SynthesisPaper: SevenCoreCommitments CatherineTolciu DIV500:GraduateFoundationsforDivinity October14,2023 1 Introduction RegentUniversity’sSchoolofDivinityhasdevelopedsevenfocusareasorcore commitments.Theseincludebiblicalfidelity,trinitarianworship,spiritualrenewal,holistic formation,ecclesialfocus,missionalleadership,andpropheticrelevance.Dr.CorneBekker, DeanoftheSchoolofDivinity,explainsthatthecommitmentsexisttosupporttheschool’s overarchingmission.EachcorecommitmentexiststobringglorytoGod. SevenCoreCommitments BiblicalfidelityrepresentsacommitmenttoremainfaithfultotheBible.TheLordgifted manwithanintellectandtheabilitytoreason.Evenso,academicpursuitsremainsubjecttothe WordofGod.AcademicstudiesmustoperatewithintheframeworkoftheBible. TrinitarianworshippointstothenatureofGod–asFather,Son,andHolySpirit.Inthe GospelofLuke,theAngelGabrieltellsMary,“TheHolySpiritwillcomeuponyou,andthe poweroftheMostHighwillcastashadowoveryou.Thereforethechildtobebornwillbeholy; hewillbecalledSonofGod.”1 TheSchoolofDivinityremembersthenatureoftheTriuneGod. Spiritualrenewalspeaks,specifically,totheHolySpirit.TheHolySpirithasworked fromthetimeofcreationandcontinuestoworktoday.JeremyBegbienotesthat,“Inreading Scripture,itisnotsimplythatChristmeetsus;wearefirstofallfreedinternallybytheSpiritto respondtoChristandthroughhimknowourselvesforgiven,acceptedandclaimedbythe Father.”2 RegentUniversitystudieschurchhistoryandthemodernchurchthroughthelensesof therenewingworkoftheHolySpirit. 1 2 John1:35(ESV) JeremyBegbie,“WhoIsThisGod?–BiblicalInspirationRevisited,”TyndaleBulletin43,no.2 (November1,1992):278,https://doi.org/10.53751/001c.30483. 2 Throughafocusonholisticformation,theSchoolofDivinityrecognizestheimportance ofGod-honoringhabitsinallareasoflife.DiannaClementswritesthat,“...Bibleschoolleaders mustalsocontinuouslyrenewor“sharpen”theirpersonalwalkwiththeLordaswellastheir ministerialskills.”3 Thisapproachbenefitsthebelieverandhisorherministerialwork. EcclesialfocushonorsthereasonforbecomingChrist-like–God'sglory!Scribesforthe KingdomglorifyGodbyservingtheBodyofChrist.DavidS.Dockerysays,“Wemust recognizethegrowingopportunitieswhichourincreasinglynetworkedglobeoffersfor advancingthekingdomofGod.”4 AnEcclesialfocusrecognizestheGod-given,integralroleof theChurch. MissionalleadershipprovidesqualitytrainingtoallwhoarecalledbyGod.Accordingto Veli-MattiKarkkainen,“Thewholechurchis…authorizedtoproclaimtheforgivenessofsins, thetaskwhichisinfactthecommunity’sglory.”5 Althoughthespecificcallingmayvary,the LordcallsuponeverymemberoftheBodyofChrist. Finally,afocusonpropheticrelevance.Speakingofmassmedia,FatherJames DiGiacomosays,“Thebasicmessageofadvertisingisthathappinesscanbeboughtandthat 3 DiannaClements,“LeadingwithExcellence:AStudyofThreeLevelsofBibleSchoolLeadership,” Asian JournalofPentecostalStudies25,no.1(February2022):50,https://doi.org/0118-8534. 4 DavidS.Dockery,“ChristianHigherEducationandtheGlobalChurch,”EvangelicalReviewofTheology 7,no.3(August2023):197, 4 https://doi.org/https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=16&sid=3364a153-2e49-47b3-9d6b-b16 eac678b12%40redis. 5 Veli-MattiKärkkäinen,“TheCallingoftheWholePeopleofGodintoMinistry:TheSpirit,Churchand aity,”StudiaTheologica-NordicJournalofTheology54,no.2(2000):146, L https://doi.org/10.1080/003933800750059783. 3 productscanfulfillourmostbasicneedsashumanbeings.”6 Jesusprovidestheonlyfulfilling alternative.BylivinglivesrootedinBiblicaltruths,Christiansmaintainpropheticrelevance. MyFocus:BiblicalFidelity Asamillennial,Iseewhatmovingawayfrombiblicaltruthlookslike–theinevitable destructionitcauses.ExploringthepervasiveproblemofNewAgeinfluenceuponChristianity, AprilD.Deconickwrites,“...NewAgeworldspointtothesurvivalofGnosticspiritualitythat haserodedconventionalreligionstodayjustasitdidinthepast.”7 Biblicalfidelityremains essentialfortheChurch–somethingIwillconsiderasIpursuemydegreewiththeSchoolof Divinity. Conclusion ThemodernChurchandtheworldfaceasetofchallengesuniquetothemoment.Now, morethanever,theworldneedswell-trainedscribesfortheKingdom.Scribeswhoremain committedtobiblicaltruthforthebuildingoftheChurchandforawitnesstotheworld.The SchoolofDivinity’ssevencorecommitmentsproducewell-trainedscribes–forthegloryof God. 6 JamesDiGiacomo,“SharingtheFaith:HelpingYoungPeopletoLeadMoralLives,”U.S.Catholic59,no. (February1994):27, 2 https://doi.org/https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=8&sid=e810248a-6d1f-4a43-85b7-100aa488bad9 %40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLGF0aGVucyZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#AN=9405022124&db=rl h. 7 AprilD.DeConick,“Introduction,”essay,inTheGnosticNewAge :HowaCounterculturalSpirituality RevolutionizedReligionFromAntiquitytoToday(ColumbiaUniversityPress,2016),17,accessedOctober14,2023, https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=10202f83-7b89-41b3-996d-f618a7b786ef%40redis&bda ta=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLGF0aGVucyZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmU%3d#AN=1902207&db=e093mww. 4 Bibliography Begbie,Jeremy.“WhoIsThisGod?–BiblicalInspirationRevisited.”TyndaleBulletin43,no.2 (November1,1992):278. Clements,Dianna.“LeadingwithExcellence:AStudyofThreeLevelsofBibleSchool Leadership.”AsianJournalofPentecostalStudies25,no.1(February2022):50. DeConick,AprilD.“Introduction.”Essay.InTheGnosticNewAge :HowaCountercultural SpiritualityRevolutionizedReligionFromAntiquitytoToday,17.ColumbiaUniversity Press,2016.AccessedOctober14,2023. https://web.s.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=10202f83-7b89-41b3-996d-f61 8a7b786ef%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLGF0aGVucyZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWx pdmU%3d#AN=1902207&db=e093mww. DiGiacomo,James.“SharingtheFaith:HelpingYoungPeopletoLeadMoralLives.”U.S. Catholic59,no.2(February1994):27. Dockery,DavidS.“ChristianHigherEducationandtheGlobalChurch.”EvangelicalReviewof Theology47,no.3(August2023):197. JosephA.“TheBirthofJesusIsAnnounced.”Essay.In TheGospelAccordingtoLukeI-IX,334. 1sted.NewHaven&London:TheAnchorYaleBible,1970.AccessedOctober14,2023. https://www.theologyandreligiononline.com/encyclopedia-chapter?docid=b-978030026164 6&tocid=b-9780300261646-LU.PT2.1.CH3&pdfid=9780300261646.ch-003.pdf. Kärkkäinen,Veli-Matti.“TheCallingoftheWholePeopleofGodintoMinistry:TheSpirit, ChurchandLaity.”StudiaTheologica-NordicJournalofTheology54,no.2(2000):146.