Warm Up

What is Theology and what does it have to do with religion?

What Is Theology?

Ms. Mullin

Theology < Greek Theos + Logos

Theos = “God”– not a personal name, but a generic title for the divine being– “God” vs. “gods” (more on this below)

Logos = “Word; Phrase; Speech; Reason”– “Talking about…” ; “Study of…”

• Anthropo-logy = “Study of Humans”; Bio-logy = “Study of Life”• Geo-logy = “Study of the Earth”; Zoo-logy = “Study of Animals”

Theology = “Study of God”; “Talking about God”– God’s being, essence, nature, and/or attributes– God’s relation to human beings and the whole world

Philosophy < Greek Philos + Sophia

Philos = “Love; Friendship”– Four Greek words for “love”: eros, philos, agape, storge– Philadelphia = lit. “Love of Brothers” (“City of Brotherly Love”)

– Philanthropy = lit. “Love of Human Beings” (i.e. Charity)

Sophia = “Wisdom”– Wisdom vs. intelligence vs. knowledge vs. understanding

Philosophy = “Love of Wisdom”– Socratic Method: asking questions!– Not just reading books, but dialogue between persons– About what? Everything! Including “God”?

Break: Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIZXfYdkJWs

Theology + Philosophy = ?????

THE STUDY AND EXAMINATION OF MORALITY/ETHICS!

In other words, what does it mean to be good and/or evil?

Can morality/ethics/values be subjective or objective?

Love of Wisdom / Talking about GodQuest for Knowledge / Search for Truth Ancient World:

– Classical Greece: Philosophers– Ancient Israel: Prophets & Priests– Other Cultures: Magi, Physicians, Kings, etc.– No separately specialized “Theologians”

Medieval Universities:– Four Disciplines: Philosophy, Theology, Medicine, Law

Modern Universities:– Liberal Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences,

Engineering, Arts, Business, Education, Religious Studies…

Types of Belief in God(s) – lots of “-isms” Theism Atheism Agnosticism Gnosticism, Polytheism Pantheism, Deism Henotheism, Monotheism Paganism, etc.

Types of Belief in God (I)

Theism– Belief in the existence of a God or any gods– The generic term, of which other –isms are subcategories

Atheism– The opposite: Belief that God and/or gods do “not exist”

Agnosticism– “Not knowing” whether God exists; overall non-belief

Gnosticism– A religious system that believes salvation comes through “knowledge” (Gk. gnosis) of one’s divine origin and destiny

Types of Belief in God (II) Polytheism

– Belief in the existence of “many” (Gk. poly) gods• Egyptian: many gods, mostly in animal form• Greek & Roman: a large family of gods, on Mount Olympus

Pantheism – Belief that divinity resides “everywhere” (Gk. pan)

• The whole universe is divine; divinity is within everything that exists• But there is no “God” separate from or external to the world

Deism– Belief that God created the world, but then abandoned it

• God exists, created us, but exerts no further influence on the world• Based on 18th-century rationalism (e.g. Thomas Jefferson)

Types of Belief in God (III)

Monotheism – Belief in the existence of “only” one God

• What others call “gods” are at most spirits, but not divine– Christians believe in one God, but Jesus & Spirit also divine

• “Trinity” = one divine “nature,” three divine “persons” (not 3 diff. gods)

Paganism– Religions of “others” who don’t believe in “our” God/gods

• Popular connotations negative: pagans, heathens, unbelievers• Academic meaning neutral: all non-Jewish, non-Christian religions

Identifying God (Titles & Names):

Generic Titles:– God / god, Deity, Divine Power, El, Elohim, etc.– Father, Mother, Creator, Lord, King, etc.

Proper Names:– Jewish: YHWH (Yahweh? Jehovah?); Ya/Ja– Mesopotamian: Asherah, Baal; Ishtar, Marduk, Tiamat, etc.– Egyptian: Aten, Horus, Isis, Osiris, Ra, Seth, Thoth, etc.– Greco-Roman / Olympian: Zeus=Jupiter; Athena=Diana; etc.– Muslim: Allah

Talking about God (Philosophically):

God is Absolute (positive & negative):– ALL: omnipotent (all powerful); omniscient (all knowing);

omnipresent (everywhere); omni-benevolent (all merciful)– NOT: invisible (not seen); immutable (unchanging);

immortal (not dying); infinite (not limited); etc.

Language is Limited (analogies & opposites):– God is transcendent (beyond) & immanent (internal)– So God-talk is possible, but always analogical / inadequate– Both/and Approach: via positiva & via negativa

How to obtain favor with God?

Universal Phenomenon of all Faiths– a. Guide to The Answer: What is the meaning

of life/Why am I here?– b. Answer to The Question: To make society

better by becoming better myself.– c. The Golden Rule: Treat others like how you

want to be treated.

Summary / Review

Philosophy & Theology– Philosophy < Greek Philos + Sophia– Theology < Greek Theos + Logos

Types of Belief in God (“-isms”)– Theism vs. Atheism vs. Agnosticism– Deism vs. Pantheism vs. Polytheism– Henotheism vs. Monotheism (incl. Trinitarian Christianity)

Talking about God– Generic Titles vs. Proper Names– Analogical Language: absolutes & opposites

Discussion (25 minutes)

What is a working definition of ethics? Are ethics and morals the same thing? How do ethics and morals influence

personal and community values? Are there some fundamental ethical

principles that transcend all people?

Definitions?

Ethics: is the study of values, of how we ought to live.

Values: are defined as standards or ideals which serve as guides or standards by which we live and make decisions.

Morals: practical applications of ethical principles (i.e. modes of conduct).

Activity

At your tables:– Define 3 general ethical principles and state

why these chosen principles apply to EVERYONE.

Activity

Read Packet 1. DEFINITELY READ THE 5

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS.

Compare and Contrast

Your own ethical practices vs. the 5 ethical business behaviors.

Do you agree/disagree with the behaviours they read about?

Discussion

Why is it important to use ethical behavior? Why would someone want to be ethical in

his or her own life or at work? Should you separate the two? What steps to you take when making ethical

decisions?

Activity: Ethics Role Playing

Read and discuss your assigned dilemma within your group.

Discuss your ethical course of action to take in this dilemma.

READ THE TOP 10 QUESTIONS DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR YOUR DILEMMA

Answer questions in Record Sheet.

Write

Prepare a written explanation and defense of your chosen response/course of action to your dilemma.

Prepare to present to the class.