Theo Final Exam

Understand the three classical interpretations of predestination discussed by Guthrie

Double Predestination: Some people included, some people excluded; divine sovereignty Universalism: all people included, no people excluded; Divine grace and love Semi-Pelagianism: God is Chosen ore Rejected; human freedom and responsibility

Know the couplets Guthrie uses to compare and contrast justification and sanctification. Is one of these concepts more important than the other in Guthrie's mind?

"No one is a Christian unless he is both justified and sanctified." Justification tells us how a person becomes a Christian; Sanctification tells us how a person grows in the Christian life. Justification tells us about God's gracious actions toward us; sanctification tells us about our response with obedient action toward God. Justification tells us that God is for us, Sanctification tells us that the Holy Spirit works in us Justification is "I will be your God"; sanctification is "you shall be my people" etc.

We discussed five central truths about the experience of suffering. Be able to identify each and know what they mean.

- distinctly personal experience - experience of betrayal - experience of powerlessness - experience to be shared, not a problem to be solved - defining, not determining experience

Know the four biblical images of the atonement as defined and described by Guthrie

-Financial (slave/prison) -Military (battlefield) -Sacrificial -Legal (court room)

Know some of the characteristics Guthrie cites as being important if we are to affirm the real humanity of Jesus.

-He was a Jew -He experienced every human need and limitation -He was tempted to sin, YET was without sin -He was a dangerous human!

How does Guthrie define and develop what he refers to as the 'dark side' of creation?

-human finitude -natural law -human responsibility & negligence -unanswered questions

What spheres of life were affected by the resurrection?

-political -economic -social -religious -natural

Know, and be able to recognize, the various interpretations of the phrase 'image of God' that were discussed in class.

-the human capacity to reason? -human stewardship and dominion over the earth? -the human/eternal soul? -human sociality or relationality?

Know three things that the Old Testament tells us about the work of the Spirit. How does the New Testament specifically connect the Holy Spirit with Jesus of Nazareth?

1. A personal Spirit 2. The Spirit of the God of Israel 3. The Spirit who was present in and sent by Jesus Christ Jesus was prophesized by the Spirit, conceived by the spirit, driven into the wilderness by the spirit, baptized by the spirit, healed and cast out demons by the spirit

According to Guthrie, what are the two key implications of being created 'in the image of God'?

1. Fellowship with God 2. Out total dependence on and partnership with God

Know the four ways that God reveals himself to us indirectly, through specific 'human-earthly-worldly forms'.

1. God comes to us and is revealed to us above all in the man Jesus. 2. God is revealed by God's mighty acts in the history of Israel and in the words of the prophets. 3. God is revealed in the Bible. 4. God is revealed in and through the Christian community, the church.

Understand Guthrie's development of the idea of the 'wrath of God'

1. He cares enough to be hurt or offended by us 2. Expression of love- refuses to let us get by with our sin 3. God bears the consequences of our sin

What is the nature of Christian spirituality according to Guthrie?

1. It begins by looking outside, not inside, ourselves. 2. it is this worldly, not other-worldly. 3. It recognizes the presence and work of the Holy Spirit as much in ordinary as in extraordinary events. 4. It recognizes the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in bad as well as good times.

Know the 3 'objective factors' or criteria that guide Christian theological reflection. Know what Christians mean when they say the Bible is 'inspired'?

1. Jesus Christ 2. The Bible 3. The Church ("inspired" means the Biblical text is authoritative)

Know the 'six widely accepted rules' for the interpretation of the Bible.

1. Scripture is to be interpreted in light of its OWN purpose. (We need to read it expecting it to tell us about the ultimate origin, meaning, and goal of human life that lie beyond the scope of modern scientific and historical disciplines.) 2. Scripture INTERPRETS itself. (When we don't understand one passage, we can look at another to view it in a different light.) 3. The CHRISTOLOGICAL principle (Jesus is the clearest revelation of who God is and what God promises and wills for faithful Christian life—all scripture is to be interpreted of what Jesus did and commanded) 4. The rule of FAITH (we shouldn't try to interpret scripture ourselves without asking for the Spirit's guidance) 5. The rule of LOVE (any interpretation of scripture that shows God feeling indifference of contempt for anyone is wrong) 6. The study of scripture in its literary and historical CONTEXT(accuracy will help us understand)

Know the seven qualities regarding the 'origin, nature and purpose' of creeds and confessions

1. The great creeds and confessions are rooted in concrete historical situations. 2. The great creeds and confessions are also a form of worship. 3. The great creeds and confessions are intended to be a guide to the proper interpretation of scripture for Christian preaching and witness. 4. The great creeds and confessions of the church are usually polemic (defend against attacks). 5. The great creeds and confessions are creeds and confessions of the church (articulate the faith of the whole community of Christians). 6. The great creeds and confessions have been intended for the instruction of Christians as manuals of education. 7. The limitations of creeds and confessions (because they are concrete).

Know the three 'basic attitudes' Christian thinkers have taken regarding general revelation

1. What we know about God from our observation of the world and from a study of ourselves is the most certain knowledge we have. Anything the Bible says about God can be true only if it does not contradict what we already know by rational or natural religion. [18th century deists- Baultman- only found through observing created order) 2. General revelation cannot dictate what special revelation can and must be, but it can give us an incomplete, preliminary, preparatory knowledge of God. [Calvin- knowledge from creation but you need special revelation to acquire full knowledge in God] 3. Denial of any validity at all to the natural knowledge of God. The only way to any true knowledge of God is from God to us through God's self-revelation in the events recorded in the Bible[Bart- general revelation is not important at all, only special revelation].

Know the characteristics of a Christian understanding of revelation as described in class.

1. personal disclosure of one person to another 2. unveiling of new knowledge towards a particular purpose 3. objective occurrence and a subjective experience

Know the three 'gifts of the Spirit' as noted by Guthrie?

1. the gift of new life 2. the gift of new truth 3. the gift of new community

What is the essence of suffering, as discussed in class?

3 sides of the triangle= power/good/evil -Creaturely pain, hospital care -Personal pain, hospice care

What is the primary metaphor mentioned in the slides to describe the resurrection?

A revolution: a radical change, overthrowing, new kingdom

Know the meaning of the term 'charismatic' as defined in class

Charis =gift of grace, -all Christians have received the gift of the spirit

What does the crucifixion reveal about suffering?

Christ is a response to it and he mediates it with grace and hope. He takes responsibility for evil for us!

Know about Karl Barth's unique perspective on the doctrine of predestination

Christ is the beginning, the middle and the end; an immovable center; the structured arrangement over which we improvise our lives. Our lives and choices are free as we stay within the structure of that 'arrangement' Our 'free will' becomes self-will when we depart from it That is the message of predestination All humanity has been elected and predestined, in Christ, to come into conformity to God's Son, this is the actuality of revelation That what God wills in Christ may not actually come to pass is "the impossible possibility" known revealed word <- written word <- preached

Culture is composed of two levels. Know what those two levels are and be able to identify each. Understand how they are integrated.

Deep: "implicit" what we think with, beliefs, feelings, values Surface: "explicit" what we think about, language clothing, food houses.

Name and describe the primary and secondary works of the Spirit. Note in particular WHY the Spirit empowers and gifts us

ESSAY QUESTION

Cycle of Gratitude

Generosity (of God and Others) --> Transformation (Of persons and powers) --> Service (Tangible expression of inward disposition, engagement with persons, engagement with powers) --> Gratitude (As attitude, as action) **human receives and responds to the motivational dynamic of Christian discipleship, worship, and spirituality**

What raised Jesus from the dead?

God raised Jesus from the dead! (because Jesus couldn't through his Humanity)

According to Guthrie, what are some of the implications of both the humanity and divinity of Jesus. In other words, what is the theological importance of Jesus' humanity and divinity?

God-with-us; exaltation of humanity and self-humiliation of God

Does Guthrie reject a humanity-centered view of the world? If so, what would he replace this view with?

Guthrie says that humanity should not be the center but "nothing in the world should be feared or worshipped". Everything in this world is a gift from God, not a substitute for God.

What is the essence of heaven and hell for Guthrie?

Guthrie says that the Biblical language about the future is metaphorical or symbolic. He says that the Bible uses so many different analogies (like hell is fire, but also darkness, which is contradicting). This means that we shouldn't be focusing on HOW things will be after we die, but WHO we will be, since God will be our ultimate judge and Savior.

How does Guthrie explain God's responsibility for suffering that is the result of natural causes?

He is not responsible for it, though He did create us who cause it.

How is God 'holy' according to Guthrie? What does the holiness of God mean?

Holy means separate or different, to be holy means to live IN the world but not OF the world. The Holiness of God refers to the fact that God is completely free of any dependence on the world and the claims of the people in it. He was holy not despite but because of the fact that he entered into the world, lived a fully human life, and was a friend of very unholy people.

Be able to identify the three 'movements' in Peter Berger's theory of culture (NOT Paul Hiebert's theory). Understand how these three movements fit together to form a single dynamic.

Human beings as cultural beings are born into this dialect. Internalization: Humans are a product of society via socialization. Externalization: Society is a human product, a reflection of the persons who make it up. Objectification: Objective reality --> structures and powers gain momentum and confront their makers

Where should we look to ascertain what this phrase means? Why is it significant that the image is connected to our creation as male and female?

Jesus as the true human being in the image of God God's creation of human beings in the image of God

Who is responsible for the rediscovery of the doctrine of justification by grace through faith? Does this doctrine only refer to the standing of the individual before God?

Martin Luther. It requires faith, and the trusting and living of the Christian life by learning of God's love and living in it.

How does Guthrie define and develop the ideas of 'natural' and 'moral' evil? Does he prefer one explanation for moral evil over another?

Natural: natural causes, not influenced by humans Moral: we inflict on each other; rebellion, indifference, self-destruct. Guthrie does NOT buy that free choice creates evil. The most credible is the fallen angels explanation. God being evil/free will explanations don't make sense.

What does it mean to say that the church is 'one, holy, catholic, and apostolic'?

One= one Lord, one God, one Spirit, one baptism, one shared bread and cup, and therefore one body Holy= separate/different, in but not of the world Catholic= universal, it unites in faith and life Christians of all times and plces apostolic= "in line with the apostles" - the church must be governed by Biblical authority

Understand Guthrie's discussions of 'original sin' and 'total depravity'

Original Sin= inherited sin or Adam as our representative Consequences of sin= total depravity and death

Understand what election does and does not refer to in the Bible and why it is an appropriate way for God to accomplish his purposes

Predestination is about what God wills, election is how God wills Predestination is about a goal, election is about the means of achieving that goal that are appropriate to the nature of God, humanity and the Gospel The Idea of Election in the Bible Why is it that God works out his universal purposes through a series of particular choices - through election? Remember the first truth of a scientific theology The object to be known must determine the way in which it is known. Election then is the medium through which This particular God has made himself known We as particular people may come to know this God God's purposes for the establishment of a particular people are best achieved Election then is a medium that is most congruent with God's nature, human nature and the accomplishment of God's purposes. It is not simply a random exclusionary act.

Primary vs Secondary - Need to identify who the spirit is and what it was sent to do?

Primary: to mature us in our faith, to draw us toward God's intention and purposes for human life (presence of transformed life. 1 Cor 12:3, Gal 4:6) Kurios and Abba Secondary: the empowerment and gifting that is necessary for these relationships to be maintained and sustained (exercising of spiritual gifts such as tongues, to enhance maturity of faith)

Know the various interpretations of the image discussed by Guthrie.

Rationality? The soul? Moral capacity? Power and dominion? Human sociality or relationality?

Know why Yves Congar refers to the Spirit as the 'Person without a face

Refers to the elusiveness and anonymity of the Spirit -Elusive -The Spirit is spirit and can only be seen through the effects the Spirit creates -Anonymous -The Spirit is sent by the Son and is constantly associated with him -The Spirit as witness

Understand how Guthrie relates and prioritizes the material and spiritual dimensions of human life.

Sciences describe human meaning without reference to God: we need to interpret everything we know about human life through the lens of God's will to bring meaning to our lives.

Understand the three basic forms of sin discussed by Guthrie.

Sin as disobedience Sin as sensuality: personal relationship with God Sin as the desire to be good: rebellion against God

Know why predestination is an emotional issue, what the central issue is in understanding it correctly, which questions we use to explore it theologically

The Emotional Issue Is predestination a question of "fate" vs. "freedom?" A question of divine determinism vs. authentic humanity (freedom)? Two forces that give rise to this issue, confuse it and give it emotional power: Fate or divine determinism... Flows from our (mis) understanding of God's "omni-attributes" God knows all God controls all What authentic freedom and humanity is Self-determination or divine determination? Freedom or authentic humanity... Equates freedom and authenticity with "free" choice Freedom is understood primarily as self-determination A manifestation of our cultural value of radical individualism Consequently "more of God = less of me" WHO must come before HOW***

Know why John V. Taylor refers to the Spirit as 'the Go-between God'- cohesive community, work of spirit between us, binds us to each other

The Spirit is "Christlike God" 1. The spirit exists in relation (identity) 2. (agency) the spirit creates relationship between the Father and son, God and creation, humanity and Christ, one person and another, between the beginning and end

What implications does Guthrie draw from the Christian confession that the created order is 'good but not God'?

The world is not God. God is in the world but He is not of the world. The world should not be feared or worshipped.

Understand the three views Guthrie notes regarding the nature of God's relation to the created order.

Theism: God is separate from the world and directly affects the world Pantheism: Everything is God. Panentheism: everything that exists is in God; the world is in God and God is in the world.

Understand the difference between theological/scientific approaches to the attributes of God and mythological ones

Theological/Scientific Start with the acts of God - concrete Derive from those acts relational virtues - ways of God's being with us Attribute those virtues to God's being A posteriori approach We receive then ascribe Mythological Start with human attribute/concept - abstract Conceive of it in its 'perfect' state Attribute it to God A priori approach We formulate then ascribe No connection to real life - impersonal

Understand Guthrie's views regarding the relation between modern science and theology.

They both state truths but different truths; they can't be compared as such. Why we are here is more important than how we are here. Theology is for meaning and purpose; science is for explaining how things came to be and observable and measurable facts.

Understand why the idea of the Sprit as a quantity that fills us was criticized. What language might capture better the nature of the Spirit's work?

When you refer to the spirit like "filled" containers it looks like our stores can be depleted which seems like a mechanical process. We don't contain the spirit, it's more of "BETWEEN" us"

Does Guthrie believe that environmental neglect and destruction is a sin?

Yes because it is rebellion against the creator

Know the "tools" in the Trinitarian toolbox, specifically, what they mean, and what they are meant to emphasize and protect about the nature of God.

a. "Homoousian" - one substance between Father, Son, and Spirit b. Hypostasis -a particular thing or example of a common substance or species, so 3 identities or persons c. Perichoresis - 3 divine persons= 3 inter relationships that draw life and permeate each other without confusion d. "the operations of the Trinity, toward what is outside are indivisible" - all 3 are involved in all aspects e. The God of Jesus Christ is One Being, Three Persons (Summary Statement)

Know the two significant schools of thought that clashed during the Christological controversies of the fifth century.

a. Arian= there was a time when the Son was not; Jesus is a creature and the Father is greater b. Alexandrian= Christ is the coming of God into the world; Homoousian, the doctrine of the Trinity

Know who the Apostolic Fathers were, and some of the important ideas Origen introduced.

a. Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Didache, Shepherd of Hermas b. Origen: interpreted scripture in 3 levels of meaning (3 aspects of the human person), bodily, soulish, spiritual. Bodily= literal reference and meaning of the text. soulish= moral significance. Spiritual/mystical= Christ and the Christian's relationship with God (Christians should strive to uncover this most important meaning) c. God is a "simple substance" d. Origen contended that the Son was subordinate to the Father because an incarnate God coming into the world would mean he would have to change (and God cannot change)

Understand the implicit presuppositions that informed and guided the Arian Controversy and led to divergent answers to the 'WHO?' question

a. Debates: preserve unity and oneness of God, to preserve the perfection of god, to preserve the humanity of Christ and thus our hope for salvation b. Arius: Father is eternal and Jesus is a creature c. Alexander: Christ is the coming of God into the world

Know the central personalities involved in the Arian Controversy and in particular those who developed and defended Nicene orthodoxy after the Creed was ratified.

a. Eusebius of Nicomedia for Arius, Eusebius of Ceserea represented the moderates, the largest group, Alex and Athanasius on the other side. b. At first everyone is very supportive of the Nicene creed and the Arians are trampled. However, soon the next emperor, Constantine's son decides he's an Arian and the Alexandrians are persecuted.

Understand the difference between special and general revelation.

a. General= knowledge acquired through rational reflection upon the created order and human experience b. Special= knowledge acquired only through reflection upon the self-disclosure of God in Christ as witnessed to in Scripture and embodied in church

Understand how Guthrie defines the attributes of God described under the heading 'God in Heaven'

a. God is omnipotent. (God can do anything and everything that is consistent with God's goodness and love, but He cannot do evil, cannot be a tyrant, and cannot act in self-contradiction to the goodness that God is.) b. God is omnipresent, not limited by any spatial boundaries. (There is no place where He is and cannot be present; His love and justice are everywhere.) c. God is omniscient, a God who knows all things. d. God is eternal, not limited by time. (But He is not timeless, meaning that He is not eternally absent but eternally present of God IN time.) e. God is unchangeable, immutable, immovable. (But He DOES change because He is living and emotional God).

What two worldviews did the early Christian apologists have to engage? What was the primary task of these apologists?

a. God is one and perfect in every way b. Jesus Christ of Nazareth is God c. Promote Christian virtue and obedience by instilling fear of judgment for moral failure (their goal was to provide a rational basis for the Christian faith)

Understand what Guthrie means when describing God's love as 'costly' and how God's justice differs from our common understanding of justice.

a. God's love is costly because He sent His son to come down to us and to share in our hurt and suffering, rather than standing back from a distance. b. God is always just and righteous; He is always loving and just at the same time. HE is not a blind judge; HE sees the inequality and openly sides on those who are weak, poor, etc. He gives people not what they deserve but what they need. IT is justice that gives rights to those who have no rights.

Understand the principle of 'unity in distinction' and specifically how the Bible is both revelation and a witness to revelation

a. Guthrie wants us to look at the Bible in distinction (between speaking through the Bible and speaking directly to us). The Bible is a witness to God speaking to us. But unity is the Bible addressing us in the present. They're both important, but we need to be able tell the difference between them both. b. Unity with God: medium that God uses/speaks to us now c. Distinction within God: evidence that God has already spoken through scripture

Understand Karl Barth's teaching regarding the 'three-fold form' of the Word of God

a. Incarnate (Jesus: revealed word) b. Written Word (bears witness to incarnate) c. Preached (tradition, context of Christian authority) d. This is how God "talks" to us and no other way

Know the difference between the internal and external tasks of the church.

a. Internal= Gnosticism (the spirit within): this involved the establishment of a clear sense of identity for the church and a clear sense of its mission and calling in the world b. External= Roman critic Celsus, the justification of the beliefs and practices of the church in the face of growing hostility and persecution by the Roman authorities

Know the dates for the Nicene Creed and the Council of Chalcedon. Be able to define Apollinarianism.

a. Nicene Creed= 325 AD b. Council of Chalcedon= 451 AD c. Apollinarianism= a view proposed by Apollinaris of Laodicea (died 390) that Jesus could not have had a human mind; rather, that Jesus had a human body and lower soul (the seat of the emotions) but a divine mind.

Know some of the reasons why faith is the appropriate starting point for doing theology as science.

a. We have to take the appropriate posture in order to view theology as a science and that posture is "faith". We must ask "who" instead of "how" (who questions put God in control and allow Him to reveal Himself) b. Faith places us in a knowing relation appropriate to our study between Creator and creature. c. Faith places us in a risky situation so that we have to open up our hands d. Faith shifts the center of knowing from ourselves to God (story of the rich young ruler) e. Faith alters the criteria for knowing

What is the ultimate meaning of the resurrection, as described in the course slides?

creating the kingdom of God --> humans are created order will be a part of that = children of God

Know the attributes that Guthrie uses to refer to 'God's sovereign majesty' and those he uses to refer to 'God's dealing with us'. Does Guthrie believe that God can only exercise one set of attributes if he sets aside another?

pg. 101 a. God of Sovereign Majesty: infinite, almighty, omnipresent, omniscient, intimate, powerful, mysterious, incomprehensible, immortal b. God Dealing with Us: Love (God's love in universal, unconditional, initiating, faithful, reconciling, costly, self-giving, helping, renewing); Just (loving justice and just love) c. God has both attributes all the time because He is ONE God.