Theology Exam 1 Study Guide Ch1-11

CH8.According to Erickson, when Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would help people's memory of Jesus' teaching, this was supposed to be understood as referring to:

All Christians

CH8. The Holy Spirit's conviction of sin is extended to:

All people

Evangelical theology vs. other theology

Evan theo is about relationships Should ultimately get you to talk with God Theology makes it to where everything is spiritual

CH9. Among the errors made in attempts to understand God are:

Excessive Analysis & Excessive Speculation

All ideological conceptions within the postmodern mentality should be rejected and resisted by Christian theologians.

False

All points of theology are equally important, and therefore there should not be any sub-points to one's theology.

False

CH6. According to postmodernism, truth is that which is logically verifiable.

False

CH7. The term "inerrancy" is a biblical concept.

False

CH9. It is possible for God's attributes to increase over time.

False

Doctrine is the whole of the permanent element within Christianity.

False

Evangelicals should derive their theological beliefs solely from the text of Scripture without interacting with persons in different contexts.

False

If one denies that Jesus is the Son of God, he can still hold the view that Jesus was a teacher of morality.

False

One should accept uncritically whatever a theological master says.

False

Our own circumstances in history do not influence our interpretation of the BIble.

False

Postmodernism is completely incompatible with biblical Christian theology.

False

Since all truth is God's truth, there is no need to consider what a biblical passage meant to the original audience.

False

The author highlights Erasmus of Rotterdam as an example of a natural theologian in the history of the church.

False

The moral and spiritual qualities of humans have no correlation to the character of God.

False

The postmodern way to find meaning is through academics.

False

The study of theology has little to do with the fundamental issues of life.

False

The study of theology should be considered something that is optional for people to consider.

False

The way in which concepts are understood today is basically the same as they were understood in biblical times.

False

Theology is based on feelings alone, and has little to do with objective study.

False

William Temple

"If your concept of God is wrong, the more religion you get, the more ferneries you become to you and to others."

When the Bible is said to contain "progressive revelation," what does this mean?

The New Testament builds on the Old Testament.

IMPORTANT: Which of the following starting points for theology is used within the Erickson text?

The Scripture

CH9. Erickson begins chapter nine by listing two levels of problems, which make it beneficial to have a correct understanding of God. Which one of the following ideas does he categorize in the "sophisticated" level?

The conception of God as Creator

CH9. Erickson begins chapter nine by listing two levels of problems, which make it beneficial to have a correct understanding of God. Which one of the following problems does he categorize in the "popular" or "practical" level?

The conception of God as a grandfatherly being

Biblical Theology primarily uses the Old Testament and the New Testament for its content.

True

CH6. It is possible to have inspiration without revelation.

True

CH6. It is possible to have revelation without inspiration.

True

CH6. The "dictation" theory of inspiration maintains that the text of the Scriptures contains no distinctive style attributable to the human authors themselves.

True

CH6. The "dynamic" theory of inspiration maintains that the Holy Spirit dictated certain ideas to the human authors, but the human authors chose the exact words to write.

True

CH6. The anthropological argument sees some of the aspects of human nature as a revelation of God.

True

CH6. The word "inspired" in the original (Greek) language meant "God-breathed."

True

CH7. Erickson claims that biblical approximation of details does not necessitate the abandonment of biblical inerrancy.

True

CH7. The church has consistently embraced some form of biblical inerrancy throughout its history.

True

Erickson believes that special revelation is both personal and propositional.

True

God has left evidence of himself in the world he has created.

True

IMPORTANT: According to the author, it is important to communicate the gospel in terms that will be understood in the twenty-first century.

True

IMPORTANT: Exegesis is the process of identifying all the relevant biblical passages dealing with a topic to begin an investigation and a careful interpretation of those biblical passages.

True

It is important to examine the historical treatment of doctrines in order to help determine the implications of a current view.

True

It is possible to have a "postmodern" evangelical theology.

True

Modernism proposed that knowledge was absolute and unqualified.

True

The ability to express biblical truth at different times and places and to different audiences is vital for a theologian.

True

The anthropological argument sees some of the aspects of human nature as a revelation of God.

True

The essential doctrine of a passage of Scripture may appear explicitly in didactic passages.

True

The goal of modernism was to use reason alone to demonstrate a universal morality and basis for society.

True

Theologies which align themselves too closely with contemporary developments will likely become obsolete.

True

Truth is not relative, but our knowledge of truth is often relative.

True

Defining Postmodernism

the world is shrunk and we are all wired together

Full inerrancy

theological/spiritual message absolute true and few seeming discrepancies explained

What does Erickson call the type of law that Gentiles have apart from special revelation?

The Internal Law

CH7. What is the logical result of the abandoning of the doctrine of biblical inerrancy?

1. Other bases of doctrine will be sought. 2. There will be a shrinking list of doctrines. 3. Christians will have less basis for claiming they know the truth

What type(s) of human deficiency/deficiencies has/have made special revelation necessary?

1.Diminished Personal Relationship with God 2.Moral Limitation of Human Sinfulness 3.Obscured Understanding of Spiritual Matters

Chicago Statement Biblical Inerrancy

1978, confirms authority of Scripture

CH8. Ultimately Erickson believes that authority is constituted by:

A combination of The Bible & The Holy Spirit

General Revelation- Ontological

ANSLEM- if were were made in something, there must be something greater, human being Religion is the opposite of revelation!

General Revelation- Teleological

AQUINAS- AUGUSTINE- If there is order, within the order, there must be unique design and designer, end

CH9. Which one of the following terms is NOT a good synonym for God's "attributes"?

Actions

Which of the following biblical passages best demonstrates that God's general revelation can be seen in the fact that He has sent rain to fall on all people—not just the Jews and Christians.

Acts 14:15-17

Limited inerrancy

Bible technically details, language restricted to time yet totally true for salvation

Five to Thrive

Biblical- it's content, God said it Systematic- concern whole, orderly, process, steps, order Contextual- how it relates to culture Contemporary- for me, here and now Practical- how is it applicable/useful

CH9. If we overemphasize God's transcendence we may expect God to act through __________ all of the time.

Divine miracles

Our Current Culture

Communication, Transportation, Trade and Commerce

When God's revelation and inspiration are all merged into one mode, this is referred to as:

Concursive inspiration

5 Criteria for Permanence

Constancy across cultures- LENGTH- transcultural, then & now Universal setting- BREADTH- global application, great omission Permanent factor as basis- VALUE- once and for all, people and time Sure link with essential experience- ACTUAL AND FACTUAL- risen! not just principle Final in progressive revelation- foretaste/shadow to reality/substance Faith today- biblical, apostolic, historic- truth to be understood, interpreted, applied

Modernism

Determinism- we can figure out what is going to happen through physics, laboratory

CH7. Which view of inerrancy maintains that the scientific and historical details mentioned in the Bible are accurate as they appear to the human eye but not necessarily exact?

Full Inerrancy

CH7. Which position does Erickson finally take on biblical inerrancy?

Full inerrancy

CH7. Inerrancy is a corollary of which doctrine?

Full inspiration

CH8. What/Who is the ultimate authority in religious matters?

God

Styles- Personal

God comes to individuals and makes himself known at a specific time in a specific way- Moses

Revelation

God disclosing exactly what He wants us to know in His holy word the Bible

John 8:32- the truth will set ya free

God has spoken, it is written We have a God that takes the initiative to talk with us He creates, redeems TRUTH TRUMPS EXPERIENCE

CH8. With which of the following statements would Erickson most likely agree?

God inspired the human authors with varying degrees of specificity from passage to passage.

According to Erickson, what would God do if a person, who had no knowledge of Jesus, were to throw themselves upon the mercy of God?

God would consider them saved as He did the Old Testament believers.

Charity

God's basic, missional attribute is love

CH7. What is Erickson's solution to the problematic passages in the Bible?

Harmonize what you can and wait until future solutions present themselves.

Righteousness

His righteousness- laws express love (nature) ◦ Realism- God chooses right because it is right ◦ Nominalism- It's right because God does it ◦ Biblicism- It's right/chose- it's true to HIs nature

CH8. When Erickson says that God is "transcendent" he means that:

His ways are difficult to understand.

Purity

Holiness: God's Otherness, separate, cut off, to be set apart wholly ◦ Majestic- 'nature' totally free from any/all evil ◦ Marked off- unable to tolerate any form of sin ◦ God forsook Jesus his only son, so that those who put their faith in Jesus will never be forsaken by the Father

Modes of Revelation

Human agents- prophets Heavenly messengers- angels Directly- voice Speech, audible voices, incarnation

Subjective truth

I've experienced this as true time and again

CH6. Which of the following theories of inspiration maintains that prophets had a temporary increase of their regular abilities, which enabled them to write on the spiritual level they did?

Illumination

Anthropic

In different categories, language, experiences, dreams/visions, ex: God reveals his name through language, Joseph in the dream

According to Erickson which of the following modes of revelation is the most complete?

Incarnation

CH8. According to Erickson which of the following modes of revelation is the most complete?

Incarnation

CH6. Which of the following theories of inspiration maintains that prophets had a life-long spiritual gift, which enabled them to write on the spiritual level they did?

Intuition

CH9. Which of the following theories of inspiration maintains that prophets had a life-long spiritual gift, which enabled them to write on the spiritual level they did?

Intuition

5 Theories of Inspiration

Intuition- somehow God in a special way gives us a gut response Illumination Dynamic- God inspires through thoughts and personalities Verbal- God selected words he wants to use Dictation- speech

The scope of information given by special revelation:

Is limited so as to emphasize God's relationship with humankind.

CH9. The "immanence" of God means that He:

Is present and active within His creation.

God is holy

Isaiah 6

What does Erickson mean when he said that special revelation has an "anthropic nature"?

It is given in human terms, so people can understand it.

General Revelation- Anthropological

KANT- look at things from the inside, the moral our inside humans, conscience

3 Dangers of Contextualizing the Gospel

Mix and match So much involved in culture we forget the truth Independence and arrogance- learn from one another

When sin entered the human race there was:

More need for special revelation

Clarifying God's Acts vs. His Attributes

Natural- greatness of our God, what we naturally know ◦ Moral- goodness of our God, how he relates to us, his moral attributes

CH9. Erickson's opening/introductory definition of inspiration:

Necessitates a human element.

CH8. Determining what the permanent essence of a passage is may be referred to as the Bible's:

Normative Authority

Implications of an Immanent God

Not limited to show up, work directly • May use so-called secular means • Appreciate all creation, not disrespect • Value and learn from creation order • Gospel already at work, need to connect

3 approaches to this task

Presenters- just preach the Bible and let the word do the work Transformers- get involved in order to change the situation Translators- people who are willing to keep the message and make it applicable DO NOT DILUTE, DISTORT, DISENGAGE, DERAIL truth

Pre-modernism

Rationality- there is a universe, it is not next door, creation and a creator Teleological- this is going somewhere, goal or target, pattern and purpose Realism- what I feel is what I know

Dissatisfaction

Relative morality- what is good for you may not be good for me

Implications of a Transcendent God

Something far greater, be still to know • Cannot exhaust God or take for granted • What we can know, is because of His Grace • Mind the gap, we will never become God • Can't command or demand God

General Revelation- Cosmological

THOMAS AQUINAS- proposed two major ways that God is cosmological The system operates the world, God is the first cause order to our chaos

CH8. Your conviction of the divine origin and authorship of the Scriptures is the role of:

The Holy Spirit's illumination

CH8. To what/whom has God delegated His authority in religious matters?

The Bible

What is the source of evangelical theology?

The Bible

Inspiration

The Holy Spirit ensuring the originals are precisely what God has spoken

CH9. Which of the following is taught in Scripture?

The immanence of God & The transcendence of God

CH7. God reveals himself in:

The spectacular and miraculous events of history & The mundane events of history

Special Revelation

To a particular people at a particular time and at a particular place Now available through sacred scripture Creation- tells us God is glorious but doesn't tell you how to get saved- Psalm 19:1-6 Conscience- severed and marred, corrupt mind, we do not fully understand- Romans 1:18-22 Commandments- everyone has broken one Christ- we need a Savior Christian- God reveals himself through us

"Natural theology" studies the way in which God's existence is known outside the biblical source, specifically through the use of reason.

True

Objective truth

can absolutely trust what is written

IMPORTANT: When "contextualizing" the message, the theologian must consider all of the following except:

depth

Theodicy

difference between severe and sentimental love

Analogical

different in not kind, but decree, God reveals His power in things we cannot explain, things that manifest knowledge and power, but knowledge that is beyond human and power is extraordinary, Red Sea parting

Absolute Inerrancy

every detail/data, entry verified scientifically-historically verified as accurate

Doctrinal

grounded in the Bible, God said it, I believe it, Evangelical truth is grounded in Biblical revelation, MACHEN

Illumination

he Spirit assuring and enabling the believer to understand as God's word

4 Theories-Institutional

how do you know something is true? it has been inspected by Roman Catholic Church , AUGUSTINE

CH6. According to Erickson, on what did Jesus and the Pharisees disagree?

interpretation of the Scriptures

Moral

morally truthing in love, has to be seen in behavior, RAUSCHENBUSCH

Collective truth

together we've always found this true and reliable

Relativism

truth is relative

Rationalism

way of thinking that trumps Postmodernism

Experiential

we've always known, through common experience of genuine Christians, FOSDICK

God's Incommunicable and Communicable Attributes

• God Incommunicable/Greatness attributes of his infinity- eternity, aseity (self-existence, independence of will, immutability) are not shared with creatures, even analogically • God's Communicable/Goodness attributes- love, knowledge, power, righteousness are shared with human beings created as His image bearers