INTRO TO THEOLOGYChallenges to ST

INTRO

Objectives: Understand what is theology. Distinguish between SYSTEMATIC theology and

other forms of theology, especially BIBLICAL theology.

Consider one contemporary challenge to Systematic Theology.

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Diversity of ways of defining it.

Approach 1: Emphasis on experience:

Schleiermacher: (1768-1834): “Christian doctrines are accounts of the Christian religious affections set forth in speech.”

Problems? Theology is made independent from the Bible. Suspends the question of truth. Places human experience at the center rather than

God.

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Approach 2: Emphasis on the situation or social context:

Gustavo Guttierrez: “Theology as a critical reflection on historical praxis is a liberating theology”

Rosemary Radford Ruether, “theology as critique of and emancipation from sexism.

Problems? Scripture is made secondary. What fills in the “content” as to what is

“liberating” or “emancipating”?

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Theology as Science: Charles Hodge (1797-1878): “The duty of the

Christian theologian is to ascertain, collect, and combine all the facts which God has revealed in the Bible.”

Problems? Could avoid the question of what it means today. Danger of simplistic proof-texting.

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Recommended approach: Human response to God’s communication. Gamble: “knowledge concerning God to the

extent that he has revealed himself.” Since such “communication” is expressed in

Scripture, then Scripture has a normative priority. Sola scriptura Basic idea: Scriptures are the final and ultimate

authority for the Christian Church. Includes: “sufficiency of scripture”: scripture contains

all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly and for obeying him perfectly” (ST, 127).

WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

Implications of such an approach? Seeks the truth of biblical revelation. Seeks to understand God’s revelation of himself

in the scriptures in ways appropriate to the “FORM” of communication (i.e. type of literature)

Reflects on the coherence and unity between the various teachings of Scripture.

It seeks to apply these teachings to life and to contemporary problems.

WHAT IS SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY?

Presuppositions of ST

Systematic

Historical

Philosophical

Biblical

SOME DEFINITIONS:

Erickson Grudem Thoennes

“that discipline which strives to give a coherent statement of the doctrines of the Christian faith, based primarily on the Scriptures, placed in the context of culture in general, worded in contemporary idiom, and related to issues of life” (chap 1)

“Systematic theology is any study that answers the question, ‘what does the whole Bible teach us today?’ about any given topic?” (ST, 21)

“Systematic theology seeks to summarize biblical teaching on particular topics in order to draw definitive conclusions that intersect with life.” (ESV Bible)

KEY ELEMENTS

System Whole bible Q’s

Unity of Biblical

teachings

Contemporary issues

Worldview formation

BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

inductive• texts; authors

Redemptive history•progress

EXAMPLE: KINGSHIP

Patriarchs: no king

Prophecy about Judah

JudgesNeed for a

King

MonarchyDavidic King

Corrupt kings

EXAMPLE: KINGSHIP

Prophets:Root of JesseServant of the Lord

NT:Jesus –

kingship through suffering

Eschaton:consummatio

n

CHALLENGE – INTRO

“The simple fact is, we do not inhabit the ‘world-in-itself’; instead we live in a linguistic world of our own making. As Berger and Luckmann note, human reality is ‘socially constructed reality.’¹

“How can we seek truth in a multicultural world in which various communities offer diverse theological paradigms? In other words, does theology speak about anything objective, or does it content itself with merely articulating the interpretive framework of a specific religious tradition?”

CHALLENGE TO ST: POSTMODERNISM

“Donald G. Bloesch: “a strongly rationalist spirit can even be

discerned” within evangelical theology. “a cluster of significant evangelical writers have,

implicitly or explicitly, drawn on assumptions associated with the Enlightenment, rather than the Christian tradition.”

Carl Raschke Evangelical theology is captive to “secular

philosophy.” In particular, a specific view of knowledge: as a

kind of “seeing;” goal : have a “clear and precise picture of what one is viewing” (p. 213).

CLARIFICATION

Modernism Postmodernism

Confidence in reason’s ability to obtain truth

• Less confidence in what reason can do

• Multiple-ways of knowing

Universal principles of rationality

Knowledge is perspectival

The interpreter should be neutral; objective

• Interpreter is conditioned by worldviews; history

• Plurality of voices

Method is very important Open to different approaches

TOWARDS A RESPONSE:

Strengths of postmodernism: 1. It is critical of some of the values of modernity:

Human reason the final judge of truth. Science as the only method for obtaining knowledge.

2. Rightly emphasizes that our beliefs are shaped by culture, heritage & community.

3. Institutions & traditions can become corrupt.

TOWARDS A RESPONSE 1. Moves in the direction of relativism.

Relativism is self-refuting. Example: “The truth is that there is no truth” (Caputo,

Radical Hermeneutics, 156). Relativism destroys genuine communication. It is possible to distinguish between better and worse

interpretations. 2. It emphasizes unnecessary extremes: either

absolute knowledge or full blown relativism. “Since no reading can escape correction, all readings

are misinterpretations” (Culler, On Deconstruction, 178)

A middle way: I can have SOME true knowledge about SOME thing.

TOWARDS A RESPONSE:

The possibility of systematic theology: Interpretive realism

Acknowledges that we are conditioned. Open to the possibility of discovering truth Our knowledge is Adequate not exhaustive

The basic premise is of a living God who communicates meaningfully to humans. Meaningful communication presupposes certain

standards of rationality. Theology seeks to be “rational” NOT “rationalistic.”

Necessity of ST: Everyone embraces some “theology” Key issue: Is it biblical? Is it consistent?