THEO 202 Test 1
Important Biblical Phrases
"created in the image of God" "formed out of...dust of the ground" "became a living being"
theologian
- a one man band - awareness of his/her philosophical presuppositions - integrates biblical understanding - awareness of historical development - in conversation with various contemporary viewpoints
Substantive View
-A physical image -A psychological or spiritual quality -A rational quality
Age
-All ages, including the very old, are fully human and valuable to God -In the Old Testament old age was a sign of God's blessing and honored (Prov 20:29; Exod 20:12) -Old age was viewed to carry with it wisdom (Job 12:20) -The young are to be submissive to the older (1 Peter 5:5)
Practical Application
-All people are created in the image of God therefore all have the same status before God -The Gospel demands that we proclaim the Gospel over ethnic lines -The New Testament demands an active pursuit of unity that explicitly joins ethnic groups together because of their unity in Christ -The picture of God's people at the culmination of history contains every tribe, tongues and nation gathered together in worship around God's throne
Naturalistic Evolution
-An attempt to account for the human species, as well as all other forms of life, without appealing to a supernatural explanation -Humanity is the result of chance or random combination of atoms -This view has great difficult when attempting to reconcile with the biblical teaching
Irenaeus
-Bishop of Lyons in Southern France -Chief work, Against Heresies -Desired to refute the errors of Gnosticism (which taught the soul was superior to the body) -Taught that God created man in his image and after his likeness -He believed the image was retained, but the likeness to God was lost after the fall of humanity -The image of God in humanity is his rationality and freedom
Traducian View
-Comes from Latin word tradure which means "generation" -The soul as well as the body are inherited from the parents
GC Berkouwer
-Dutch theologian, taught at the Free University of Amsterdam -Restricted the image of God in humanity to the spiritual qualities with which man was created, namely, true knowledge, righteousness and holiness
Theistic Evolution
-God began the process of bring the first organism to life -God continued to work internally toward His goal for creation -At some point, he also acted supernaturally, intervening to modify the process but using already existing material (sometime called "The God of the Gaps" theory) -Critiqued by Fiat Creationist that the long periods of time are not warranted by the biblical account
Economic Status
-God made special provision for the poor in Israel (Deut 14:28-29) -Hebrew slaves were to be turned free after six years of service (Exod 21:2) -Interest was eschewed in the Old Testament (Exod 22:25) -The poor were allowed to glean (Lev 19:9-10) -Jesus was himself poor (Luke 2:24) -Jesus' teaching include a great deal about the poor (Luke 4: 18, 21) -Jesus warns about the danger of wealth (Mark 10:25) -The preoccupation with wealth or the abuse of wealth that is the target of Jesus' warning (Mark 10:17-31; Luke 8:14; 1 Timothy 6:10) -The Christian should treat rich and poor alike (James 2:1-7)
Deistic Evolution
-God started the process of evolution, producing the first matter and implanting within the creation the laws its development has followed -After God's initial influence in the process he withdrew and allowed the universe/humanity to develop -The difficultly with this view is the image of an absentee God -This comes in special conflict with Christian teachings such as God's providence
Fiat Creationism
-God, by a direct act, brought into being virtually instantaneously everything that is -God produced the world and everything in it, not be the use of any indirect means or biological mechanism, but by direct action and contact -There is no difficultly reconciling fiat creationism with the biblical account. This view reflects the dominate way the church interpreted biblical creation. -The problem come when fiat creationism attempts to answer the dominate scientific culture
History of the Soul
-Greek Thought -Medieval Christian Thought -Continental Thought -Locke, Butler, Reid, Hume and Kant -Contemporary Challenges To The Soul
dichotomism
-Human are composed of two-parts A Body - the material aspect of humanity A Soul - the immaterial aspect of humanity -This was the most commonly held view of the earliest period of Christian thought -After the Council of Constantinople (381 AD) it grew in popularity to the point where it was virtually the universal belief of the church
Humans as a Sexual Being
-Human behavior is derived from sexual motivation and energy (ex. Sigmund Freud) -Much of today's entertainment and advertisement culture is heavily influenced by this presupposition
Theological Meaning of Human Creation
-Humans are created means they have no independent existence -Humans are part of creation -Humans have a unique place in creation -There is brotherhood/sisterhood among humans -Humanity is not the highest object in the universe -There are definite limitation upon humanity -Limitation is not inherently bad -Proper adjustment in life can be achieved only on the basis of acceptance of one's own finiteness -Humanity is something wonderful
Humans as a Social Being
-Humans are fundamentally a member of society -The person is merely a set of relationship in which he/she is involved -Someone who does not interact with others is less than human
Humans as an Economic Being
-Humans are in a struggle to provide for themselves adequate food, clothing and housing -Humanity will progress from slavery, feudalism, capitalism to communism (ex. Karl Marx)
Monism
-Humans are not composed of parts -To be human is to have a body -Humans are unable to exist apart from a body
Conditional Unity
-Humans are to be understood as a unity versus a compilation of parts -Humans at death are able to live after the death of the body -Humans final act of redemption is the resurrection of the body
Humans as a Free Being
-Humans exercise the essence of who they are by having the freedom to chose their destiny -One must except responsibility for self-determination
John Calvin
-Known for his role in shaping the theology of the Protestant Reformation -Wrote, The Institutes of Christian Religion -Taught the image of God was found primarily in man's soul -Taught that the image was visible in the light of the mind, in the uprightness of the heart and in the soundness of all parts -Taught that after the fall of humanity mankind retain the image of God in a distorted way -Believed that image of God in humanity is renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit and mankind cooperates with faith through the Word -Taught the renewed image in man means conformity to Christ
Arguments for Dichotomism
-Most of the biblical argument for dichotomism are actually arguments against trichotomism -Basically dichotomist do not disagree that there are multiple term of describing the immaterial nature of humanity; thus inconclusive that it is a separate distinct part -For example, Luke 10:27
Near Death Experiences (NDEs)
-NDEs may provide scientifically tested evidence that the soul lives on after the death of the body -This would provide a problem for naturalistic views of human constitution and would point to the immortality of man
Humans as a Highly Adaptive Animal
-No qualitative difference between humans and animals (manipulated by positive reinforcement) -Behavioral psychology works off of this presupposition of human understanding
Thomas Aquinas
-Often called the greatest philosopher/theologian of the medieval church -Wrote Summa Theologica (Summary of Theology) -Taught the image of God is man's natural aptitude for understanding and loving God which is common to all humanity (primarily a rational ability) -Taught that the image of God is present in all people -Taught that the is present in a higher sense in believers -Taught that the image of God is present in the highest sense in those who have been glorified
Humans as a Machine
-People are valuable as long as they are useful in the production of goods or services -The revolution of robots versus human labor
Key Texts Regarding The Unborn
-Psalm 51 -Luke 1:41-44 -Hebrews 7:9-10 -Exodus 21:22-25 -Leviticus 24:17-20
Sexuality
-Sexuality is God's chosen way for the propagation and continuation of humanity (Gen 1:27,28) -Creation of two sexes is part of God's plan to push us toward relationships -God created sexual expression as a way of symbolizing and strengthening that union (Gen 2:24) -God created two sexes because both are required to reflect the glory of the Trinity
Singleness
-Some are born with physical deformities that prevent sexual expression -Some are called to singleness for the sake of the Kingdom of God -Paul understood singleness as a honorable gift -Matthew 9:12 & 1 Cor 7:7
Emil Brunner
-Student of Karl Barth -Taught the image of God was humanity's capacity to respond to God's love and humanity's need to respond to God (called this the material aspect of image of God) -Rejects the historicity of Adam and mankind's fall into sin
Karl Barth
-Swiss Theologian -Famous for his work, Church Dogmatics (over 6 million words) -Activity opposed Adolf Hitler -Rejects the historicity of Adam and mankind's fall into sin -Appeared on the Cover of Time Magazine in 1962 -Article: Religion: A Witness To An Ancient Truth -Taught that the image of God in mankind was the relational capacity that God had given us -Taught that the creation of two sexes, male and female, endowed humanity with the ability of relational confrontation -Taught that God's image in mankind can be renewed through faith and sanctification -Taught that the image of God should not just be thought of as a noun but also as a verb (we are to "image" God as we love others)
Problem with Monism
-The Bible states that the soul lives after the death of the body
Theological Formulation/Models
-The development of a theological model happens once the theologian has taken inventory of both biblical and historical investigation -The theologian attempts to set forth a model that makes sense of the complexity of the biblical witness
Supernaturalism
-The human person has a body and a soul (material and immaterial component) -God exists along with the natural world
Naturalism
-The human person is the body -All that exists is the universe (matter)
Functional View
-The image of God is found in something that humanity does -The image of God is functioning as mankind gains dominion over the rest the of creation
Relational View
-The image of God is man has the capacity for partnership -The image of God in man is experienced in our relationship with God -The image of God in man is experienced in our relationship with others
Pre-Existent View
-The souls of people exist in heaven long before their bodies are conceived in the womb -God bring the soul to be joined with the body -This view is held by no Roman Catholic or Protestant theologians, but is commonly held in religions that believe in reincarnation
Humans as a Pawn of the Universe
-The universe is either hostile or indifferent to the welfare and needs of humanity (ex. Albert Camus, Bertrand Russell & Jean-Paul Sartre) -Humans are to embrace their unyielding despair
Multi-Leveled Approach
-The various interpretations may give us various insight into different aspects of the image of God in humanity -The image of God is universal to the human race, has not been lost due to sin therefore a primarily substantial view seems best
Progressive Creationism
-Understands God creative work as a combination of a series of special acts and as God progressively working through processes -God would have created the first member of a particular species and then worked through evolution to bring about variation -This agrees with Fiat Creationism that there was a first human specially created, but allows for development after God original act -The Fiat Creationist would appeal that took much ground is given to the evolutionary model
Women in the Bible
-Women are created in the image of God -God is described in feminine terms or imagery
The Image of God
-is a permanent aspect of man, a part of his essence and existence, something that man cannot lose without ceasing to be man -must also be understood as that likeness to God which was perverted when man fell into sin, and is being restored and renewed in the process of sanctification
Our ultimate salvation will be to become like Jesus
1 Cor 15:49, 1 John 3:2,
Support for Trichotomism
1 Thessalonians 5:23 & Hebrews 4:12
Why is a Christian evaluation needed of the human person?
1. Because of its relationship with other Christian teachings 2. Because it is a place where biblical teaching and human beings themselves converge 3. Because the large amount of study given to humans in the various intellectual disciples 4. Because there is a present crisis in self-understanding 5. Because it affects the nature of how we minister to others
The Spirit Can Sin
2 Cor 7:1 & Proverbs 16:18
Soul/Body Interaction
Belief to Action
Unborn
Christians believe that the Bible upholds the sanctity of human life
OT Record of Human Creation
Gen 1:26-27 & Gen 2:7
Humans are made in the image of God
Gen 1:26-28
Distorted Biblical Views Against Equality of Races
Gen 4:13-15 & Gen 12
The fall of humanity did not fully erase the image of God in man
Gen 5:1-3 & Gen 9:6
biological evaluation
How do humans adapt to their environment? What can prevent early death?
sociocultural evaluation
How do people live, organize and find meaning?
linguistic study
How does language reflect and influence social life?
Biblical Significance of Adam's Creation
Humankind... -Created with mortal bodies -Was provision by God -Given the role of serving in sacred space, which implies a relationship with God -Given a role in ordering the animals -Genders work together to fulfill their God given role -Needs a "greater Adam" to redeem them from their fallen state
Christ is the purest expression of the image of God
James 3:8-9, 2 Cor 4:4, Col 1:15-17, & Hebrews 1:3
How the Bible uses Soul & Spirit Interchangeably
John 12:27 & John 13:21
At death, Scripture says either the soul or spirit departs
Luke 12:20 & Luke 23:46
Man Is Said To Be Either "Body and Soul" or "Body and Spirit"
Matthew 10:28 & 1 Cor 7:34
Reasons for the Soul
Provides a basis for -human causation -human freedom -unity of experience -human dignity
Human possess a place below God/angels but above animal world
Psalm 8
Our Christian journey is to become more like Jesus
Rom 8:29, 2 Cor 3:18, Col 3:9-10, Eph 4:22-24, Eph 5:1, 1 Cor 11:1, John 13:14-15, Philippians 2:5-11
NT Affirmation of Adam
Romans 5:12-21 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 -Concludes that an actual Adam & Eve existed and an understanding of Adam is essential to the larger understanding of humanity
Lactantius
The Divine Institutes
Creationist View
The soul comes directly from God and it is sent by God sometime between conception and birth
Tertullian
Treatise on the Soul
archaelogical record
What does the fossil records tell us about our past?
pre-modern
a belief in divine revelation
spirit according to trichotomism
a religious element that is provided at conversion that enables humans to perceive spiritual matters
Races
all races are included in God's human family and are objects of his love
modernity
confidence in the scientific method/rationality as arbiter of truth
post-post modernity
disillusionment in the ability of human understanding
post-modernity
dissolving confidence in the quest for "truth"
soul according to trichotomism
humans have a psychological element; this is the basis of reason, emotion, social relatedness, etc
body according to trichotomism
humans have this physical part in common with animals and plants; there is a difference of degree as humans have a more complex structure
4 areas of anthropology
sociocultural anthropology, biological/physical anthropology, archaeology, and linguistics
theology
subject about an integrated biblical understanding of major topics found in the Bible
trichotomism
the belief that humans are composed of body, soul, and spirit -this view seems to be heavily influences by Greek philosophy that believed in the superiority of the "soul" over the body -the New Testament does not demean the body over against the soul
Excursus
the question of self-image -our self image has been perverted -the Holy Spirit renews our self image
anthropology
the study of humans, past and present
Historical Theology
the study of the interpretation of Scripture and the formulation of doctrine by the church of past that reveals the accumulated wisdom of the church and our own cultural perspective
Complementarians
understand that men and women are equal in their worthy, but have different roles
Egalitarians
understand that men and women are equal in worth and women are not restricted in the roles that they can perform
