Premium Essay

Contemporary Theology

In:

Submitted By michaelc
Words 1983
Pages 8
Summary of Contemporary Theology Western society is in the midst of a vast cultural and intellectual upheaval that is profoundly changing our world. Just as the 16th and 17th centuries were a transition from medieval to modern periods, the late twentieth century is beginning to move us from modernity to a new "postmodern" era. Because we are only at the beginning of this shift, it remains clear that God’s purpose is to: fill the earth with His glory (Numbers 14:21, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 60:1-4, Habakkuk 2:14 Matthew 6:13, Colossians 1:27), the consummating third day expression of God to the earth. The purported changes will intensify the glory of God and bring the church to full disclosure of divine mystery and revelation. Contemporary theology is therefore the study of lost truth dating back to the mid 18th and 19th century trends in theological thought by prophets and apostles of both the Old and New Testament including but not limited to Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, John, Paul, Peter, with special reference to theological options of the present, third-day Christians. The purpose of contemporary theology is to seek—in language and thought—to reformulate the truths given to us by previous generations, and to articulate and conceive a new vision for the twenty-first century. The overarching thesis of contemporary theology is the need for the revelation of truth by the spirit of God. This truth is the only transforming agent of the New Testament. This truth is revealed by the Holy Spirit. The declaration of this truth therefore will precipitate divine revelation which will lead us to transformation. Peter, the disciple, led by the Holy Spirit penned “I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth”. (II Peter 1:12). The truth heralded in the scriptures has been

Similar Documents

Free Essay

The Importance of Biblical Theology for the Contemporary Church

...Running Head: INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD PAPER Intertestamental Period Paper: Antiochus Epiphanes William Callister Liberty University December 8, 2013 This paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for NBST 510 – New Testament Introduction. INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD PAPER 2 Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 3 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 4 The Persian Empire .......................................................................................................... 4 Cyrus the Great (539-530 BC) ........................................................................................ 4 The Decline of Israel (530-331 BC) ............................................................................... 5 The Greek Conquerors ..................................................................................................... 6 Alexander the Great (331-320 BC) ................................................................................. 6 The Ptolemaic Period (320-198 BC)............................................................................... 6 The Seleucid Period (198-167 BC) ................................................................................. 7 Antiochus IV Epiphanes as a Ruler .........................................

Words: 3901 - Pages: 16

Premium Essay

Missio Dei

...Introduction to Pastoral Theology (P7101B) Assessment 2 – Class Presentation DEFINITION OF MISSIO DEI What is ‘missio dei’? It is a Latin theological term, which literally means ‘the mission (or the sending) of God’. Although the concept is as old as the Bible itself, the theology of missio dei originated in an essay written by noted theologian Karl Barth in 1932. It did not gain wide acceptance until 1952, when it was presented at the Willingen Conference of the International Missionary Council Meeting. Throughout history, God has been working towards the restoration of His creation – this is the essence of missio dei. God has been calling on His people, from within and beyond the church, to take part in this ongoing mission to build His Kingdom on earth. David Bosch in ‘Transforming Mission’, defines missio dei as: “God the Father sending the Son, God the Father and the Son sending the Spirit, and the Father, Son and Holy Spirit sending the church into the world”. He goes on to state that, “Mission is not primarily an activity of the church, but an attribute of God. God is a missionary God. Mission is thereby seen as a movement from God to the world; the church is viewed as an instrument for that mission. There is church because there is mission, not vice versa. To participate in mission is to participate in the movement of God’s love toward people, since God is a fountain of sending...

Words: 3109 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Problem of Evil

...EVALUATING THE TYPES OF EVIL III. ATHEISTIC AND SKEPTICAL ARGUMENT IV. FREE-WILL THEODICY V. POSSIBLE WORLDS VI. THE ALTERNATIVE APPROACH VII. CONCLUSION VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION Evil is a universal problem with many categories. Philosophers like David Hume and Alvin Plantinga have attempted to explain the presence of evil despite there being a God. One can choose from many theodicies on moral and natural evil. Lately work has shifted to the notion of gratuitous evil. If gratuitous evils exist, is God morally responsible? Gratuitous evil and natural evil appears to bring the most plausible charge that something malevolent has occurred. This paper will critique various arguments concerning evil. Biblical Theology will show that the arguments are missing a key to understanding evil. EVALUATING THE TYPES OF EVIL The complexity involved in addressing evil persuades us to define what is meant by natural and moral evil. It is noted, by Steven Layman, that the distinction between natural and moral evil is not always sharp. It is Erickson who provides very distinctive definitions. Natural evil are the destructive forces of nature. Forces of nature such as earthquakes and hurricanes are out of the control of man, and due to the resulting suffering are deemed evil. Moral evils are those evils committed by free moral agents. Moral and natural evil are at time corollary. Layman suggests that among the losses of natural evil is the loss of moral agency...

Words: 3583 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Sample Paper

...touched, appropriate touch normally is and should be a source of pleasure to both giver and receiver. The proposed paper will respond to these theses with a caution: contemporary literature on child sexual abuse points out that abusers of children also, and especially, profess to embrace these beliefs. Neither a simple boundary distinction (do not touch particular persons in particular places) nor a test for intent (do not intend to harm or violate) adequately responds to the challenge posed by this fact. Thus it will argue that an adequate Christian ethic of touch depends on the possibility of developing powerful psychological and theological distinctions between nurturing and violating touch. The psychological prong of this argument will draw upon extensive contemporary research on child sexual abuse to argue that abusers either pursue an imagined egalitarian mutual love with their victims or use abuse to gain a sense of empowerment over them. In theological terms the root problems are a mis-labeling of the object of love (the good the lover desires); of the object’s true needs (the gift the lover offers); and of the union with the beloved (the character of mutual delight). The paper will argue that, theologically, “good touch” is a matter of rightly-ordered love and that a critical, feminist retrieval of love theology yields categories and distinctions that begin to illumine the so-far unordered category of touch between unequals. Sources Sources to be drawn up on include...

Words: 423 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The God-Is-Dead Theology

...GOD-IS-DEAD THEOLOGY A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO DOCTOR RICHARD ELLIGSON PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF CHURCH MINISTRY BY EL-FATIH J. AJALA (25927535) THEO 510 LUO LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA JULY 21, 2013 Introduction Paul Enns in his book The Moody Handbook of Theology states of theologians who profess this theology, “deny all forms of traditional ontology and allow for no sovereign and unconditioned Being but only a ‘God’ who at some point in the dialectic wills His own self-annihilation” and that, “man must learn to live without God.”[1] The lack of universal truth in our lives in this 21st century can be directly attributed to the lack of morals and moral values begun in the 19th century; and which took root in the 20th century; and might be the death of man in the 22nd century. In stating that God is dead, it has to be shown that: * Is God dead? * Science and technology can solve the world’s problems * God died as a transcendent God when Christ died * The Bible is narrative (i.e. myth) This review of the God-Is-Dead theology focuses on these four questions. Is God Dead? In an article written in the Chicago Tribune in 1963 it is stated that two men (Thomas Altizer and William Hamilton) experienced the death of God. Upon this statement, a “theology” was born...

Words: 3468 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Religious Affiliation in Contemporary Japan: Untangling the Enigma

... 3/4, Feminism and Religion in Contemporary Japan (Fall, 2003), pp. 315-338 Published by: Nanzan University Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30234053 . Accessed: 02/04/2014 10:26 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. . Nanzan University is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 137.132.123.69 on Wed, 2 Apr 2014 10:26:21 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Studies30/3-4:315-338 Journalof Religious Japanese x 2003 Nanzan Institutefor Religionand Culture YAMAGUCHISatoko[JriMf- Christianityand Women in Japan After a brief introduction to the situation of Christian or church-going women in Japan, articleintroducesa feministtheologicalgroup,the Centhis ter for Feminist Theology and Ministryin Japan,as one of the diverse new feminist movements among Christianwomen and men. This Center was founded in 2000 for feminists doing theology in the particularcontext of Japanwhere...

Words: 10250 - Pages: 41

Premium Essay

The Advncement Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age

...In: Religion Topics The Advancement BOOK CRITIQUE of The Advancement: Keeping the Faith in an Evolutionary Age L. Russ Bush APOL 500 (Summer 2013) Introduction to Apologetics Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Edwin S. Krzyzek (ID# 25767621) June 16th, 2013 Introduction The scales of theology have shifted. The balance of human epistemology has shifted from a higher creator to cosmic accident. The vast majority of history has shown humans to be theistic; the most recent dot on the string of time has been that of naturalism. Where Christianity has dominated western thinking for so long, it now finds itself in the minority voice of reason. Even Christians themselves have taken to blending their views to remain contemporary. L Russ Bush addresses this proliferation of naturalism in The Advancement. Brief Summary Bush produces an eight chapter discourse on the evolution, propagation and fallacy of a view that espouses inevitable naturalistic progress. One that believes biological life and humans in particular are evolving into a constant state of improvement. That believes science to be the replacement of God. Bush coins this worldview, “the Advancement”. Bush says that Christian stability has been replaced by naturalisms unstable relativity. Meaning no longer has meaning. Truth itself is subjective and new is always better. Bush begins by introducing a number of pre-modern and modern philosophers. Bush succinctly steps us through...

Words: 361 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Book Review of Bush the Advancement

...Building a sound theology of worship is very important for the worship leader for a myriad of reasons. One reason for a theology of worship is one must have a sound foundation in doctrinal truths so you are presenting spiritual facts to the worshippers. Professor Whaley made this astute observation; people don’t leave church humming the sermon points. When the worship is filled with songs not reflecting sound theological truths, the people are leaving with nothing of substance left in their heads. In building a theology of worship you are committing to praising the God who is, was and ever shall be, the great I AM. This is not a light undertaking or one which can be performed with no foundation. Another reason to build a theology of worship is that Jesus is God/King/High priest. He came to die for us and to give us a way to worship God directly through him. He was killed, buried and resurrected to give us direct access to the spirit of God inside our own selves. When we worship him with a heart filled with pride we are doing a disservice to the sacrifice God made for us. Jesus was identified and proclaimed the Lamb of God through his baptism. His baptism was a representation of the ceremonial cleansing of the priests in the Old Testament. We are not offering to God a proper sacrifice of praise if we are not acknowledging and praising Jesus’ very position as our Lord and Savior through our worship time. Every aspect of our worship must announce to God that we are his and that we...

Words: 562 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

The Life of Michael Servetus

...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY The Life of Michael Servetus A Research Paper A Paper Submitted to Dr. Jerry Sutton In Partial Fulfillments Of The Requirements For The Course CHHI-525 History of The Christian Church II BY Andrea Gearing Cumming, Georgia August 17, 2012 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 MICHAEL SERVETUS EARLY LIFE-------------------------------------------------------3 BRIEF SUMMARY OF MICHAEL SERVETUS WORKS-------------------------------6 THE TRINITY AND MODERN SCHOLARSHIP-----------------------------------------9 MICHAEL SERVETUS THEOLOGY------------------------------------------------------10 CONCLUSION---------------------------------------------------------------------------------14 BIBLIOGRAPHY------------------------------------------------------------------------------17 INTRODUCTION The first time I was introduced to Michael Servetus, I was a student at Liberty University. I had never heard of this important figure in History. At any rate, I had begun to find ways to learn more about him. It was on a Wednesday night, one week before the night of my church Bible study that I had to submit a discussion board question of Michael Servetus in church history. I arrived at Bible study with Michael Servetus in my spirit. When I arrived at church my pastors opening statement was: "In 1553, Michael Servetus was burned at the stake for what I am going to...

Words: 4362 - Pages: 18

Free Essay

Hume and Religion

...Religious Philosophers and Speculative Atheists Interpretations of Hume's philosophy of religion are often made against the background of more general interpretations of his philosophical intentions. From this perspective, it is not unusual to view Hume's views on religion in terms of the skepticism and naturalism that features prominently in his Treatise of Human Nature (1739-40), his first and most ambitious philosophical work. According to the account that is now widely accepted in the scholarly literature, Hume removed almost all the material in the Treatise that was concerned with religion because he was anxious to avoid causing any “offence” among the orthodox. In his later works, beginning with an Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748), Hume began to present his views on this subject in a more substantial and direct manner. This culminates in his Natural History of Religion (1757) and Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (1779; published posthumously) – both of which are entirely taken up with philosophical issues in religion. The linkage between these various works, on this account, is that the later writings on religion are simply an extension and application of the sceptical and naturalistic principles that Hume developed in his earlier writings. While it is certainly true that there is an intimate connection between Hume's scepticism and naturalism and his irreligious objectives and orientation, it is not evident that this relationship should be understood...

Words: 1814 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

God Is Dead

...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY A Select Issue in Contemporary Theology: God-Is-Dead Theology Submitted to Dr. Lee Mitchell, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the course THEO 510 – B01 Survey of Theology by Kevin Curtis July 1, 2014 Table of Contents Introduction/Thesis Statement 1 The French Revolution 2 Immanuel Kant Albrecht Ritschl Friedrich Nietzsce 3 Bultman Bonhoeffer Van Buren Hamilton Altizer Conclusion 4 Bibliography 5 Introduction/Thesis Statement One of the most difficult questions today posed to Christian believers is to prove the existence of God. It by all appearances seems that the Christian belief, far more than any other is under attack by groups who are opposing not just belief in God but also a direct attack on religious freedom. By religious freedom the author here does not focus on the right to choose your religion, but to practice it openly without fear of legal retaliation or of retaliation of any kind. The God-Is-Dead Theology is not a new belief but has existed since the late nineteenth century with its roots founded in statements made by Friedrich Nietzsche who lived from 1844 and died in 1900. The sole purpose of this paper is to show the historical workings of those “theologians” who created the God-Is-Dead theology, how it got its possible rise stemming from the events of the French...

Words: 2461 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Data Theory

...through the implication of religious research that is being increased through the means of social scientific instruments. Different aspects on religious studies and scientific methods can be applied in these studies. However, this paper will scrutinize some of the methodologies that can be applied in understanding the empirical side of religion through the stimulation of the correct standards of discussions and researches. This is due to the dire need for the reflection of the consequences and theological impacts that are associated with research models and concepts that are connected to the humanities and those related to religious research. These research methodologies can be evaluated using numerous developments found in the empirical theology that are clearly noticed from a methodological point of...

Words: 1423 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Divine

...r Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Dennis Bratcher A paper presented to the Breckenridge Conference on Clergy Preparation I. Introduction II. Synergism: A Biblical and Theological Base III. The Church's Mission and Ministry: A Recovery of Balance IV. Divine-Human Synergism in Ministry Footnotes Bibliography I. Introduction The Issue In Context The Church In this series of conferences begun last year, we are in process of reflecting on the direction and focus of the ministry and ministerial training in the Church of the Nazarene as our community of faith moves into the twenty-first century. We have attempted to approach our task from two complimentary perspectives, caricatured last year as the "field" of hands-on work and the "realm" of reflective inquiry (although I think there are serious problems inherent in such an artificial dichotomy of responsibilities). -1-  From our initial attempts, it has become obvious that we face a multiplicity of issues in such an endeavor. The range and diversity of these issues arise partly from the variety of theological, historical, and practical concerns operating with each of us as individuals and partly from the assumptions and perspectives imported from particular arenas of ministry. One common element that keeps reappearing in various forms is the issue of the nature and mission of the Church. This issue is not unique to our enterprise in these conferences, as the new eleventh Article of Faith on...

Words: 14067 - Pages: 57

Free Essay

Business Entities

...Christian Education DR.JT. Roberson Final Examination December 7, 2011 Robin Johnson 1. How was Christian Education conducted for African Americans during slavery and while was operational? Christianity and Education was of utmost importance to the African culture. Africans came to America with a rich and dynamic heritage, which they tried to preserve. Black religion, like Black people, began in Africa. In trying to find a starting point of Christian Education, many scholars believe it may be found in the sacred text of the New Testament. Africa’s contribution to Black religion is well known and John Jackson is an advocate of this position. He has cited several legacies of Egypt to Christianity. Education was an experience that was required by each person in a tribe. The community to which one belonged defined what it meant to be human. To be human was to belong to a community and participate in beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies of that community. African Education was the oral instruction that emerged through their music, dance, folk tales, rituals, proverbs, poetry, and so on. These tools served as instruction. Slaves during the Antebellum Period formed new ideas and practices on their own that pronounced longing for freedom. These meetings were held in the brush harbors and praise houses, and were thus coined the “invisible church”. Story and song were the sources of education during this period of slavery. This oral communication was used as the education structure...

Words: 1713 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Sceince

...Study Guide: Lesson 3 The Importance of Philosophy for Christians Lesson Overview In our last lesson for this module/week, we examined why developing the philosophical mindset is important for people in general. In this lesson, we want to ask that question specifically for Christians. What value does philosophy have for Christians? We will begin by examining the biblical basis for developing a philosophical mindset. We will discuss the biblical mandate for philosophy and three elements in fulfilling that mandate. We will then survey a number of roles that philosophy functions for Christians. Finally, we will examine the role that the Bible plays in doing philosophy. Tasks Read and take notes from chapter 3 of Philosophy: Critically Thinking about Foundational Beliefs, “What Athens has to do with Jerusalem: The Importance of Philosophy for Christians.” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions: • Know the historical and literary background to Col 2:8. Paul starts this passage off with a Greek term “blepete” meaning “beware” or “be on your guard.” Then follows this with a strange phrase that literally means “to be carried off as booty” but here is probably meant more like “kidnap” The literal wording here is actually “philosophy and vain deceit” knowing the historical and literary context of this passage one can see that Paul is not condemning philosophy in general. He is contrasting two kinds of philosophy: one that is based...

Words: 677 - Pages: 3