Saturday, December 12, 2009
Showing posts with label systematic theology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label systematic theology. Show all posts
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Systematic Theology: God is Spirit and God is Invisible
Modern Samaritans still "worship God on the Mountain". But "God is Spirit" and he seeks those who will worship him in spirit and and truth...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Download "Systematic Theology: God is Invisible and God is Spirit" in MP3 format
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Systematic Theology starting this Saturday
The first Systematic Theology class starts this Saturday at 3:30pm. Everyone is invited and I encourage you all to try to make it. This class will help provide a framework for understanding God, the bible, the creed, the Trinity, the dual natures of Christ, the Church eternity, your life...everything will be discussed in a careful and systematic way. Be sure to come and to invite your friends.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Systematic Theology: Review and lesson on Moral Attributes and Will
I have no idea why there is a photo of a forest here, but if you push play below, you will get the video of tonight's class. Sorry about the video quality...just learning how to do this stuff...but the sound should work well enough.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Some Housekeeping and a Podcast
What a great picnic yesterday. I thought I was going to escape being water-ballooned...but no. And I was standing on a grassy knoll too. Thanks Amanda.
I am going to re-record the sermon from Sunday because the thing wasn't working at 8am. I will also be re-recording a few Systematic theology discussions since I had the same problem for two weeks running.
I did manage to get the first thirty minutes of Saturday's Systematic Theology class recorded before I ran out of space (usually remember to make space on my ipod prior to class...I forgot this time). Here it is:
I am going to re-record the sermon from Sunday because the thing wasn't working at 8am. I will also be re-recording a few Systematic theology discussions since I had the same problem for two weeks running.
I did manage to get the first thirty minutes of Saturday's Systematic Theology class recorded before I ran out of space (usually remember to make space on my ipod prior to class...I forgot this time). Here it is:
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Download "Systematic Theology (class 5): Incommunicable and Commuicable attributes" in MP3 format
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Systematic Theology: Incommunicable and Communicable attributes of God
Systematic Theology today at 3:30pm at the church...I'll remember to record it this time.
Hope to see you there.
Hope to see you there.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Systematic Theology: 5 Arguments Supporting God's Existence
Systematic Theology Lecture 3
Class notes from Theissen's Lectures in Systematic Theology
(Working on the audio)
God's Existence and Attributes:
Can God be defined?: God cannot be defined comprehensively or exhaustively. He is infinite.
He may be defined in a limited way according to what he has revealed of himself and definitions based on his self-revelation can be correct or incorrect. That the definition cannot be “complete” does not mean it is inexact
“We may know a thing correctly as far as we know it, even though we don't know all about it.” (54)
We can set forth the attributes of God as he has revealed them.
We may say that: “God is” and then set about differentiating him from other things that exist.
Some definitions: “God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.” (Westminster Shorter Chatechism)
“God is a Spirit absolute, personal, and holy, infinite, and eternal in his being and attributes, the ground and cause of the universe.” (HB Smith)
The Existence of God: God has revealed himself and we are able to apprehend his revelation. What are the arguments for his existence. They fall into three broad groups:
1. The Belief in God is intuitive: A belief is intuitive if it is universal and necessary.
a. Universal: Romans 1:18-23: All men know that God exists by the things that are made because God has shown it to them so that they are without excuse. There is not a group or a people that does not have some form of belief in some kind of God.
b. Necessary: We cannot deny his existence without doing damage to the laws of our own nature. If we do deny it, it is only forced and temporary. “Just as the pendulum of a clock can be pushed off center by an internal or external force, so a man can be pushed off his normal belief in God. But just as the pendulum returns to its original position when the pressure is removed, so a man returns to his normal belief in God when he is not under the influence of false philosophy.” (56)
Atheism is only found where educated people have trained themselves not to believe in God.
His existence is so obvious the mind is constrained to believe it. (56)
2. the Existence of God is assumed by the scriptures.
The bible does not set out to “prove” the existence of God. It is everywhere assumed and taken for granted that 1. he exists and that 2. all men know he exists. Special revelation was the sufficient ground of this knowledge.
3. Belief in the existence of God is corroborated and corrected by arguments: These arguments do not prove God's existence so much as they confirm what is already evident and known. The arguments:
a. do not stand as independent proofs of God's existence but expositions of our innate knowledge of his existence
b. since God is a spirit we must not insist on the same kind of proof that we demand for the existence of material things, but only such evidence as is suitable for the object
c. the evidence is cumulative, a single argument is inadequate, but taken together they are sufficient to “bind the conscience and compel belief”
The Cosmological Argument: Every effect must have an adequate cause; the universe is an effect; thus the universe must have an adequate cause.
Premise: A contingent being (a being that if it exists can not-exist) exists.
This contingent being has a cause of or explanation[1] for its existence.
The cause of or explanation for its existence is something other than the contingent being itself.
What causes or explains the existence of this contingent being must either be solely other contingent beings or include a non-contingent (necessary) being.
Contingent beings alone cannot provide an adequate causal account or explanation for the existence of a contingent being.
Therefore, what causes or explains the existence of this contingent being must include a non-contingent (necessary) being.
Therefore, a necessary being (a being that if it exists cannot not-exist) exists.
Objections: Some argue that the universe is eternal/infinite
1. But they have to contend with the fact that nothing in the universe is eternal so you will have an eternal whole made up of non-eternal parts.
2. There is no such thing as an actual infinite. Everything in the material universe may be potentially infinite but it is also also potentially finite. In an infinite sequence without any supporting force, all potentiality will be fulfilled meaning that all that has the potential not to be will one day not be.
3. That means that we cannot say the contingent universe will have an infinite future unless we find a power capable of keeping the potential for dissolution from coming to pass.
4. It would also mean that the universe cannot have an infinite past since if it has the potential for non-existence then it would have already met that existence.
a. The argument from change: There must be a First Cause
b. The argument from potential: There must be a Pure Actuality
c. The argument from contingency and necessity: there must be a Necessary Being.
What does the argument establish:
That the universe was brought into being by an adequate cause.
That the cause exists outside of the universe and that it is intelligent
Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Personal, Immutable, Simple
II. Teleological Argument: the argument from design Order and useful arrangement in a system imply intelligence and purpose in the originating cause. The universe is characterized by order and useful arrangement; therefore the universe has an intelligent and free cause.
(1) Some things in nature (or nature itself, the cosmos) are design-like (exhibit a cognition-resonating, intention-shaped character R)
(2) Design-like properties (R) are not producible by (unguided) natural means—i.e., any phenomenon exhibiting such Rs must be a product of intentional design.
Therefore
(3) Some things in nature (or nature itself, the cosmos) are products of intentional design. And of course, the capacity for intentional design requires agency of some type.
1. Chance cannot create an ordered and intelligent cosmos...nor can order maintain itself: the development of the cosmos has proceeded in accordance with organizing laws and remained in order despite the second law of thermodynamics.
2. Naturalistic evolution cannot produce irreducible complexity
What can the argument prove: the existence of an intelligent and free architect who is distinct from his creation
III: Ontological Argument: We have the idea of an absolutely perfect being but existence is an attribute of perfection. An absolutely perfect being must therefore exist.
An idea of God does not necessarily demand his existence.
We might point to a correspondence between the other faculties of our mind and the existence of real things in the world and suggest that there must be or might be a similar correspondence between our idea of Superlative attributes and God—but this is not a “proof”
IV: The Moral Argument: the argument from conscience. That we all know that there is a “right and a wrong” even though we are not agreed on what it is points to the existence of an eternal lawgiver who is just and good.
Moral facts exist.
1. Moral facts have the properties of being objective and non-natural.
2. The best explanation of there being objective and non-natural moral facts is provided by theism.
3. Therefore the existence of moral facts provides good grounds for thinking theism is true.
V. Argument from Congruity: the postulate which best explains the facts is true. The best explanation for the existence of the Cosmos and the character of its existence is the existence of the God who reveals himself in Scripture.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Systematic Theology: Theism (class 2)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Download "Systematic Theology: Theism (class 2)" in MP3 format
Completion of Class 1...how do human beings recieve and understand God's self disclosure in Natural and Special Revelation?
Human Endowments: “Neither the outer nor the inner world would disclose anything of God without the unique endowments of man.” (42)
The endowments of humanity are of two kinds: Mental and Spiritual:
Mental Endowments: Reason: “by reason we mean not simply man's logical powers or his ability to reason but his cognitive powers, --his ability to perceive, compare, judge, and organize.” (43). Reason is:
The organ or capacity for knowing truth
a. Intuitive Reason: furnishes us with the primary ideas of: Space, time, cause, substance, design, right, and God which are the conditions of all subsequent knowledge.
b. Apprehensive Reason: takes in the facts presented by intuitive reason and seeks to understand them.
The judge of credibility: It is the office of reason to declare whether a representation is credible.
a. “Nothing is incredible but the impossible. A thing may be strange, unaccountable, unintelligent, and yet perfectly credible. Unless we are willing to believe the incomprehensible we can believe nothing.
b. That which is impossible involves a contradiction.
The judge of evidence: Since faith involves assent, and assent is conviction produced by evidence, it follows that faith without evidence is irrational or impossible.
Reason must examine evidence of revelation. Is it adequate? Is it appropriate to the thing being asserted? Are the records genuine or fake?
IV. Organization of facts: Reason organizes data presented to our minds into a system so that we can apply them and use them.
Spiritual endowment: That part of humanity designed for relationship with God.
All men have the intuitive capacity to know that God is and that he is to be worshiped and obeyed.
This does not mean that all have access to universal fellowship with him—only that there is universal intuitive awareness of him.
The believer's spirit alone is able to enter into a real and personal relationship with God.
Lecture Notes
Introduction to Systematic Theology
Class 2: Introduction to Theism
(From Theissen's Lectures in Systematic Theology)
Theism: Four Possible Definitions:
1. The belief in a supernatural being or beings as opposed to atheism
2. The belief in One supernatural being (impersonal or personal) as opposed to atheism, polytheism, henotheism. This would include Deists, Pantheists, and monotheists.
3. The belief in One personal God distinct from the cosmos and yet involved within it (transcendant and immanent) as opposed to atheism, polytheism, pantheism and deism)
4. The belief in one personal God both immanent and transcendant who exists in three personal distinctions, Father Son and Holy Spirit.
Definition 4: This is a type of monotheism but of the trinitarian rather than unitarian form. Christian Theists hold that all other conceptions are false.
1. The Definition of God: God is a general term that has been misused by philosophers and theologians to refer to a number of “ideas” and “concepts” that do not approximate the true God as he has revealed himself in nature and in scripture.
a. Some of these are more useful than others and some have elements of truth, but none are sufficient and all convey some false understandings.
b. Some misuses: Plato: God is the eternal mind—the cause of all good in nature:
Aristotle: the first ground of all being.
Kant: the being who by his understanding and will is the Cause of nature—a being who has all rights and no duties; the moral author of the world.
Hegel: the absolute spirit without consciousness until it becomes conscious in the reasons and thought of man.
2. Biblical names for God: El, El Shaddia, Yahweh, and Adonai
a. El (Elim, Elohim, Eloah): Generic term for God—like Theos in Greek
b. El-Shaddai = Satisfier or Almighty
b. Yahweh: Personal name—covenental name: “To Be” or “I am”. Theissen does not think this name denotes “self existence”. It does point to his utter independence. “I am who I am”
c. Yahweh Jireh (provides), Rapha (heals), Nissi (banner), shalom (peace), Raah (Shepherd), Tsidkenu (our Righteousness), Shammah (present), Sabaoth (Lord of Hosts)
d. Adonai: Lord—pointing to the relationship between a master and a servant or a king and his subjects.
JEDP: Theory that seeks to identify distinct literary sources for the Pentateuch based, in part, on the various names for God—denying mosaic authorship. A more probable explanation for the different names and their uses is that they differ in accordance with the literary context.
3. Theological Formulation of the Definition of God
Can God be defined?: God cannot be defined comprehensively or exhaustively. He is infinite.
He may be defined in a limited way according to what he has revealed of himself and definitions based on his self-revelation can be correct or incorrect. That the definition cannot be “complete” does not mean it is inexact
“We may know a thing correctly as far as we know it, even though we don't know all about it.” (54)
We can set forth the attributes of God as he has revealed them.
We may say that: “God is” and then set about differentiating him from other things that exist.
Continued next week...
Reading assignment for next week (the rest of Theissen's Lectures in Systematic Theology chapter 2--if you've not already read it--and chapter 11 of Grudem's Systematic Theology)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Systematic Theology: Natural and Special Revelation (class 1)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Download "Systematic Theology: Natural and Special Revelation (class 1)" in MP3 format
Class Notes:
Lecture Notes
Introduction to Systematic Theology
Class 1: Revelation
(taken From Theissen's Lectures in Systematic Theology chapter 1)
1. I. Revelation: “The act of God whereby he discloses himself or communicates truth to the mind; whereby he makes manifest to his creatures that which could not be known in any other way”(31)
2. Revelation can be immediate and direct or long-term through second causes.
3. There are two kinds of revelation: Natural Revelation and Special Revelation.
II. Natural Revelation (32):
1. Is revelation communicated through the media of natural phenomena occurring in nature or the course of history.
2. Is addressed to all intelligent creatures generally and accessible to all
3. Has as its object or purpose the supplying of the natural need of the human person and the persuasion of the soul to seek after the true God.
III. Revelation of God in Nature:
The works of God tell us primarily about the divine essence and nature of the Worker
God reveals himself in nature in order to incite human beings to search for the a fuller revelation of God.
The revelation of God in nature is a universal call to all human beings
The sufficiency of Natural Revelation?
a. sufficient so as to leave human beings without excuse
b. insufficient to bring about salvation.
IV Revelation of God in History:
World History: God reveals his power and providence—establishing civilization through Adam and Eve, raising and destroying nations and kingdoms.
The redemptive history of Israel: From Abraham to Christ--is intended as a showcase of God's personal nature and the standing of humanity before him:
a. Israel came to recognize God as Almighty, Faithful, Holy, Just, Loving, Merciful, and Gracious.
b. They came to know humanity as fallen, in need of atonement, rebellious insufficient.
c. God's treatment of the Nation: Promise, discipline, favor, protection, providence.
V. Revelation of God in Conscience:
Conscience: “Is discriminative and impulsive. It judges whether a proposed course of action or an attitude is in harmony with our moral standard or not and urges us to do that which is in harmony with it and to refrain from that which is contrary to it. It is the presence of this sense of right and wrong, of this discriminative and impulsive something that constitutes the revelation of God. It is not self imposed, as is evident from the fact that man would often rid himself of its deliverances if he could. It is the reflection of God in the soul.”(34-35)
What does Conscience reveal: It reveals not only the existence of God but his personal character.
a. It reveals that there is a law that is in us and external to us at the same time
b. It reveals that there is a lawgiver
c. He sharply distinguishes what is right from what is wrong.
d. He always does the right
e. He always punishes the wrong
f. He will hold us responsible for our actions
g. He is the supreme lawgiver who embodies the Law in his own person and conduct.
h. Lake and the moon analogy
2. I. Special Revelation: “Those acts of God whereby he makes himself and his truth known at special times and to specific peoples.”
2. Although given at special times and to specific peoples, the revelation is not necessarily intended for that time and people only. It is almost always intended to be shared and proclaimed.
3. It comes to us in five ways: 1. Miracles, 2. Prophesies, 3. in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ 4. in the scriptures, and 5. in personal experience.
The Revelation of God in Miracles:
1. Definition of Miracle: “An unusual event, not the product of natural laws or processes, accomplishing some useful work revealing the presence and power of God.”
2. Two types of Miracles: 1. Natural Laws and processes are intinsified or augmented. 2. and those in which the “participation of nature is excluded (budding of Aaron's staff etc...)
3. Purpose of a genuine miracle: A genuine miracle accomplishes some practical and benevolent work.
4. Effect of miracles: They prove God's existence, presence, concern and power.
5. Proof of miracles rests on testimony of eye-witnesses.
Revelation of God in Prophecy:
1. Prophecy: “The foretelling of events not by virtue of mere human insight or prescience, but by virtue of a direct communication from God.” (38)
Measure of true prophesy: 1. Unambiguous 2. whether what is said comes true. 3.Whether what is said is consistent with what has already been revealed.
Supreme Revelation: Natural Revelation, Miracle, and Prophesy, did not succeed in leading Israel to a true understanding of God's nature and character and will. So the Father sent the Son, Jesus Christ, as the fullest revelation of himself. Jesus Christ is the center of history and revelation. To see Jesus is to see the Father. He is the supreme revelation.
VI The Revelation of God in Scripture:
1. Scripture: In the bible we have the clearest and only inerrant revelation communicated by fallen human beings.(41)
The bible is not one revelation among others, it is the revelation through which we know the others. It is the embodiment of them.
The bible, “records the knowledge of God and his dealings with the creature which men of old gathered from nature, history, and conscience as also from miracles, prophecy, the Lord Jesus Christ, and inner experience and divine instruction. The Christian therefore turns to the scriptures as the supreme and only infallible source for the construction of his theology.” (41)
VI. The Revelation of God in human experience:
Revelatory Experience: the sense of direct communication and/or fellowship with God not simply through nature, history, or conscience; not by way of miracle or prophecy, but personal experience.
Experience of God is transformative—making people more like the God with whom they have communion.
Experience and Scripture: The revelation of God through personal experience is the primary source from which came the inspiration that produced holy scripture.
Experience perfected: In those particular cases, the Holy Spirit had them infallibly recorded in the books of the Old and New Testaments
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