What is Theology?
What does Theology mean in Greek?
God + Words
This collection of ancient texts is a source for our Theology
Bible
Which early Christian leader had a crazy experience on a road that changed his whole theology?
Saul / Paul
We all have a conceptual picture of God. What is a conceptual picture?
A mental representation of God (physical characteristics, personality traits, etc.)
True / False: Everyone gives the 4 sources equal amounts of authority in their theology
False
At its core, Theology is...
Your beliefs about God
This brain-oriented thinking is one source for our Theology
Reason/Logic
Saint Augustine said, "If you comprehend, it is not _______"
God
Who is the Greek Storm God?
Zeus
If someone held a low authority for the Bible, what would that look like?
If someone held a high authority for the Bible, what would that look like?
The Bible isn’t very trustworthy, but inspiring to read
The Bible is inerrant, infallible, and perfect
Why do words fail at speaking about God?
God is transcendent, and our words can't reach God, or describe that which is outside our reality
This institution is one source for our theology
Church / Tradition
Which Austrian Philosopher said, "A picture held us captive. And we could not get outside it, for it lay in our language and language seemed to repeat it to us inexorably."
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Who is the Norse storm God?
Thor
If someone held a low authority for the Reason, what would that look like?
If someone held a high authority for the Reason, what would that look like?
Faith goes beyond reason, having access to truths which reason could not hope to fathom
Human reason is perfectly capable of telling us everything we need to know about the world, ourselves, and God (if there is one)
What is our solution to our words failing to speak of God?
Metaphors / Similes / Analogies
This is an incredibly subjective source for our theology that is unique to the person
Experience
Who is the Babylonian storm God?
Marduk
If someone held a low authority for the Church, what would that look like?
If someone held a high authority for the Church, what would that look like?
The past church doesn’t have anything to say to us now— what matters is moving forward, not looking to the past
The Church has had valuable insights which are assessed, and transmitted from one generation to another
Why does Theology matter?
People behave like the God they believe in
What does it mean for something to be a source for our theology?
It means that thing informs our theology, gives it information, etc.
Explain this quote: A picture held us captive. And we could not get outside it, for it lay in our language and language seemed to repeat it to us inexorably.
You are held captive by an idea, and you cant think any other way about that idea because your environment keeps repeating it to you over and over again
What is the image that the storm Gods represent/reflect?
Might is Right
If someone held a low authority for experience, what would that look like?
If someone held a high authority for experience, what would that look like?
Christian Theology provides a framework within which human experience may be interpreted
Experience provides a foundational resource for christian theology