Definitions Flashcards
(56 cards)
The nature of sin and how it is described in scripture
Nature of the disease determines the remedy 1 thess 1:9-10 Rebellion + False Faith John 8 Death-dealing, Lie-telling. False Claim to Sonship Unable and Unwilling to obey God.
The concept of original sin and where it is supported in scripture
We are counted guilty because of Adam’s sin. We have a sinful nature because of Adam’s sin. We were bound to death through disobedience of Adam. In Adam we are guilty of sinning. We are loosed to death by obedience of Jesus. (Rom 5:12-21 is key passage) Original sin does not deny that we were created with the image of God. It only says that the image is tainted or shattered. See also Eph 2:1-3 / Psalm 58:2-3
Medieval views of sin and grace, especially the via moderna
Via Moderna emphasized the utter transcendence of God. God sets up an arrangement wherein God would accept and provide salvation for humans if a person strove to “do his / her best”. Work to please God and he’ll do the rest with Christ and grace. Baptism brings you into a state of grace. You are then responsible to cooperate with grace throughout one’s life through good works. Penance is anything assigned by the priest, including ritual prayers, attending Mass, going on pilgrimage, and other good works. Purgatory is not another form of hell. It is temporary and is the final stage of penance.
Major contributions of the forerunners of the Reformation
John Wycliff, 1331-1384 - ‘morning star of the Reformation and evening star of Scholaticism’ from north of England, a leading philosopher at Oxford.
Main contribution:
Opposition to transubstantiation: Christ’s spiritual presence rather than physical.
Opposition to priesthood: Christ the only mediator. The church consists of God’s chosen people. Priesthood of believers.
Sola Scriptura: Began translation of the bible into English so that God’s people can have access to God’s Word. And also the emphasis on preaching as the main task of the priest.
The invisible church is the true church rather than a powerful visible institution.
Predestination: Strong affirmation of God’s sovereign act/will suggested that sacraments are the ‘necessary’ nor adequate for salvation. Instead, focuses on the question “has the Lord chosen me?” rather than “how can I be saved?”
Jan Hus, Czech 1369-1415 - teaching at Charles University, Prague and preaching at Bethleham Chapel. Greatly influenced by Wycliff’s teachings. Martyred while promised safe conduct to council of Constance.
Main contribution:
Sola Scriptura: Stressed sole authority of Scripture, hence relativised ecclesiastical authority.
Preaching: because of a). Preaching has an elevated status in church services. The role of clergy was to simply make things clear.
Church: Christ as only head of the body which is the church.
Sin: Only God can forgive sin, against indulgences
Martin Luther’s distinction between law and gospel
Contrary to what his accusers said, Luther did not believe that the law ought to be divorced from the gospel.
Luther believed that the law is related to the gospel in that the law is ‘preparatory’
It shows our sin
It prepares our hearts
And it drives us to the gospel of grace.
The historical and theological factors that led to Luther’s new understanding of justification and the righteousness of God
Luther’s view on justification changed when reading the Romans 1:17 - “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.’”
The word for righteousness in the Latin translation is justificare which carried with it connotations from the Roman judicial system.
Justificare is made up of the words ‘justus’ which is justice or righteousness, and the verb to make in the infinitive form - ‘facare’.
Because of this latin translation, the historical understanding was that we need to be made righteous through the sacraments and through good works.
Luther looked at the Greek word dikaios/dikaiosune which did not mean make righteous but rather to regard righteous, to count as righteous.
Luther understood that the righteousness being spoken of is, what he called ‘justitia alienum’ - an alien righteousness; a righteousness that belongs properly to somebody else. It’s a righteousness that is extra nos, outside of us. Namely, the righteousness of Christ.
Luther said, “When I discovered that, I was born again of the Holy Ghost. And the doors of paradise swung open, and I walked through.”
The historical and theological factors that led to Luther’s new understanding of biblical and ecclesiastical authority
Catholic abuses
Cycle of Penance, confession/absolution etc.
1510 Luther’s visit to Rome, horrified by lack of spirituality.
Larger background of decline and corruption of papacy, Fifth Lateran Council by Pope Julius II tried to solve some of the problems but failed.
Treasury of Merit (1343->): Pope controls a stock of grace, so you can store up yourselves good works.
Via Moderna
Although it had a higher view of scripture than medieavel theology, it still subjected Scirpture to auth of pope. This is Luther’s background - but he distances himself from it.
Luther’s dev. of doctrine.
Debate with Cajetan over Indulgences, and then with Eck over Papal authority (1519). Luther argues that Matt 16:18 doesn’t confer on the Pope the authority to interpret Scripture
In Babylonian Captivity (1520) he argues that the church is produced by the Word and not the other way around.
By Worms (1521) he is clear on Sola Scriptura.
The leading events that resulted in the Reformation (e.g., Luther’s 95 theses, Diet of Worms, etc.)
Discontent with the Church - corruption of the papacy/extra taxes/plague followed by churches exploitation of remaining labour/inquisition. Luther horrified by lack of spirituality in Rome.
Greek New Testament 1516. Repent replaces do penance. Mystery vs. sacrament.
Luther’s 95 theses (1517) - attacked indulgences (legend of it being nailed to wittenburg castle door) Repentance and faith alone (not works) being enough for salvation. They were widely distributed after being translated from Latin to German. Power of printing press.
Thesis 82: If it is true that the Pope can free souls from Purgatory, he should do it freely out of love.
Luther summoned and a number of debates and calls to recant followed until Luther excommunicated in 1521. (luther burned the papal bull)
1521 Diet of Worms - Luther told to recant but not able to debate. His writings to be burned. Luther escapes and starts translating the NT.
Key theological and ecclesiastical differences between Luther and Rome (e.g., sola scriptura, sola fide, solus Christus, sacraments)
Scripture alone vs. papal authority - popes and councils erred. Conscience captive to Word of God.
Justification by faith alone (“joyful exchange”) vs. semi-pelagian theology of “congruous merit”=doing what you can and God makes up the rest with Christ’s works or with indulgences. (See ““On the Freedom of a Christian”)
No distinction between priesthood and laity (priesthood of all believers) vs. ecclesiastical authority (See “To the Christian nobility of the German Nation)
Law and Gospel distinctions.
Simul justus et peccator (simultaneously righteous and sinner)
Grace received by faith alone, not through the sacraments controlled by priests (See “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church). Only 2 sacraments, not 7.
Key biblical texts in support of penal substitutionary atonement
Substitution: Exodus 12 - Passover; Lev 16:21-22 - Scapegoat
Penal substitution: Isaiah 53 → Acts 8:32-35 & 1Peter 2:22-25
Gal 3:13; 2 Cor 5:16-21 - important because alongside faith-union.
Know the differences between various theories of the atonement (Christus Victor, Moral Government, Exemplarist, etc.)
‘Restoration’/’Re-creation’
God’s plan for his fallen creation is to renew or restore it,
That is secured for us by being in Christ
When we are in Christ we are raised with him in his resurrection life.
At this point we must distinguish between recreation views of redemption:
those which exclude other views (nothing else needed)
those which fit with other views and do not exclude them.
The exclusive recreation/restoration view runs like this:
God’s goal is met fully through our dying and rising with Christ. We have the new life of the new age in him.
Penalty aims simply at restoring the status quo ante (how things were before the incident took place) which does not extend as far as the new, better, re-created world.
Problem: Where is judgment carried out?
Moral Governmental / Rectoral view of redemption
Justice is hugely important in God’s government of the world.
Therefore God can’t ‘simply forgive’ because the world requires moral government.
God must decisively express his opposition to sin.
‘Christ’s death was designed…to exhibit for all time God’s true attitude toward sin, and to enable repentant sinners to receive free forgiveness without jeopardising the demands of this world’s moral government.’
Key point: Christ’s death was demonstrative of God’s attitude to sin.
Problem: Where is the punishment for sin?
Exemplarist View
Humans need guidance about how to live
The Cross shows humans how to die and obey God.
Problem: where is the punishment for sin?
Problem: if I am to follow God’s example, do I not have something here in which to boast?
Vicarious Repentance
God righteously judges sin
Humans ought to assent obediently to that judgement - to say ‘amen’ to it
BUT sin stops humans doing that - we don’t assent to his judgment on sin.
Christ repents in our place.
The Cross is:
God’s righteous judgement on sin
The ‘amen’ of God’s obedient servant (Jesus) to divine judgement as He dies under divine judgement.
Problem: for there to be a right punishment for sin, the right person has to be punished.
Demonstration
humans are estranged from God and are hostile to Him
the sacrifice of the Cross shows how God prizes relationship with humans
it awakens love in our previously hostile hearts
we are reconciled to God.
Problem: is God’s judgment kept?
Problem: leave room for boasting?
Solidarity
Humans think God doesn’t care and resort to strategies like atheism as a ‘protest’ against an uncaring God
In the Cross Christ dies as one of us, in particular as one of the victimised and oppressed (so he identifies with us).
It is exactly the category of victimised and oppressed that produces most strongly our feelings that God doesn’t care
SO dying as one of that class shows us God does care and protest atheism etc are not justified
SO we turn back to relationship with God.
Problem: no recognition here that I, as one of the downtrodden and oppressed am also guilty of sin.
‘Christus Victor’/’classical’/’dramatic’
Humans are oppressed by powers like sin, death, law, Satan.
Humans need deliverance
Humans cannot deliver themselves ⇨ they need a champion
Christ in Cross and Resurrection conquered these foes (Cross as victory)
Christ has delivered us
Problem: there is a lot about this view that is good and we probably need to emphasise more, but emphasising this in an exclusive way is problematic because we need to say at some point that justice is done.
Overarching Issues in understanding the atonement:
Justice must be done.
There must be no room for boasting.
This leads to the need for penal substitution.
Penal substitution
‘…Jesus Christ our Lord, moved by a love that was determined to do everything necessary to save us, endured and exhausted the destructive divine judgement for which we were otherwise inescapably destined, and so won us forgiveness, adoption and glory’ (Packer)
Calvin’s theological differences with Sadoleto
Antiquity: Calvin claimed the reformers, not Rome, were faithful to scripture and the historic church.
Schismatics?: Sadoleto claimed the reformers were schismatics; Calvin that they were prophets. Calvin wanted unity, but insisted it be around God, not church institutions.
Doctrine of Church: Sadoleto believed the RC church was ‘THE church’. Calvin disputed this, claiming ‘the’ church is the society of all saints, universally and in all ages, bound together by one doctrine and the one Spirit of Christ.
Eucharist: Sadoleto claimed the reformation doctrine around the Eucharist confined Christ’s spiritual power within bodily limits (because they denied transubstantiation, saying Christ is in heaven and therefore cannot be bodily present in the elements). Calvin denied this, saying Christ is everywhere spiritually present.
Justification by Faith: Sadoleto charged the reformers with encouraging antinomianism. Calvin defended justification by faith, arguing it must necessarily lead to regeneration and increasing holiness.
Irenaeus’s understanding of Christ as the second, last Adam
- Irenaeus (early 2nd century – c.AD 202) understood that the work of “Recapitulation” is the redemption of humanity through the second Adam – Jesus Christ.
- When Adam fell in the Garden, humanity fell with him and is represented by him.
- The only redemption possible is based upon the work of the second representative and eschatological Adam, Jesus Christ, who is promised in the garden of Eden (the serpent crusher – Genesis 3:15).
- Redemption is not universally unlimited but only for those who are federally and covenantally represented by Christ. Those not in Christ are still in Adam.
- Christ’s humanity is therefore very important, because he represents and restores humanity back to the full image of God/likeness of Christ.
- Genesis 3:15, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, and Romans 5:12-21 are key verses.
The 39 Articles’ understanding of justification
Article 11 - Of Justification of Man
Accounted righteous only by Christ’s merit, not our own works or deservings.
Justified by faith only - this is pastorally wholesome and comforting for us.
Points to Homily on Justification called “Of the Salvation of all Mankind” in the First Book of Homilies.
Article 12 - Of good works
Good works are the fruit of a true and lively faith, and follow after justification, and in this sense are pleasing to God.
Good works cannot however put away sin or endure God’s judgement
Article 13 - On works before Justification
Works done before Justification and the grace of Christ, actually have the nature of sin. They do not make us worthy of receiving grace.
Article 14 - Of works of supererogation
To teach that you can do more than God has commanded is arrogant and impious, we are all unworthy servants (Luke 17:10).
Article 15 - Of Christ Alone without sin
Christ took on full humanity in every way the same as us, except without sin. As the spotless lamb his sacrifice takes away the sins of the world.
Understand the major developments that led to the changes from Henry VIII to Edward VI to Bloody Mary to Queen Elizabeth (you don’t need to know all the specifics, just the major differences between these rulers)
1509: Henry VIII becomes king - part of the Catholic Church.
1517: Martin Luther & protestant Reformation begins.
1525: Henry wants a divorce from wife Catherine. The Pope won’t give Henry a divorce, still Catholic.
1533: Thomas Cranmer becomes Archbishop of Canterbury. Cranmer gives Henry a divorce. Pope excommunicates Henry.
1534: Henry splits from Rome and makes himself head of the Church in England.
1539: All monasteries closed, land and property now belongs to the king. Despite changes Henry still wants English people to believe in the main ideas of the Catholic Church. Protestants ideas can be punished by death.
1547: Henry dies and his son, Edward VI, becomes king.
Edward is still a child. His uncle, Edward Seymour, controls government. Protestant ideas now legal.
Many of the men in power are Protestant. Thomas Cranmer writes a new prayer book.
1553: Edward dies, aged 16. His sister, Mary I (Bloody Mary), becomes queen. Mary is a Catholic, hates Protestantism.
1555–6: The Catholic Church is restored in England. Protestants are arrested. About 300 are burned at the stake. One of those executed is Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.
1558: Mary dies (of illness). Her sister, Elizabeth I, becomes queen.
1559–63: Elizabeth wants to unify England religiously. Through the Elizabethan Settlement she establishes the Church of England. The queen is the “supreme governor” of the Church of England. Perhaps this is the golden age for the Reformation in the English Church, many of the key clergy are Magisterial Reformers.
1603: Elizabeth dies. End of Tudor’s reign. During her time as queen, there were attempts to get rid of her and replace her with a Catholic ruler. None worked. Succeeded by James I (previously James VI King of Scotland) End of Tudors ,beginning of Stuarts reign.
Neo-nomianism
Neo-nomianism: “New- law-ism” - the idea that the gospel presents a new “law” the requirements of which are simply faith and repentance. Associated with Richard Baxter (1615-1691). Opponents suggest that it detracts from the work of Christ, as if suggesting that humanity is saved by their own faith and not by Jesus.
• Know the major representatives of the New Perspective on Paul and their main arguments. Understand the Reformed critique of these NPP arguments.
Paul’s time was not the hypocritical legalistic system it has traditionally been thought of as- it had a “firm grasp of grace” and was based on “covenant nomism”; GET IN by grace STAY IN by law.
All agree on this but differ on what Paul was objecting to= new perspectiveS on Paul
Sanders: There was no ”problem” with Judaism at Paul’s time, except that Judaism wasn’t Christianity. If Jesus was a new way, the old way must’ve been inadequate
James Dunn: Paul objects to ethnocentrism and nationalism within Second Temple Judaism. “Works of Law” in Paul are “nationalistic boundary markers”- a badge of belonging.
NT Wright: Justification/ righteousness all to do with being a member of God’s people. OT- Israel vs Nations, marked out by LAW. NT- God’s people vs non-Christians, marked out by faith.
Reformed Critique:
The extra-biblical material is not as monolithic as Sanders makes out- there is a lot variation in the attitudes of Second Temple Judaism
The New Testament does not define ‘righteous’ or ‘justified’ in terms of belonging (though this is a corollary) - see e,g, Luke 18 the parable of the tax collector and Pharisee- Tax collector went home justified.. But both Jewish. Also Romans 1:18 and 3:10 NO-ONE is righteous
Even Old Testament has different definition- e.g. Sodom- couldn’t find anyone righteous- not about ethnicity but faith and action.
Know the major representatives of the English Reformation and their significant contributions and theological emphases
William Tyndale 1495-1536: linguist trained at Oxford
Scripture: translation from original greek and hebrew to english. His English New Testament were smuggled into England. Provided basis for the AV or KJV.
Justification by faith.
Absolute authority of kings
Thomas Cranmer 1489-1556
Redirected Henry VIII to seek out universities for resolution of Lev 20:21 regarding marriage to Catherine. One step of breaking ties with Rome.
Crafted the Church of England 42 Articles of faith later reduced to 39, the BCP and homilies that brought protestant doctrine eg justification by faith to the masses.
Denied purgatory, limited sacraments and stressed justification by faith.
Scripture upheld. Oversaw Matthew’s Bible in every church. Also the major advocate which led to the official publication of the AV or KJV English Bible.
Ordered against pilgrimages, offerings to images or relic.
imputation
Imputation happens through faith union - righteousness is imputed to us and our sin is imputed to Christ.
2 Cor 5:16-21 - He became sin so that we might become righteous
Romans 4
Romans 5
Phil 3:9 - Righteousness is dependent on faith in Christ.
active / passive righteousness
According to Luther:
Active righteousness is the way in which we treat other people and do good, but as we are sinful, we can never earn salvation this way.
Passive righteousness is that we have Christ’s righteousness imputed on us so we can be in a right standing with God.
original sin
Gen. 2:17 Gen. 3:6 Psalm 51:5 Romans 5:12-19 1 Cor. 15:22
doctrines of Grace
Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin) Psalm 51:5, 90:8-9 Jeremiah 17:9 Romans 3:23 Ephesians 2:1 Unconditional Election Deuteronomy 7:7-8 Ephesians 1:4-8 Romans 9 Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement) John 10:11-15, 17:9 Isaiah 53:12 Irresistible Grace John 1:12-13, 6:37,44 Romans 8:14 Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved) Romans 8:38-39 John 6:39
What is the order of the divine decree according to Infralapsarianism, Supralapsarianism, Amyraldianism, Arminianism?
NB. The following aren’t meant to be the order things happen in, but the order in which God decrees things to happen in eternity, before the creation of the world.
Infralapsarianism - articulated at Dort (1618).
God authorizes fall
God elects (saves some, condemns others)
God saves.
Supralapsarianism - Theodore Beza (1519-1605)
God elects (saves some, condemns others)
God authorizes fall
God saves.
Amyraldianism - Moses Amyraut (1596-1664). This is also called ‘hypothetical universalism’. It is basically a way of getting rid of ‘Limited Atonement’.
God authorizes fall
God decrees atonement, which in theory could work for all.
God elects those who will be saved by faith.
Arminianism - Arminius (1560-1609)
God authorizes fall
God saves
God gives all sufficient grace and ‘free will’ to turn to him.
“Predestination” or rather, foreknowledge, of those who ‘improve sufficient grace’. So God sees who will choose turn to him.
monergism/synergism
Monergism - humans are saved by God, through Spirit alone.
Synergism - God saves humans, but man helps a bit.
