Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Session 8 Sources of Theology “ Where do we go for truth? ”

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Question What are the different sources of truth?

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources for Theology TraditionReason Scripture Martin Luther ’ s Trilateral

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Authority "Unless I am convinced by the testimony from scripture or by evident reason—for I confide neither in the Pope nor in a Council alone, since it is certain they have often erred and contradicted themselves—I am held fast by the scriptures adduced by me, and my conscience is held captive by God ’ s Word, and I neither can nor will revoke anything, seeing it is not safe or right to act against conscience. God help me. Amen. “ –Martin Luther Diet of Worms, April 18, 1521 "Unless I am convinced by the testimony from scripture or by evident reason—for I confide neither in the Pope nor in a Council alone, since it is certain they have often erred and contradicted themselves—I am held fast by the scriptures adduced by me, and my conscience is held captive by God ’ s Word, and I neither can nor will revoke anything, seeing it is not safe or right to act against conscience. God help me. Amen. “ –Martin Luther Diet of Worms, April 18, 1521

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology John Wesley ’ s Quadrilateral Tradition Scripture Reason Experience

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology 1.Tradition 2.Reason 3.Experience 4.General Revelation 5.Emotions 6.Special Revelation (Scripture)

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology 1.Tradition 2.Reason 3.Experience 4.Emotions 5.General Revelation 6.Special Revelation (Scripture) Stage of Truth Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Roman Catholic Stage of Truth Scripture Reason Tradition Experience General Revelation Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Eastern Orthodox Stage of Truth Scripture Tradition Experience General Revelation Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Protestant Reformation Stage of Truth Scripture Tradition Experience General Revelation Reason Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Liberal Stage of Truth Reason Experience General Revelation Emotions Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Charismatic Stage of Truth Special Revelation Experience Emotions Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Fundamentalist Stage of Truth Scripture General Revelation Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Postmodern Stage of Truth Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Question What are the benefits and deficiencies of each source?

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Tradition: Religious information that has been handed down to us from various sources.

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Examples: Benefits: Deficiencies:

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology “ Tradition is the living faith of those now dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of those now living. ” –Jaroslav Pelikan The Vindication of Tradition (New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1984), 65 “ Tradition is the living faith of those now dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of those now living. ” –Jaroslav Pelikan The Vindication of Tradition (New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1984), 65

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Reason: Information that comes through the human mind ’ s capacity for logical, rational, and analytic thought.

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Examples: Benefits: Deficiencies:

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology “ All truth is given by revelation, either general or special, and it must be received by reason. Reason is the God-given means for discovering the truth that God discloses, whether in his world or his Word. While God wants to reach the heart with truth, he does not bypass the mind. ” –Jonathan Edwards “ All truth is given by revelation, either general or special, and it must be received by reason. Reason is the God-given means for discovering the truth that God discloses, whether in his world or his Word. While God wants to reach the heart with truth, he does not bypass the mind. ” –Jonathan Edwards

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology “ The truth of the Christian faith surpasses the capacity of reason. ” –Thomas Aquinas “ The truth of the Christian faith surpasses the capacity of reason. ” –Thomas Aquinas

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. credo quia absurdum “ I believe because it is absurd ” This Latin phrase coined by Tertullian ( ) evidences some of the early Church ’ s disdain for the Greek philosophers ’ reliance upon reason for truth. He said, “ What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem, or the academy with the Church? ” He sought to return the element of mystery to the Christian faith. Sources of Theology

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Experience: Information that comes through direct encounter, participation, or observation.

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Examples: Benefits: Deficiencies:

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Emotions: Information that comes through subjectively experienced psychological feelings.

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Examples: Benefits: Deficiencies:

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. sensus divinitatus “ Sense of the divine ” The sensus divinitatus is the inward persuasion all people have that directs them to a belief in God and a propensity to worship. While the sensus divinitatas can contribute to and shape our theology (natural theology), the information is insufficient to bring a person into a right relationship with God. Sources of Theology

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology General Revelation:Revelation about God given through the created order (Ps. 19:1–6 ; Rom. 1:18–20; 2:14–15).

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Examples: Benefits: Deficiencies:

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Special Revelation: Revelation given by God ’ s supernatural intervention in history through Scripture, miraculous events, divine speech, visible manifestations, etc.

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Sources of Theology Examples: Benefits: Deficiencies:

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. norma normans sed non normata “ A norm of norms which is not normed ” This is a Latin phrase of the Protestant Reformation that stresses the importance of Scripture above all other sources of theology. The Scripture, according to the Reformers, is the standard (norm) against which all other sources for theology must be judged, but this standard cannot be ultimately judged by them. Sources of Theology

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Proposed Stage of Truth Scripture Tradition Experience General Revelation Reason Emotions Back Front

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Question How do the different sources interact to form our theology?

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Historical interpretation Grammatical interpretation Contextual interpretation Literary Interpretation 1 1. Exegetical Statement “ What did it mean then? ” 2. Theological Statement “ What is the timeless truth taught? ” 3. Homiletical Statement “ How does it apply to us? ” Timeless Audience Time-bound Audience Contemporary Audience Ancient Audience Tradition Emotions Experience Reason General Revelation

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries.  Tradition  Reason  Experience  Emotions  General Revelation Objectiv e Subjectiv e Acts 17:11 These Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the Scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so.

Copyright © , Reclaiming the Mind Ministries. Discussion Groups