merciful god, who on the last day will
judge mankind. Those also can attain salvation who
through no fault of their own do not know the
gospel of Christ or his church, yet sincerely seek
god and, moved by grace, strive by their deeds to
do his will as it is known to them through the
dictates of conscience.”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What is the Christian view truth?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Correspondence view of truth: (1) Truth
is an objective reality that exists whether
someone believes it or not, (2) and that
objective reality is grounded in an eternal
God.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
The law of non-contradiction is a
foundational necessity to all truth.
God cannot even violate this principle since it is a
logical impossibility.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Key Motto
“The secret things belong to the Lord
our God, but the things revealed
belong to us and to our sons forever, that
we may observe all the words of this law”
(Deut. 29:29).
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Christian Epistemology
Christian truth must have a balance
between the “things revealed” and
mystery (“secret things”).
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Christian Epistemology
Apophadic Theology:
Lit. “negative theology.”
Apophadic Theology emphasizes
mystery. Often called the “way of
negation” (via negativa) or
“negative theology,” apophadic
theology sees God, and much of
theology, as beyond our
understanding and, therefore,
beyond defining through positive
assertations. Finite people cannot
say what the infinite God is but
only what He is not. God is
“uncreated,” “immutable,”
“infinite,” “immortal.”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Cataphatic Theology:
Lit. “affirmative theology.”
Cataphatic Theology
emphasizes revelation. Often
called “positive theology,”
cataphatic theology seeks to
understand God in positive
terms, understanding that
God communicates to us
through language and
concepts that are analogous
to who and what He truly is
(“analogy of language”).
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Cataphatic Theology
Apophatic Theology
“things revealed”
“secret things”
Modernism
West
Rationalists
Roman Catholic/Protestants
Postmodernism
East
Mystics
Eastern Orthodox
Responsible theology
Christian Epistemology
Objectivism Prov.
Cataphatic
Theology
Perspicuity
23:23
Apophatic
Theology
Soft Skepticism Prov.
Perspectivism Prov.
8:5
12:15
Christian Epistemology
Objectivism Prov.
23:23
Cataphatic
Theology
Perspicuity
“You who are naive,
discern wisdom! And
you fools, understand
discernment!”
Apophatic
Theology
Soft Skepticism Prov.
Perspectivism Prov.
8:5
12:15
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Objectivism Prov.
23:23
Cataphatic
Theology
Perspicuity
“The way of a fool is right
in his own opinion, but the
one who listens to advice is
wise.”
Apophatic
Theology
Soft Skepticism Prov.
Perspectivism Prov.
8:5
12:15
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Christian Epistemology
Objectivism Prov.
23:23
Cataphatic
Theology
Perspicuity
“Acquire truth and do
not sell it . . .”
Apophatic
Theology
Soft Skepticism Prov.
Perspectivism Prov.
8:5
12:15
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Defining Essentials
and Non-essentials
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What truths are relative and what
truths are objective?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-Essentials
Discussion of paper “Representing
Christ to a Postmodern World”
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-essentials
Quadrant of Objectivity
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
True Relativity
True Objectivity
True Relativity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Home
schooling
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
True Objectivity
True Relativity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Home
schooling
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Best kind of
food
Coke or
Pepsi
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
True Objectivity
True Relativity
True Objectivity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Home
schooling
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Best kind of
food
Coke or
Pepsi
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
True Relativity
True Objectivity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Essential
Objectivity
Home
schooling
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Best kind of
food
Coke or
Pepsi
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
True Relativity
True Objectivity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
Existence of
God
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Essential
Objectivity
Home
schooling
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Best kind of
food
Coke or
Pepsi
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
True Relativity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
True Objectivity
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Essential
Objectivity
Home
schooling
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Best kind of
food
Coke or
Pepsi
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Existence of
God
Christ’s
deity
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
True Relativity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
True Objectivity
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Essential
Objectivity
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Coke or
Pepsi
Home
schooling
Faith
alone
Best kind of
food
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Existence of
God
Christ’s
deity
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
True Relativity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
True Objectivity
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Essential
Objectivity
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Coke or
Pepsi
Home
schooling
Faith
alone
Best kind of
food
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Death,
burial, and
resurrection
of Christ
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Existence of
God
Christ’s
deity
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
True Relativity
Drinking a
glass of
wine/beer
Going to
the
movies
True Objectivity
Situational
Relativity
Wearing
a head
covering
Essential
Objectivity
Eating
meat
sacrificed
to idols
Coke or
Pepsi
Home
schooling
Faith
alone
Best kind of
food
Date of
Christ’s
coming
Death,
burial, and
resurrection
of Christ
Best song
Temperature
of a room (hot
or cold)
The
atonemen
t
Views of
Predestinatio
n
Non-Essential
Objectivity
Autonomous
Relativity
Church
music
Existence of
God
Christ’s
deity
Young
earth/Old
earth
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Canon of
Scripture
Continuation
of tongues
Essentials and Non-Essentials
Where would you place these on the
quadrant?
1. Belief in the doctrine of the Trinity? Why?
2. Smoking? Why?
3. Eating healthy and exercising? Why?
4. Getting intoxicated? Why?
5. Having your mind altered by antidepressants? Why?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What truths are essential for
orthodoxy?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-essentials
Concentric Circle of Importance
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Pure Speculation
Not Important
Important, but
Not Essential
Essential for
Orthodoxy
Essential for
Salvation
Essentials and Non-essentials
“For the Christian, beliefs matter,
but not all beliefs matter equally.”
–Roger Olsen
Mosaic of Christian Beliefs (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002), 33
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
How certain are you
about your beliefs?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-essentials
“There are those dogmatic Christians who
seem to overdefine Christianity such that
being authentically Christian includes (for
them) firm adherence to a detailed set of
extrabiblical beliefs, some of which are quite
outside the Great Tradition itself.”
–Roger Olsen
Mosaic of Christian Beliefs (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2002), 33
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and non-essentials
“Certain” (Webster’s)
– Definite; fixed.
– Sure to come or happen; inevitable.
– Established beyond doubt or question;
indisputable.
– Capable of being relied on; dependable.
– Having or showing confidence; assured.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
The Existence of God
Types of Certainty
1.Mathematical certainty (scientific method)
2.Empirical certainty (weight of evidences)
3.Logical certainty (what is reasonable)
4.Moral certainty (what is demanded)
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-essentials
Chart of Certainty
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and non-essentials
Chart of Certainty
I Do not
believe
I believe
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
–
+
Essentials and non-essentials
How certain are you that . . .
1.
There is a God?
2.
That Christ rose from the grave?
3.
That God loves you?
4.
That Christ is going to come and Rapture the Church before the Great Tribulaton?
5.
That Christ is coming back to reign on the earth for a thousand years?
6.
That Christ is coming back?
7.
That God wants you to trust that He will protect you from all physical harm?
8.
That God wants you to trust that He will protect you from all emotional harm?
9.
That God wants you to trust in Him in every circumstance?
10.
That the Bible does not have any historical errors?
11.
That Adam and Eve were real people?
12.
That there was really a snake in the garden?
13.
That God created the earth in seven literal days?
14.
The God created the earth?
15.
That Christ paid for the sins of all mankind?
16.
That Christ died for you?
17.
That the Apocrypha (15 books in the Roman Catholic Bible) should not be included in Scripture?
18.
That the book of 3 John should be included in Scripture?
19.
That the book of Genesis should be included in Scripture?
20.
That the gift of tongues ceased in the first century?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-essentials
“When you overstate, readers will be instantly on
guard and everything that has preceded your
overstatement as well as everything that follows it
will be suspect in their minds because they have lost
confidence in your judgment or your poise.
Overstatement is one of the common faults. A
single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs,
diminishes the whole, and a single carefree
superlative has the power to destroy, for readers, the
object of your enthusiasm.”
–Strunk and White
Elements of Style, (Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon), 7.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-Essentials
“In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty,
in all things charity.”
–Rupertus Meldenius
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Essentials and Non-essentials
Guiding Principles and Application:
1. Don’t divide over non-essentials no matter how
convicted you are about their truth.
2. Never compromise the essentials no matter what
the consequence.
3. There is no shame in being less certain about
some things than others. The Bible does not
teach all things with the same clarity.
4. Showing honest uncertainty about difficult issues
makes your witness more authentic and
powerful to a postmodern world.
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Traditions in
Christian Theology
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What is the essential difference in
Roman Catholicism, Eastern
Orthodoxy, and Protestantism?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Traditions in Theology
Traditions in Christian Theology
1. Roman Catholic
2. Eastern Orthodox
3. Protestant
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Traditions in Theology
Protestant
Roman Catholic
Orthodox
349 million
943 million
211 million
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What is the Protestant view of
Church history?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Protestant View of Ecclesiastical History
Formulation
Gospel
100 AD
500
Corruption
Loss of Gospel
Restoration
Protestant Church
1054
1200
Greek Orthodox
1500
Roman Catholic
Traditions in Theology
“Christianity stands or
falls upon the doctrine of
justification.”
–Martin Luther
“Justification is the hinge
upon which true Christianity
stands.”
–John Calvin
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Question
What is the Roman Catholic view of
Church history?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Roman Catholic View of Ecclesiastical History
Formulation
Church
100 AD
500
Establishing
Corruption of Morals Restoration
Roman Catholicism
1054
1200
Greek Orthodox
1500
Protestants
Five Bishoprics of the Early Church
Rome
Constantinople
Antioch
Jerusalem
Alexandria
Five Bishoprics of the Early Church
Rome
Constantinople
Antioch
Jerusalem
Alexandria
Rome
Constantinople
Antioch
Invasion of Islam
612
Jerusalem
Alexandria
Fight for Supremacy
Rome
Catholic
Split
1054
Filioque
Constantinople
Eastern Orthodox
Rome
Invasion of Islam
1453
Constantinople
Rome
Rome
Eastern Church moves north.
Russian Orthodoxy becomes primary
Orthodox Church.
Question
What is the Eastern Orthodox view
of Church history?
Copyright © 2004, The Theology Program. All rights reserved.
Eastern Orthodox View of Ecclesiastical History
Formulation
Church
100 AD
Disruption Purification
East
500
West
Eastern Orthodox
1500
1200
Roman Catholics
Protestants
Question
Why are there so many
Protestant denominations?
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Traditions in Theology
Sub-traditions:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Reformed
Arminian
Liberal
Fundamental
Charismatic
Evangelical
Postmodernist
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Brief History of the Protestant Movement
Liberal Tradition
Charismatic Tradition
Fundamentalist Tradition
Reformed Tradition
Evangelical Tradition
Postmodern Tradition
Arminian Tradition
1500
1700
1900
2000
Sources of
Theology
“Where do we go for truth?”
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Question
What are the different sources of truth?
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Sources of Theology
John Wesley’s Quadrilateral
Tradition
Scripture
Reason
Experience
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Sources of Theology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Tradition
Reason
Experience
General Revelation
Emotions
Special Revelation (Scripture)
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Sources of Theology
Sources of Theology
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Tradition
Reason
Experience
Emotions
General Revelation
Special Revelation
(Scripture)
Stage of Truth
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Back
Front
Roman Catholic
Back
Experience
General Revelation
Reason
Tradition
Scripture
Front
Eastern Orthodox
Stage of Truth
Back
General Revelation
Experience
Tradition Scripture
Front
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All rights reserved.
Protestant Reformation
Stage of Truth
Back
Experience
General Revelation
Tradition
Reason
Scripture
Front
Liberal
Stage of Truth
Back
General Revelation
Emotions
Experience
Reason
Front
Charismatic
Stage of Truth
Back
Emotions
Experience
Special Revelation
Front
Fundamentalist Stage of
Truth
Back
General Revelation
Scripture
Front
Postmodern Stage of Truth
Back
Front
Question
What are the benefits and deficiencies of
each source?
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Sources of Theology
Tradition:
Religious information that
has been handed down to us
from various sources.
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Sources of Theology
Examples:
Benefits:
Deficiencies:
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Sources of Theology
“Tradition is the living faith of those now
dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of
those now living.”
–Jarislav Pelikan
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Sources of Theology
Reason:
Information that comes
through the human mind’s
capacity for logical,
rational, and analytic
thought.
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Sources of Theology
Examples:
Benefits:
Deficiencies:
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Sources of Theology
“All truth is given by revelation, either
general or special, and it must be received
by reason. Reason is the God-given means
for discovering the truth that God discloses,
whether in his world or his Word. While God
wants to reach the heart with truth, he does
not bypass the mind.”
–Jonathan Edwards
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Sources of Theology
“The truth of the Christian faith
surpasses the capacity of reason.”
–Thomas Aquinas
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Sources of Theology
credo quia absurdum
“I believe because it is absurd”
This Latin phrase coined by Tertullian (150-225) evidences some of the
early Church’s disdain for the Greek philosophers’ reliance upon reason
for truth. He said, “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem, or the
academy with the Church?” He sought to return the element of mystery
to the Christian faith.
Sources of Theology
Experience:
Information that comes
through direct encounter,
participation, or
observation.
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Sources of Theology
Examples:
Benefits:
Deficiencies:
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Sources of Theology
Emotions:
Information that comes
through subjectively
experienced psychological
feelings.
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Sources of Theology
Examples:
Benefits:
Deficiencies:
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Sources of Theology
sensus divinitatus
“Sense of the divine”
The sensus divinitatus is the inward persuasion all people have that directs
them to a belief in God and a propensity to worship. While the sensus
divinitatas can contribute to and shape our theology (natural theology),
the information is insufficient to bring a person into a right relationship
with God.
Sources of Theology
General Revelation: Revelation about God
given through the
created order
(Ps. 19:1–6 ;
Rom. 1:18–20;
2:14–15).
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Sources of Theology
Examples:
Benefits:
Deficiencies:
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Sources of Theology
Special Revelation: Revelation given by
God’s supernatural
intervention in
history through (1)
miraculous events,
(2) divine speech, and
(3) visible
manifestations.
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Sources of Theology
Examples:
Benefits:
Deficiencies:
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Sources of Theology
norma normans sed non normata
“A norm which norms but is not normed”
This is a Latin phrase of the Protestant Reformation that stresses the
importance of Scripture above all other sources of theology. The
Scripture, according to the Reformers, is the standard (norm) against
which all other sources for theology must be judged, but this standard
cannot be judged by them.
Proposed Stage of Truth
Back
Experience
Emotions
General Revelation
Tradition
Reason
Scripture
Front
Question
How do the different sources interact
to form our theology?
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Tradition
Reason
Emotions
General Revelation
Experience
2 Theological Statement
.
“What is the timeless truth taught?”
1 Exegetical Statement
.
•
•
•
•
Historical interpretation
Grammatical interpretation
Contextual interpretation
Literary Interpretation
Ancient Audience
“What did it mean then?”
Contemporary Audience
Timeless Audience
Time-bound Audience
3 Homiletical Statement
.
“How does it apply to us?”
Subjective
Objective
Tradition
Reason
Experience
Emotions
General Revelation
Acts 17:11
These Jews were more open-minded than those in
Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining
the Scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so.
Excursus:
Does God still Speak Today?
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Has Special Revelation ceased, or does
God still communicate to people through
prophets, dreams, visions, and audible
encounters?
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Three positions:
1. Continuationism
2. Hard Cessationism
3. Soft Cessationism
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Temporary Gifts Permanent Gifts
Supernatural Sign
Revelatory
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Speaking
Confirmatory
Apostleship
•
Prophecy
•
Discerning of •
spirits
Word of
wisdom
Word of
knowledge
Tongues
Interpretation
of tongues
Healings
Miracles
Tongues
•
•
•
•
Evangelism
Teaching
Pastorteacher
Exhortation
Serving
•
•
•
•
•
Service
Showing Mercy
Giving
Administration
Helps
Question
What is the Continuationist view of
Prophecy?
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Continuationism: View that miraculous
sign gifts are still being
given and, therefore,
God still speaks directly
in various ways today.
Adherents:
Wayne Grudem, Jack
Deere, Craig Keener,
Jack Hayford
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Defense of Continuationism:
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
1. Acts 2:14-21 seems to teach that
supernatural occurrences such as tongues
and prophecy would be normative for the
Church era.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
2. The entire book of Acts seems to show
that the supernatural gifts are common
within the Church.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
3. All of Scripture supports the idea that it is
God’s nature to work in supernatural
ways.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
4. The New Testament never explicitly states
that the supernatural sign gifts would
cease.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
“If you were to lock a brandnew Christian in a room with a
Bible and tell him to study what
Scripture has to say about healings
and miracles, he would never come
out of the room a cessationist.”
–Jack Deere
Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Grand Rapids, Mi: Zondervan, 1997), 54
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Question
What is the Hard Cessationist
view of Prophecy?
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Hard Cessationism: View that miraculous sign
gifts ceased with the death of
the last apostle and the
completion of the New
Testament. Therefore, God
does not speak directly to
people today.
Adherents:
Charles Hodge, John
MacArthur, majority of
Church history
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Defense of Hard Cessationism:
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
1. The Bible implicitly supports the idea that
the supernatural sign gifts were for the
establishment of the Church era.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Eph. 2:19-20
“So then you are no longer foreigners and
noncitizens, but you are fellow citizens with
the saints and members of God’s household,
because you have been built on the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus
himself as the cornerstone.”
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
2 Cor. 12:12
“Indeed, the signs of an apostle were
performed among you with great perseverance
by signs and wonders and powerful deeds.”
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Heb. 2:3-4
“How will we escape if we neglect such a great
salvation? It was first communicated through
the Lord and was confirmed to us by those
who heard him, while God confirmed their
witness with signs and wonders and various
miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed
according to his will.”
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
1 Cor. 13:8-10
•“Love never ends. But if there are prophecies,
they will be set aside; if there are tongues,
they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will
be set aside. For we know in part and we
prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes,
the partial will be done away.”
”
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
2. It is agreed that the Bible never explicitly states
that the sign gifts have ceased. But the Bible
never explicitly states that Scripture is complete,
yet both cessetionists and non-cessetionists agree
that it is.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
3. If God is still speaking supernaturally
through prophecy, tongues, word of
wisdom, etc., then the Canon of Scripture
is still open.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
“It might, indeed, be a priori conceivable that God
should deal with men [individually], and reveal
Himself and His will to each individual,
throughout the whole course of history, in the
[depths] of his own consciousness. This is the
mystics dream. It has not, however, been God’s
way. He has chosen rather to deal with the race in
its entirety, and to give this race His complete
revelation of Himself in an organic whole.”
–B.B. Warfield
Counterfeit Miracles (Carlisle, PN: Banner of Truth, 1972), 26
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
4. If one were to examine the Scripture closely, it
becomes evident that God’s direct intervention
through prophecy and supernatural signs and
wonders was not the norm as it may seem. The
Bible, as theological history (not exhaustive
history), only records the times when God does
intervene, thereby giving the impression that
God’s direct encounters through prophets,
dreams, visions, etc. are God’s modus operandi
when they are not.
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Noah
Moses
2000+ yrs of apparent silence
Elijah & Elisha
900 yrs of apparent silence
Christ and
The Apostles
Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
5. History convincingly suggests that the
supernatural sign gifts have ceased. We do
not see evidence of confirmed prophets
after the death of the last apostle. Only
fringe groups here and there have claimed
that God still speaks through prophets,
tongues, etc., until the 20th century when
the charismatic revival began.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
“This whole place [1 Cor. 12 on spiritual
gifts] is very obscure . . . but the
obscurity is produced by our ignorance
of the facts referred to and by their
cessation, being such as then used to
occur, but now no longer take place.”
–John Chrysostom (347-407)
ECF 2.12.1.1.29.0
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
“In the earliest time the Holy Ghost fell upon them
that believed: and they spoke with tongues which
they had not learned ‘as the Spirit gave them
utterance.’ These were signs adapted to the time. For
it was proper for the Holy Spirit to evidence Himself
in all tongues, and to show that the Gospel of God
had come to all tongues [languages] over the whole
earth. The thing was done for a authentication and
it passed away.”
–St. Augustine (354-430)
Ten Homilies on the first Epistle of John VI, 10
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Question
What is the Soft Cessationist view of
Prophecy?
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Soft Cessationism:
Adherents:
Or “Soft Continuationist.”
The view that the
miraculous sign gifts could
still be given today, but
believers need to be careful
about outright acceptance of
people’s claims of
possession.
D. A. Carson, Robert Saucy
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Defense of Soft Cessationism:
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
1. Neither side’s arguments are conclusive.
We must therefore proceed with great
caution.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
2. While it may be true that Church history
has not seen the continuation of God
speaking directly, this does not mean that
it is not possible.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
“God, in his ordinary providence,
makes use of means, yet is free to work
without, above, and against them, at
his pleasure.”
–Westminster Confession of Faith
5.3
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
3. Those who adhere to a futuristic
interpretation of Revelation must concede
that there are going to be prophets in the
future as represented by the Two
Witnesses (Rev. 11:3) and, possibly, the
144,000 Israelites (Rev. 7:4). Therefore,
we must be open to further direct
revelation from God.
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Excursus:
Does God Still Speak Today?
Guiding Principles:
1. God’s Word is not something to be trifled with
(Ex. 20:7).
2. If you are a prophet, you must show convincing
signs of a prophet (Deut 18:15-22).
3. If you are a prophet, you must have orthodox
theology (Deut. 13:1-3).
4. If someone believes that they have a word from
the Lord, they had better be certain and be ready
to live by the consequences if it turns out false.
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Unity and Diversity
Doing Theology in the
Emerging Context
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Unity and Diversity
How do we do theology in our
emerging context?
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Unity and Diversity
semper reformanda
“Always reforming”
This is the Reformation principle that Christian theology is always
undergoing change, enhancement, and development. the Reformers
understood that if theology was, at any point, thought to be solidified
and one person’s, group’s, tradition’s, or denomination’s perspective
was thought of to be “above all reproach” and, therefore, unable to be
developed, the task of doing theology would be severely grieved. Our
theology must be reforming itself continually.
Unity and Diversity
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth
And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into
the grave
The third day he rose again from the dead
He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead
I believe in the Holy Ghost
I believe a holy catholic church; the communion of saints
The forgiveness of sins
The resurrection of the body
And the life everlasting. Amen.
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Unity and Diversity
Unity and Diversity among the
Traditions
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Unity and Diversity
Doctrine of Man and Grace
(fifth century)
Doctrine of Christ
Definition of Chalcedon (451)
Trinity (325)
Counsel of Nicea (325)
100 A.D.
400 A.D.
Doctrine of the Atonement
(eleventh century)
1100 A.D.
1600 A.D.
2000 A.D.
Unity and Diversity
Unity and Diversity among
Protestant Denominations
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Unity and Diversity
Five “Solas” of the Protestant Reformation
Reformed
Understanding
Meaning
Sola Scriptura
Sola Christus
The “Scripture
alone” contains
primary
authority to
dictate the lives
of believers.
The work of
“Christ alone”
is the basis for
justification.
Sola Gratia
Justification is
by means of
God’s “grace
alone.”
Sola Fide
Sola deo Gloria
“Faith alone” is
the only
instrumental
cause of
justification.
All is done for
“God’s glory
alone.”
Unity and Diversity
Doctrine of Man and Grace
(fifth century)
Doctrine of Christ
Definition of Chalcedon (451)
Trinity (325)
Counsel of Nicea (325)
100 A.D.
400 A.D.
Doctrine of Scripture
(sixteenth century)
Doctrine of Justification
(sixteenth century)
Doctrine of the Atonement
(eleventh century)
1100 A.D.
1600 A.D.
2000 A.D.
Unity and Diversity
Unity and Diversity among the
Sexes
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Unity and Diversity
Unity and Diversity among the
Nations
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Unity and Diversity
Unity and Diversity among the
Peoples
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Unity and Diversity
Luke 8:5-18
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