
Theology for the Community of God
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Content
- Intro
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction: The Nature and Task of Theology
- The Theological Task
- The Historical Development of Theology
- Developments in the Meaning of the Term
- The Need for Theology in the Church
- The Task of Theology and the Church
- The Relationship of Theology to Other Concepts
- Theology and Faith
- Theology and Religious Studies
- Theology and the Sciences
- Theology and Truth
- The Ongoing Nature of the Theological Task
- Dangers in the Theological Enterprise
- Substitution
- Dogmatism
- Intellectualism
- Theological Method
- The Sources for Theology
- The Reformation Debate
- Contextualization and Experience
- The Threefold Norm of Theology
- The Integrative Motif of Theology
- Representative Alternatives
- The Kingdom of God
- The Community of God
- The Eschatological Community
- The Structure of the Theological System
- Theology and Ethics
- Part 1 Theology: The Doctrine of God
- 1. The God Who Is
- The Reality of God in an Era of Atheism
- In the Era of the Bible: Which God?
- The Rivalry of the Gods
- The Universality of God
- In the Christian Era: Does God Exist?
- The Ontological Argument
- The Cosmological and Teleological Arguments
- The Moral Argument
- The Rise of Intellectual Atheism
- The Critique of the First Cause
- The Critique of the Concept of God
- The Elimination of the Idea of God
- Theology and the Modern Situation
- The Assertion of the Uniqueness of Christianity
- The Reformulation of the Proofs
- The Appeal to Anthropology
- Christian Faith in the Contemporary Context
- Knowledge of God in an Era of Agnosticism
- The Claim to Know God and Intellectual Agnosticism
- Epistemological Agnosticism
- Logical Positivism
- Agnosticism and the Incomprehensible God
- The Means to Knowledge of God
- Knowledge of God through Reason
- Knowledge of God through Religious Experience
- Knowledge of God through God's Self-Revelation
- Knowing God
- Knowing God as Subject
- Knowing God in History
- Knowing God and the Concept of Community
- 2. The Triune God
- Trinitarian Doctrine in Theological History
- The Situation of the First Christians
- The One God
- Jesus' Lordship
- The Spirit's Presence
- Historical Development of Trinitarian Doctrine
- The Deity of Jesus
- The Deity of the Spirit
- Formulating Trinitarian Doctrine
- Trinitarian Doctrine in Post-Cappadocian Theology
- Eastern and Western Conceptions
- The Filioque Controversy
- Decline of the Doctrine
- Recovery of the Doctrine
- The Formulation of Trinitarian Doctrine
- The Content of Trinitarian Doctrine
- God Is One
- God Is Three
- God Is a Diversity
- God Is a Unity
- The Filioque and the Relational Trinity
- Analogies to the Trinity
- The Theological Implication of Trinitarian Doctrine
- Love as the Essence of God
- Love and the Inner Dynamic of God
- Love as the Fundamental Divine Attribute
- Love and the Divine Holiness, Jealousy, and Wrath
- Love and the Other Moral Attributes
- Trinitarian Doctrine and Christian Life
- Trinitarian Prayer
- Trinitarian Ethics
- 3. The Relational God
- The Nature of the Relational God
- God as (a) Being
- God as Transcendent and Immanent
- God as Spirit
- Hegel's Conception of "Spirit"
- The Biblical Conception of "Spirit"
- Theological Implications
- God as Person
- The Philosophical Concept of "Person"
- Personhood and God's Relationship to the World
- Personhood and God
- The Name of God
- The Divine Attributes
- The Attributes and the Divine Substance
- The Medieval Debate
- The Doxological Position
- The Division of the Attributes
- The Eternal God
- Eternality and Our Experience of Time
- Attributes Related to God's Eternality
- The Good God
- Holiness
- Compassion
- God as the Moral Standard
- The Practical Importance of the Attributes
- 4. The Creator God
- God as the Creator of the World
- The Creation of the World as the Act of God
- The Free Act of Creation
- The Loving Act of Creation
- The Creation of the World as a Trinitarian Act
- The Role of the Father
- The Role of the Son
- The Role of the Spirit
- The Act of Creation and the Sovereign Creator
- Present and Final Sovereignty
- De Jure and De Facto Sovereignty
- God's Future
- The Time of Creation
- Creation as Past
- Creation as Future
- Creation and Essence
- God as the Providential Administrator of the World
- "Community" as God's Purpose for Creation
- The Doctrine of Providence in Recent Theology
- The Classical Position
- Providence in Liberal Theology
- The Destruction of Providence
- God's Administration of His World
- Preservation
- Concurrence
- Government
- Part 2 Anthropology: The Doctrine of Humanity
- 5. The Human Identity and Our Origin in God
- Our Place in Creation
- Humankind and the Cosmos in Changing Cultural Contexts
- The "Premodern" Answer
- The Modern Answer
- Christian Faith and the Insights of Anthropology
- The Concept of "Openness to the World"
- The Theological Significance of the Concept
- "Openness to the World" and General Revelation
- The Question of General Revelation in Theology
- The Meaning of General Revelation
- The Place of General Revelation in Theological History
- The Theological Importance of General Revelation
- Revelation in the Human Person
- Revelation in Nature
- The Limit of General Revelation
- God as Our Origin
- The Existential Significance
- God as the Ground of Personal Existence
- God as Universal Father
- The Essential Significance
- Our Temporal Origin
- The Question of the "First Human"
- The Traditional Position
- The Mythical View
- The Underlying Hermeneutical Question
- The "First Human" and Evolution
- Considerations in the Evolution Debate
- Adam as a Historical Person
- Anthropology and Our Temporal Origin
- The Temporal Beginning of Humankind
- The Temporal Beginning of Each Person
- The Unity of Humankind
- 6. Our Nature as Persons Destined for Community
- Our Ontological Nature
- Autonomy versus Determinism
- The Focus on Autonomy
- The Focus on Essence
- The Christian Perspective
- Human Substances
- The Idea of Substantial Entities
- The Trichotomist and Dichotomist Viewpoints
- Substantial Entities and Modern Theology
- The Contemporary Wholistic Alternative
- Death and the Whole Person
- The Origin of the Soul
- Traditional Alternatives
- The Classical Debate and the Contemporary Context
- The Soul and Our Ontological Nature
- Humans as the Image of God
- The Image of God in Theological History
- The Structural View
- The Relational View
- The Dynamic View
- The Image of God in the Bible
- The Divine Image in the Genesis Creation Narratives
- The Divine Image Elsewhere in Genesis
- The Image of God in the New Testament
- The Theological Significance of the Image of God
- The Divine Image as a Special Standing
- The Divine Image as a Special Fellowship
- The Divine Image as an Eschatological Reality
- The Divine Image as a Special Community
- 7. Sin: The Destruction of Community
- The Nature of Sin
- Biblical Terms for Sin
- Old Testament Words for Sin
- New Testament Words for Sin
- Sin and the Human Person
- Sin Infects the Core of Our Being
- Sin Perverts Goodness
- Sin Is Universal
- The Essence of Sin
- Sin as Failure
- Sin as Disruption of Community
- Sin as Revealed in the Gospel
- Original Sin
- The Fall of Humankind-the Fall of Adam
- The Garden
- The First Sin
- Consequences of the First Sin
- The First Sin and the Sin of Humankind
- Historical Suggestions
- The Reality of the Fall
- Original Sin and Guilt
- The Question of Guilt in Theological History
- The Biblical Basis for the Reformed View
- The Reality of Original Sin
- The Results of Sin: Our Human Situation
- Alienation
- Condemnation
- Enslavement
- Depravity
- 8. Our Spiritual Co-Creatures
- The Nature of the Spiritual Realities
- Angelology in Christian Theology
- The Middle Ages: Speculative Angelology
- The Reformation: Biblical Angelology
- The Enlightenment: Rejection of Angelology
- Contemporary Theology: A Renewed Interest
- A Biblical Theology of Angels
- Definition
- Angels in the Old Testament
- Angels in the New Testament
- A Biblical Theology of Demons
- Definitions
- Demons in the Old Testament
- Demons in the New Testament
- A Biblical Theology of Satan
- Names Related to Satan
- Satan in the Old Testament
- Satan in the New Testament
- Angelology and Structures of Existence
- The Structures of Existence
- The Function of the Structures
- The Existence of Structures
- Structures of Existence and the Bible
- Structures and Spiritual Beings
- Structures and the "Powers"
- Structures and Governance
- A Theology of the Structures
- God's Intent for the Structures
- The Evil Manipulation of Structures
- Structures and Christ
- The Demonic and Superstition
- Superstition and the Old Testament
- The Old Testament Opposition to Superstition
- The Presence of Superstition in Israel
- Superstition and Idolatry
- The Status of the Powers Lying behind Superstition
- The Reality of the Powers
- The Powers as Unreal
- A Christian Stance toward Superstition
- Part 3 Christology: The Doctrine of Christ
- 9. The Fellowship of Jesus the Christ with God
- Foundations: Jesus, the Divine One
- Development of the Affirmation of Jesus' Deity
- Christological Controversy in the Second Century
- The Arian Controversy
- The Basis of Christology
- The Foundation of Our Christological Affirmation
- Jesus' Sinlessness
- Jesus' Teaching
- Jesus' Death
- Jesus' Claim
- Jesus' Resurrection
- Jesus' Claim and His Resurrection
- The Historical Foundation and Faith
- Implications: Jesus as One with God
- Jesus' Unity with God
- Function versus Ontology
- Jesus as the Revealer of God
- Jesus' Fellowship with the Father
- Jesus' Compassion
- Jesus' Special Fellowship with God
- Jesus' Lordship
- The Cosmic Lord
- Our Personal Lord
- The Lord of History
- 10. The Fellowship of Jesus the Christ with Humankind
- Jesus as a Human
- Development of the Affirmation of Jesus' Humanity
- Apollinarianism
- The Council of Constantinople
- Jesus as Sharing in True Humanness
- Jesus and the Conditions of Human Existence
- Jesus and Human Growth
- Implications of Jesus' Humanness
- Jesus as the True Human
- The Foundation for Affirming Jesus as the True Human
- The Foundation in Jesus' Earthly Life
- The Foundational Importance of the Resurrection
- Jesus' Claim to Uniqueness
- The Content of Our Affirming Jesus as the True Human
- Jesus and the Resurrection
- Jesus and Community
- Jesus and the Upward Fall
- Jesus as the New Human
- Jesus as the Universal Human
- Jesus and the Marginalized
- Jesus and Women
- Jesus and the Individual
- 11. The Fellowship of Deity and Humanity in Jesus
- Jesus as Divine and Human
- The Historical Debate concerning Jesus' Person
- The Nestorian Controversy
- The Eutychian Controversy
- Christology after Chalcedon
- The Reformation Debate
- The Foundation for Affirming the Unity
- Jesus as the Word
- Jesus as the Son
- The Relationship between Deity and Humanity in Jesus
- Jesus and Revelation
- Jesus and Community
- The Incarnation
- The Incarnation in Theological History
- The Kenosis Theory
- Modifications to the Kenosis Theory
- The Incarnation as the Paradox of Grace
- The Critique of Incarnational Christology
- Criticisms of the Traditional Understanding
- Significance of the Incarnation
- Jesus' Preexistence
- The Problem of Preexistence
- The Meaning of Preexistence
- Jesus and Preexistence
- The Virgin Birth
- The Historical Context of the Modern Debate
- Affirmations of the Virgin Birth
- Reinterpretations of the Virgin Birth
- Current Debate about the Virgin Birth
- Protestants and the Virgin Birth
- Roman Catholics and the Virgin Birth
- Points of Debate concerning the Virgin Birth
- Theological Arguments
- Historical Arguments
- Textual Arguments
- The Virgin Birth and Christology
- 12. The Mission of Jesus
- The Vocation of the Earthly Jesus
- Fulfilling the Old Testament Hope
- Jesus as the Prophet
- Jesus as the Messiah
- Heralding the Divine Reign
- The Centrality of the Kingdom
- Jesus as the Son of Man
- The One Sent to Die
- Jesus' Consciousness of His Death
- Jesus as the Suffering Servant
- Jesus' Self-Consciousness
- The Atonement and the Mission of Jesus
- The Atonement in Theological History
- Dynamic Imagery
- Objective Imagery
- Subjective Imagery
- Modifications to Anselm's Theory
- The Significance of Jesus' Death in the New Testament
- Jesus' Death as Our Example
- Jesus' Death as Our Ransom
- Jesus' Death as Our Expiation
- Jesus Is Our Reconciliation
- Jesus' Death and Us
- The Atonement and the Human Predicament
- Our Reception of Christ's Atonement
- The Atonement and Community
- Christ's Substitution
- The Ongoing Work of Christ
- The Exaltation
- Jesus' Present and Future Ministry
- Jesus' Present Ministry
- Jesus' Ongoing Ministry
- Implication of Jesus' Ongoing Ministry for Prayer
- Part 4 Pneumatology: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
- 13. The Identity of the Holy Spirit
- The Spirit in Salvation History
- The Holy Spirit and the Old Testament Era
- The Spirit of God in the Old Testament
- Functions of the Spirit of God in the Old Testament
- Eschatological Direction of Old Testament Pneumatology
- The Holy Spirit and the Christ
- Jesus-the Bearer of the Spirit
- Jesus' Promise concerning the Coming Spirit
- Pentecost-the Fulfillment of Jesus' Promise
- The Spirit and the Community of Christ
- The Significance of Pentecost
- The Holy Spirit and the Risen Lord
- The Spirit in the Trinitarian Life
- The Foundation of Pneumatology in the Immanent Trinity
- The Basic Identity of the Spirit
- The Deity and Personhood of the Spirit
- The Holy Spirit and the Economic Trinity
- A Basic Understanding
- Aspects of the Spirit's Identity as the Power of God
- His Identity as the Eschatological Creator Spirit
- 14. The Spirit and the Scriptures
- The Spirit as the Foundation of Scripture
- Inspiration and Illumination
- The Concept of Inspiration
- The Concept of Illumination
- The One Act of the Spirit
- Functional and Canonical Approaches
- The Development of Scripture in the Community
- The Risk of Subjectivism
- The Task of the Spirit Speaking through Scripture
- Scripture as the Source of Spiritual Sustenance
- The Constitutional Role of Scripture
- The Bible and Revelation
- The Concept of Revelation
- Barth's Proposal
- Revelation in the Bible
- Revelation and Scripture
- The Bible as Revelation
- The Bible as Derivative Revelation
- The Bible as Functional Revelation
- The Bible as Mediate Revelation
- Biblical Authority
- The Trustworthiness of Scripture
- Verbal, Plenary Inspiration
- An Infallible, Inerrant Bible
- Biblical Authority and the Authority of the Spirit
- The Extent of Biblical Authority
- Our Sole Authority
- Our Authority in All of Life
- 15. The Dynamic of Conversion
- The Individual Aspect of Conversion
- Repentance
- Faith
- Our Response: Repentance and Faith
- The Divine Aspect of Conversion
- The Spirit's Activity in the Conversion Process
- Conviction
- Call
- Illumination
- Enablement
- Conversion and the Baptism of the Spirit
- Modern Pentecostalism
- Pentecostal View of Spirit Baptism and Tongues
- An Evaluation of the Pentecostal Position
- Spirit Baptism, Conversion, and Spirit Filling
- The Community Aspect of Conversion
- The Role of the Community in Conversion
- Proclamation of the Gospel
- Incorporation into a New Community
- Conversion and Church Initiation Rites
- Historical and Contemporary Positions
- The New Testament Teaching
- Conversion as Faith Expressed through Baptism
- 16. Individual Salvation: The Wider Perspective
- The Process of Salvation
- Conversion
- Conversion and the Human Predicament
- Conversion and the Establishment of Community
- Sanctification
- The Concept of Sanctification in the Bible
- The Theological Concept of Sanctification
- The Sanctification Process
- Perfectionism
- Glorification
- The Eternal Context of Salvation
- Divine Election
- The Controversy over the Five Points of Calvinism
- The Decrees of God
- Election to Community
- The Ordo Salutis
- Historical Perspective
- Representative Positions
- The Order of Salvation and the Future Community
- Part 5 Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church
- 17. The Church-The Eschatological Covenant Community
- The Church as a Covenant People
- Ekklesia
- The Nation, the Body, and the Temple
- The Nation of God
- The Body of Christ
- The Temple of the Spirit
- The Church as Mystical, Universal, and Local
- The Marks of the Church
- The Classical Alternatives
- Biblical Consideration
- Balanced Congregationalism
- The Church as the Sign of the Kingdom
- The Biblical Conception of the Kingdom
- Old Testament Teaching about the Kingdom
- The Kingdom and Jesus
- The Biblical Drama of the Kingdom
- The Kingdom and the Church
- Church and Kingdom in Christian Thought
- The Church in the Kingdom
- Ecclesiological Implications
- The Church as Community
- The Basis in the Covenant and the Kingdom
- The Community of the Covenant
- Community and the Divine Purpose
- Community and the Divine Nature
- The Church as the Image of God
- The Church and the Spirit
- 18. The Ministry of the Community
- The Purpose of the Church
- The Church in God's Purposes
- The Church and the Purpose of Creation
- The Church and the Glory of God
- God's Purpose in Glorification
- The Mandate of the Church
- Worship
- The Focus of Worship
- The Means of Worship
- Edification
- Aspects of Edification
- The Church as a Praying People
- The Church as Community to Its Believers
- Outreach
- Outreach as Evangelism
- Outreach as Service
- 19. Community Acts of Commitment
- Acts of Commitment and the Church
- The Function of Acts of Commitment
- Sacrament or Ordinance
- The Meaning of "Ordinances"
- Commitment Acts and Community
- The Number of Commitment Acts
- The Historical Question
- Two Acts of Commitment
- Baptism: The Seal of Our Identity
- Background and History
- The Meaning of Baptism
- The Symbolic Significance of Baptism
- The Eschatological Orientation of Baptism
- Baptism and the Community
- The Impact of Baptism
- The Working of Baptism
- Baptism as a Divine Act
- Baptism as a Human Act
- Baptism as a Divine-Human Act
- The Subjects of Baptism
- Baptism and Faith
- Infant versus Believer's Baptism
- The Mode of Baptism
- The Lord's Supper: Reaffirming Our Identity
- The Presence of the Lord in the Celebration
- The Development of Transubstantiation
- The Protestant Reaction
- The Meaning of the Lord's Supper
- The Question of Terminology
- The Orientation to the Past
- The Orientation to the Future
- The Orientation to Community
- Our Presence at the Lord's Supper
- The Importance of Our Presence
- The Presence of Others at the Table
- 20. The Organization for Community Life
- Membership in the Community
- Community Membership in the First Century
- Baptism and Community Membership
- The Legacy of the Reformation
- The Pure Church Ideal
- Initiation into the Community
- Baptism after the First Century
- Sectarianism versus Denominationalism
- Beyond Denominationalism
- Community Structures
- The Government of the Community
- Models of Government
- New Testament Considerations
- Balancing Autonomy with the Associational Impulse
- Government within the Communities
- The Congregationalist Dilemma
- The Foundation of Democratic Congregationalism
- The Democratic Congregational Ideal in Practice
- Leadership for the Community
- Offices in the Communities
- Church Offices in the New Testament
- Church Offices in the Ecclesiastical Tradition
- New Testament Offices and Today's Church
- Offices of the Community
- The New Testament Background
- The Pastoral Office
- Ordination by the Community
- The Basis for the Practice of Pastoral Ordination
- The Biblical Foundation for Ordination
- The Theological Foundation for Ordination
- The Significance of Ordination
- The Meaning of the Act
- The Ordaining Body
- The Ordaining Event
- Part 6 Eschatology: The Doctrine of Last Things
- 21. The Consummation of Personal Existence
- The Significance of Death
- The Problem of Death
- The Problem of Definition
- Death and the Meaning of Life
- The Biblical Trajectory
- The Old Testament: Death as Ambiguous
- The New Testament: Hope in the Face of Death
- The Theological Significance of Death
- Death and the Biological Realm
- Death as Loss of Community
- Death's Loss of Ultimacy
- Overcoming Death in the Resurrection
- The Nature of Culminated Personal Life
- Contemporary Visions of the Culmination of Life
- The Christian Hope
- The Possibility of the Resurrection
- Hope in the Face of Death
- Competing Visions of Life after Death
- Death as the Entrance into Eternity
- Soul Sleep
- Conscious Existence of the Soul
- Biblical Insight into the Intermediate State
- The Old Testament Concept of Sheol
- The New Testament Basis for an Intermediate State
- The Biblical Conception of Life beyond Death
- The Situation of the Righteous beyond Death
- The Foundation: Hope for Resurrection
- The Realm beyond Death
- 22. The Consummation of History
- The Meaning of History
- Christian Hope in a Changed Context
- From Optimism to Pessimism
- The Challenge of a Pessimistic World
- Corporate Eschatology and the Biblical Message
- The Prophetic Vision
- The Apocalyptic Vision
- The Significance of History
- The Basic Characteristics of History
- History as God at Work Establishing Community
- The Presence of Community in and beyond History
- History's Goal as "Already"
- History's Goal as "Not Yet"
- The End as Grace
- The End as Judgment
- The Climax of History
- Apocalyptic and Millenarianism
- The Millennium in Christian Theology
- Postmillennialism
- Amillennialism
- Premillennialism
- The Deeper Issue of Millennialism
- Postmillennial Optimism
- Premillennial Pessimism
- Amillennial Realism
- Our Ultimate Hope
- The Era of the Imminent End of History
- The Biblical Understanding of Our Age
- The Eschatological Timetable
- 23. The Consummation of God's Cosmic Program
- The Transition from Creation to New Creation
- The Judgment of the Cosmos
- The Certainty of Cosmic Judgment
- The Purpose of Cosmic Judgment
- The Judgment of Humankind
- The Certainty of Our Judgment
- The Time of Our Judgment
- The Basis for Judgment
- Our Presence at the Judgment
- The Nature of the Judgment
- Eternal Rewards
- The Dark Side of the Judgment
- Universalism
- The Place of Universalism in the Church
- The Foundation of Universalism
- Difficulties with Universalism
- Conditional Immortality
- Its Presence in the Church
- The Foundation of Annihilationism
- Difficulties with Annihilationism
- The Reality of Hell
- The Foundation of the Doctrine
- Hell: The Eternal Tragedy
- The New Creation
- The New Creation as the Renewal of the Cosmos
- Renewal as the Completion of Creation
- The Relationship of the New to the Old
- The Implication of Cosmic Renewal
- The New Creation as Fullness of Community
- A Place Where God Is Present
- A Place of Fellowship
- A Place of Glorification
- 24. The Significance of Eschatology
- Eschatology as Insight into the Present
- Eschatology as God's Call in the Present
- The Foundation for God's Eschatological Call
- The Biblical Precedence
- The Implications for Theology
- Aspects of God's Eschatological Call
- A Call to Evangelism
- A Call to Holiness
- A Call to Steadfastness
- Eschatology as Insight for Living
- Eschatological Living as Hopeful Involvement
- Eschatological Living as Realistic Engagement
- Our Actions as Effective
- Our Actions as Penultimate
- Eschatological Living in the Light of the Eternal
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