Indiana Baptist Institute Theology I Lecture 2 IBI Theology 1 Indiana Baptist Institute Theology I Lecture 2 The Student will take the quiz that is on the calendar after turning in the homework assignment which was the definitions. Prolegomena (lit.: pro, “before,” and lego, “speak”) is the introduction to theology. It deals with the necessary preconditions for doing systematic theology. Theology (lit.: theos, “God,” and logos, “reason” or “discourse”) is a rational discourse about God. Evangelical theology is defined here as a discourse about God that maintains that there are certain essential Christian beliefs (such as but not limited to the following) supplied by GCW; The infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible alone, The tri-unity of God, The virgin birth of Christ, The deity of Christ, The all-sufficiency of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sin, The physical and miraculous resurrection of Christ, The necessity of salvation by faith alone through God’s grace alone based on the work of Christ alone, The physical bodily return of Christ to earth, The eternal conscious bliss of the saved, and the eternal conscious punishment of the unsaved. Theology is divided into several categories: (1) Biblical Theology is a study of the biblical basis for theology. (2) Historical Theology is a discussion of the theology of the great theologians of the Christian church. (3) Systematic Theology is an attempt to construct a comprehensive and consistent whole out of all revelation from God, whether special (biblical) or general (natural) revelation (see chapter 4). To summarize: Theology is the discovery, systematizing, and presentation of the truths about God. Historical theology accomplishes this by focusing on what others throughout history have said about these truths. Biblical theology does this by surveying the progressive revelation of God’s truth. Systematic theology presents the total structure. Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : A popular systemic guide to understanding biblical truth (15). Moody Press: Chicago, Ill. Geisler, N. L. 2002. Systematic theology, volume one: Introduction, Bible (1516). Bethany House Publishers: Minneapolis, MN Preconditions and Presuppositions & The Question of Authority Instructor: Pastor Gary Woodring

Systematic Theology Prolegomena (Introduction) IBI Theology 1 Systematic Theology Prolegomena (Introduction) Bibliology – The study of the Bible Theology Proper – the study of God Anthropology – the study of man Harmartiology – the study of sin Soteriology – the study of salvation Ecclesiology – the study of the church Eschatology – the study of last things. Systematic theology is generally divided into the following categories: (1) Prolegomena (Introduction); (2) Bibliology (Gk: biblios, “Bible”); (3) Theology Proper, the study of God; (4) Anthropology (Gk: pl. anthropoi, “human beings”); (5) Harmartiology (Gk: harmartia, “sin”); (6) Soteriology (Gk: soterios, “salvation”); (7) Ecclesiology (Gk: ecclesia, “[the] church”); (8) Eschatology (Gk: eschatos, “the last things”). Geisler, N. L. 2002. Systematic theology, volume one: Introduction, Bible (16). Bethany House Publishers: Minneapolis, MN It is basically a study that takes the Bible and all these other aspects and boils or pears them down to their basic and simplest elements and then puts it back together.

Preconditions of Evangelical Theology IBI Theology 1 Preconditions of Evangelical Theology Metaphysical Supernatural Revelational Rational Semantical Most of these are being challenged in today’s culture and postmodern world. The foundation for these come from the precondition or presupposition that the Bible is an infallible, absolutely true communication in human language from an infinite, personal, and morally perfect God. This is the conclusion of the presuppositions listed and described below that were part of our introduction. Metaphysical precondition – there exists a theistic God. Supernatural precondition – this God created the world and intervenes in it. Revelational precondition – God has revealed Himself in both general and special revelation. Rational precondition – that revelation is subject to the laws of logic; (reason). Semantical precondition – that logic and reason lead to meaningful statements. Epistemological precondition – that these statements objectively true. Oppositional precondition – these statements are exclusively ture. Linguistic precondition – that these statements can be properly understood in analogous language. Hermenuetical precondition – that those statements can be understood objectively Historical precondition – including those elements relating to historical events. Methodological precondition – that the revelation can by systematized by a complete and comprehensive method. Epistemological Oppositional Linguistic Hermenuetical Historical Methodological

The Concept of Theology IBI Theology 1 The Concept of Theology Theology is intelligible. It can be comprehended by the human mind in an orderly, rational manner. Theology requires explanation. This, in turn, involves exegesis and systematization. The Christian faith finds its source in the Bible, so Christian theology will be a Bible-based study. Theology, then, is the discovery, systematizing, and presentation of the truths about God. Testable Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : A popular systemic guide to understanding biblical truth (1213). Moody Press: Chicago, Ill. Page 12 Notes are taken from Ryrie, C. C. 1995. A survey of Bible doctrine. Moody Press: Chicago Everyone has a basis of authority which becomes a base of operations for his thinking and doing. Sometimes that basis of authority is complex, for it is made up of several things; and sometimes people are ignorant of the fact that they have such a thing as a basis of authority. But everyone, without exception, has one. The man who believes in one of the non-Christian religions, such as Hinduism or Islam, accepts the teachings of that religion, including its writings. The principal plank in the platform of the atheist is simply that God does not exist. Acting within this frame of reference, the atheist acknowledges no revelation from an transcendent being, nor does be seek or find his code of ethics in an external authority. Agnosticism seems to be little more than a popular form of atheism. Instead of the bold assertion of atheism that God does not exist, agnosticism softens the blow by affirming merely that one cannot know if God exists. Ryrie, C. C. 1995. A survey of Bible doctrine. Moody Press: Chicago When it comes to the theology of Christians, we must not assume that they are the same in view. Neo-orthodox base Christ as their authority yet denying the infallibility of the Scriptures. Their teaching may sound conservative but believe all that liberalism has taught. Liberalism's authority rests in man himself and his reasoning capabilities. (Humanism) The Bible is a product of man and contains only man’s thoughts about God. Ethics and morality then are self defined and not absolute or defined by God. Catholicism basis their authority upon the church and her teachings over and against Scripture.

IBI Theology 1 Christian Faith What then is the basis for our faith as Christians and upon what is it based? Why not exclusively the Scriptures? Nature Providential Acts Miracles Visions Prophecies Christ It is found within the framework of the Progressive Revelation of God. Why not the Scriptures?

Arguments for God’s Existence IBI Theology 1 Arguments for God’s Existence Naturalistic Arguments Cause & Effect (1st Argument) Definite Purpose (2nd Argument) Nature of Man (3rd Argument) The moral argument Ontological Argument Naturalistic Arguments are arguments that are given for the existence of God and are used in apologetics. Cause & Effect. Although the unbeliever isn’t necessarily convinced by this argument, it is a strong argument nonetheless. Where did it all come from is a valid question. Either (1) nothing caused this world (but the uncaused emergence of something has never been observed), or (2) something caused this world. This something may be an “eternal cosmic process,” or it may be chance, or one might conclude that God was the cause. Ryrie, C. C. 1995. A survey of Bible doctrine. Moody Press: Chicago While this argument alone can’t prove God’s existence, it does bring insistence for a Theistic argument. After all it is less complex to believe than evolution or blind intelligence. Definitive Purpose. The world arguably has a purpose that can’t be accounted for outside of Design. The Non-theist believes that this purpose is by random change and evolutionary processes. The Christian answer involves faith, but so too the approach of the non-theist who embraces evolution. Nature of Man. (Anthropological Argument) His consciousness, moral nature, intelligence (sentience) have to be explained. This leads to the sub point of the moral argument. Where does the universal sense of right and wrong come from? Ontological Argument. This argument simply stated, is that man simply has to be since it is a commonality of thought and belief. In other words, the existence of a god or gods exists universally in man. Since God is the greatest being that can be thought of, He can’t be thought to not exist.

Biblical Arguments General Revelation Special Revelation Psalm 19:1-6 IBI Theology 1 Biblical Arguments General Revelation Psalm 19:1-6 Romans 1:18-20 Special Revelation The Biblical Arguments seek to answer the question of how God has revealed Himself. The finite can’t comprehend to understanding the infinite. So the infinite must reveal and give understanding to the finite through the medium of language. If God has taken the initiative to reveal Himself, how has He done so? General Revelation – through nature and history Psalm 19:1-6 Romans 1:18-20 Special Revelation – through Scripture, Miracles, Christ. Historical Miraculous Anger Control of Nature Love Through Christ where God “exegeted” Himself to man. The Bible.

Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : Moody Press: Chicago, Ill. IBI Theology 1 Accurate theology rests on sound exegesis. Exegetical studies must be made before theological systematization, just as bricks have to be made before a building can be built. Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : Moody Press: Chicago, Ill.

Interpretive Presuppositions IBI Theology 1 Interpretive Presuppositions Normal or Plain Interpretation Priority of the New Testament Legitimacy of Proof Texts Normal Interpretation is based upon proper exegesis. God desired to communicate, not obscure, the truth. Priority of the NT greater in priority to the OT. The OT was preparatory and partial. The NT was climactic and complete. Legitimacy of Proof Texts

Systematizing Presuppositions IBI Theology 1 Systematizing Presuppositions Necessity of a System Limitation of a Theological System The Necessity of a System. The difference between exegesis and theology is the system used. Exegesis analyzes; theology correlates those analyses. Exegesis relates the meanings of texts; theology interrelates those meanings. The exegete strives to present the meaning of truth; the theologian, the system of truth. Theology’s goal, whether biblical or systematic theology, is the systematization of the teachings under consideration. Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : A popular systemic guide to understanding biblical truth (18). Moody Press: Chicago, Ill. Limitation of a Theological System when logic is used to create truth, as it were, then the theologian will be guilty of pushing his system beyond the limitations of biblical truth… Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : A popular systemic guide to understanding biblical truth (18). Moody Press: Chicago, Ill.

Exegesis analyzes; theology correlates those analyses. IBI Theology 1 Remember… Exegesis analyzes; theology correlates those analyses.

Personal Presuppositions IBI Theology 1 Personal Presuppositions He must Believe He must Think Theologically Exegetically Systematically Critically Synthetically He must Depend He must Worship The student of theology comes with the presuppositions essential to theology. Ultimately the believer must try to think theologically. This involves thinking exegetically (to understand the precise meaning), Thinking systematically (in order to correlate facts thoroughly), Thinking critically (to evaluate the priority of the related evidence), Thinking synthetically (to combine and present the teaching as a whole). Ryrie, C. C. 1999. Basic theology : A popular systemic guide to understanding biblical truth (19). Moody Press: Chicago, Ill.