The Presuppositions of Theology and The Authority of the Christian Community

8/3/2019 The Presuppositions of Theology and The Authority of the Christian Community

1/35

BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

A Detailed Outline View of

an Eschatology that isbased upon the Moral

Character of GodSection I: Introductory Materials and Preliminary

Considerations

Dale Moreau

12/31/2011


2/35

Page 1 of34

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I:INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS AND PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................ 3

I INTRODUCTION. ............................................................................................................................................... 3

1. QUESTION WHERE WILL IT ALL END? ............................................................................................................. 3

2. ANSWER IN HIM WITH WHOM IT HAD ALL BEGUN........................................................................................... 3

II THE TWO PRESUPPOSITIONS OF ESCHATOLOGY ARE: .......................................................................... 3

1. HE WHO HAS MADE CREATION IS BRINGING BACK ALL OF IT UNTO HIMSELF. .................................................... 3

2. ALL THAT WHICH HAS BEEN CREATED BY GOD WILL FULFILL ITS INTENDED PURPOSE EXCEPT REBELLIOUS

MEN AND SPIRITS........................................................................................................................................................ 3

III ESCHATOLOGY............................................................................................................................................. 3

1. ETYMOLOGY. .................................................................................................................................................... 3

2. THE BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF ESCHATOLOGY INCLUDES:......................................................................... 4

IV THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. ....................................................................................... 4

1. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE AUTHORITY OF BIBLICAL REVELATION. ............................................... 4

2. QUESTION AND ANSWERS ABOUT CHRISTIAN AUTHORITY. ............................................................................... 5

V THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE EARTH. ............................................................................................................ 6

1. PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. ...................................................................................................................... 6

2. PILLAR 1-ONTOLOGY THE FIRST PILLAR OF THE EARTH. ............................................................................... 6

3. PILLAR 2-AXIOLOGY THE SECOND PILLAR OF THE EARTH. ............................................................................ 8

4. PILLAR 3-EPISTEMOLOGY IS THE THIRD PILLAR OF THE EARTH........................................................................ 9

5. PILLAR 4-METHODOLOGY IS THE FOURTH PILLAR OF THE EARTH. ................................................................. 29

VI WAYS TO LOOK AT REALITY.................................................................................................................. 30

1. THE GREEK WAY IS DESCRIPTIVE AND REFLECTIVE AND ASKS THE QUESTION, WHAT DOES

IT LOOK LIKE?........................................................................................................................................................ 30

2. THE LATIN WAY IS WITH WHAT METHOD DOES ONE USE TO LOOK AT REALITY (LATIN - QUI

MODO AND ASKS THE QUESTION, HOW DOES IT WORK? ......................................................................... 30

3. THE HEBRAIC WAY IS FUNCTIONAL, THEOLOGICAL, PHENOMENOLOGICAL AND PRE-

SCIENTIFIC................................................................................................................................................................ 30

VII THE FIVE PRESUPPOSITIONS OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT. ................................................................. 31

1. GOD IS. .............................................................................................................................................................. 31

2. GOD SPEAKS. ................................................................................................................................................... 31

3. MAN CAN UNDERSTAND GOD WHO SPEAKS. ......................................................................................... 31

4. AS THE WORLD IS NOW, IT ORIGINALLY WAS NOT, NOR SHALL IT ULTIMATELY BE. ............... 31

5. GOD HAS NOT REVEALED ALL OF WHO HE IS, BUT FROM WHAT HE HAS REVEALED, IT IS

TRUE WITH WHO HE IS. THIS IS BASED ON ONE OF TWO POSSIBLE PRESUPPOSITIONS ................... 31


3/35

Page 2 of34

VIII PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR A STUDY OF GOD. .............................................................. 31

1. INTRODUCTION. ............................................................................................................................................. 31

2. TWO CONTRASTING APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF GOD. .............................................................. 32


4/35

Page 3 of34

A Detailed Outline View of an Eschatology that is based on the Moral Character of God

Section I: Introductory Materials and Preliminary Considerations

I Introduction.1. Question Where will it all end?2. Answer In Him with whom it had all begun.

II The two presuppositions of eschatology are:1. He who has made creation is bringing back all of it unto Himself.2. All that which has been created by God will fulfill its intended purpose except

rebellious men and spirits.

III Eschatology.1. Etymology.

A. The term eschatology comes from the Greek word eschatos and has twomeanings:

1). It means lastin the sense with what happens to persons and things atthe conclusion of each ones existence.

2). It meansfinal in the sense with closing out the last or final chapter of abook.

B. Christian existentialisms view of eschatology.1). Eschatology may also be a study of that which is ultimate and highest

in terms of values and quality in time.

A).Ultimate in the sense with what makes up the quality of timethat defines one historical and eternal event over another andfulfills and brings the purpose and functions of each historical

and eternal event to a close or to completion.

B).This view is not concerned with clock time or those seconds,minutes, and hours which are the measurements of time but is

concerned with those events that fill up and givedistinctiveness and meaning to time.


5/35

Page 4 of34

C).The ancient Hebrew would ask, What is the purpose orfunction of a particular period of time and has it fulfilled its

purpose and function?

D).The Greek termpleroma means those events that are in timeand space and make that particular point in time to bequalitatively distinct from any other time of history.

2). The Biblical understanding of revelation includes revelation ordisclosure of those values of the divine, demonic, human and eternal

through men in historical events.

2. The Biblical understanding of eschatology includes:A. The culmination of time in which time and space will cease to exist by turning

into the eternal order at the end of days when Christ comes again, and,

B. Fulfilling history with spiritual and eternal values that come from God and intomen and give meaning to and bring its purposes and functions into completion

this is founded on three principles of the revelatory norms.

1). The principle of the promise-fulfillment motif of revelatory norms inwhich every promise that comes from God will always bring a larger

fulfillment until it fills up and comes to a completion or fulfillment.

2). The principle that is built on the divine undertaking in which God wasenlarged by the experiences that took place in the incarnation and are

on-going and will continue after time is turned into eternity at thesecond coming of Christ.

3). The principle that wherewith Gods moral character abides so doesevil in lesser force and that wherewith evil abides so does the moral

character of God abide in greater force.

A).This constant contradiction and tension that exist betweenGods moral character and evil and abide in history will

continually grow throughout history and culminate into an

Anti-Christ principle of evil in the latter days.

B).But rest assured the moral character of God will win out overevil in the end through His might and power.

IV The authority of the Christian faith.1. Questions and answers about the authority of Biblical revelation.


6/35

Page 5 of34

A. Question Is it true because it is in the Bible or is it in the Bible because it istrue?

B. Answer It is in the Bible because it is true if it is any other way, the Biblewould be a book of inflated egos and lose any credibility with which it

possesses.

2. Question and Answers about Christian authority.A. Question - What is the primary authority of the Christian faith?B. Answer It starts with God The authority of the Christian Community is a

stair-step model which includes:

1). The moral character of the Triune God,2).

As revealed in Scriptures,

3). As conveyed through heritage, and,4). As made real and met in corporate and individual experiences.

A).The authority of the Christian community is a stair-step modelthat starts from the top step (the moral character of the Triune

God) to the bottom step (corporate and individual experience).

B).The top step of the stair case - the moral character of the TriuneGod has authority over each lower step.

i. The moral character of the Triune God has authority overScripture, heritage, corporate, and individual experience.

ii. But the revelation which is in Scriptures has authorityover heritage, corporate and individual experience but has

no authority over the moral character of the Triune God.

iii. And Christian heritage has authority over corporate andindividual experience but has no authority over the


7/35

Page 6 of34

revelation that is in Scripture and the moral character of

the Triune God.

iv. And corporate experience has authority over individualexperience but both corporate and individual experience

has no authority over heritage, revelation of the Scripture,and the moral character of the Triune God.

V The four pillars of the earth.1. Preliminary considerations.

A. The four pillars of the earth are the requirements for all knowledge andunderstanding; and without them, one is not able to reason about or know

anything.

B.

Whether one does or does not acknowledge or recognize it, the four pillars ofthe earth are required of all discipline if there is to be any discourse andmeaning for a subject matter.

2. Pillar 1 - Ontology the first pillar of the earth.A. This is the study of being or of what exists.

1). The question of the Christian community is, What is?2). Answer The Christian Community has answered, The Creator and

the created.

B. What has God created?1). Spiritual beings that are two dimensional in existence.

A).Socio-psychic dimensions (mental and social).B).Ultimate or dimensions (spiritual).

2). Mankind who is three dimensional in existence.A).Biochemical dimensions (physical).B).Socio-psychic dimensions (mental and social)C).Ultimate dimension ( spiritual).

3). Animals that are two dimensional in existence.


8/35

Page 7 of34

A).Biochemical dimensions (physical).B).Socio-psychic dimensions (mental and social).

4).Stuff that is one dimensional in existence.

A).Biochemical dimensions (physical).B).Do plants have a primitive socio-psychic (mental and social)

dimension?

C. What is being, existence and reality?1). Reality.

A).Definition.

i. What is reality?ii. Reality is anything that is capable of having relationships

and affecting others.

B).Being is a subcategory of reality.i. What is being?

ii. Being is that part of reality which has the capacity forrelationships within its own sphere.

C).Existence is a subcategory of reality and being.i. What is existence?

ii. Existence is that part of reality that has time and spacerelationships.

a. For one to exist he must have being and live intime and space.

i). All existence has ontological being.ii).However, not all ontological being has

existence.


9/35

Page 8 of34

b. Is there non-being or any form of being whichcan turn into non-being or be totally obliterated?

i). Jean Paul Sartre says being can beturned into non-being or totally

obliterated (see Sartres Being andNothingness 1943 Edition).

ii).Conditional immortality (the just of Godshall be saved while the remaining shall

be obliterated into non-existence)stresses the good get their reward in

while the bad go into non-being or non-

existence.

iii).Annihilationism stresses that part ofGods creation which has rejected Himshall be turned into non-existence ornon-being.

2). The moral being of God is the most important existence for man.3. Pillar 2 - Axiology the second pillar of the earth.

A. Axiology is the study of values or of what is important in life.1). The Christian Community understands man to be a value-pursuing

being rather than a rational being with which the Greeks made to beparamount.

2). What a person loves and pursues determines more than all the powersof his or her reason and intellect.

3). This postulate of man with being a value-pursing being revolutionizesreason, intellect, education and all other phases of life.

B. The Christian Communitys question is, What is important?1). Those things which have being or are coming into being (such as the

birth of a new born child).

A).Greek thinking about being.i. The Greeks believed being was more important than is

non-being.


10/35

Page 9 of34

ii. The Greeks believed that which has potential was beingor real.

B).Christian thinking about being.i.

The Christian Community sees God to be the mostimportant value.

ii. The Christian Community believes that which haspotential is not being for all being must have life that is

capable of having relationships with God, self and others.

2). Those things by which one knows.A).The Greek philosophers said the cardinal sin was ignorance.B).

The Judeo-Christian Community says the cardinal sin isdisobedience to God.

3). Those things with which one possesses or has.4). Those things with which one does.5). Those things with which one relates.

A).To the Christian Community, relating or relationships is themost important value.

B).The Christian Community says life is not life unless you areable to relate to God, self, and others.

6). Those things to which one gives obedience.4. Pillar 3 - Epistemology is the third pillar of the earth.

A. This is the study of knowing or of how do you know anything.B. The Christian Communitys question is, How do you know?

1). Reflection - this is the use of logic or deductible reasoning.A).The premise of reflection is in the ability of an argument to

logically extend to conclusions that are not absurd or

contradictory to proven truth.


11/35

Page 10 of34

i. All arguments must not fall into reductio ad absurdum(Latin for reduction to the absurd) whereby a propositionis disproved by following its implications logically to an

absurd consequence.

a.

A common type ofreductio ad absurdum isproof by contradiction (also called indirect

proof), where a proposition is proved true byproving that it is impossible for it to be false.

i). That is to say, ifA being false impliesthatB must also be false and it is known

thatB is true, thenA cannot be false and

thereforeA is true.

ii).Where such an argument is premised ona false dichotomy, the ostensible proof isa logical fallacy.

b. Reductio ad absurdum is the logic ofmathematics but also of the world of ideals inphilosophy.

ii. Reductio ad absurdum is a process of refutation of anargument on the grounds of its absurdities; and patentlyuntenable consequences would ensue from accepting the

item at issue.

iii. The consequences of an absurd argument takes on threeprinciple forms:

a. A self-contradiction (ad absurdum).b. A falsehood (ad falsum or even ad impossibile).c. An implausibility or anomaly (ad ridiculum or

ad incommodum).

B).Straight line thinking.i. Major premise (ex. All men are equal).

ii. Minor premise (ex. John is a man).iii. Conclusion (ex. Therefore, John is equal).


12/35

Page 11 of34

C).Dialectical thinking or back and forth reasoning as proposed bySocrates and then reinvented by Hegel.

i. Basis of dialectal thinking.a.

Thesis a governing wisdom that is popular andaccepted to being true.

b. Antithesis an idea that opposes the governingwisdom by combating it.

c. Synthesis After the battle is over, a newconsensus appears and becomes the new

standard of governing wisdom.

ii. Paradox or seemingly logical contradictions is the literarytool of the dialectician.

iii. This can destroy absolutes unless there is a general truthor standard which governs this method.

iv. The moral character of God is the standard which canredeem this way of thinking.

D).Inductive reasoning.i. Characteristics.

a. This form of reasoning examines causes andworks its way from cause to effect.

b. This is to reason from the particular unto thegeneral.

c. This form or reasoning uses experimenting andexperience.

ii. Empirical knowledge.a. That knowledge which comes from observation.b. This type of knowledge is the method of science.

2). Intuition.A).This is the hunch method of knowing something.


13/35

Page 12 of34

B).I feel it in my gut type of reasoning.C).Thomas Kuhn The Structure of the Scientific Revolution

stresses every scientific discovery came from intuitive

responses or a hunch.

3). Phenomenological knowledge.A).This is prevalent in the Bible.B).This type of knowledge is what comes from ones senses.C).This view is not based in science but is based upon what makes

up the natural and spiritual world when met by ones senses ofsmell, touch, taste, hearing, sight, hunches, and faith.

i. Ex. when I touch a fire, I know it is hot.ii. Ex. when I hear the birds chirping, they sing to God.

iii. Ex. when it snows, sleet, rain, or hail, God must have astorehouse of snow, rain, sleet, hail, etc. that is located in

heaven and opens up when the earth needs it.

iv. Ex. - sunset, sunrise, or references to sun and starsmoving.

D).Phenomenology is very important to understand the Biblebecause in Scripture it:

i. is the alternative way of thinking to either empiricalscience and hangs ups on inductive data, or,

ii. is the alternative way of thinking to deductive reasoningand hang ups on the a priori (knowledge or justification

is independent of experience).

iii. In phenomenology one allows the sense data to determinethe categories under which to organize thinking about

God. - When one says "allow the sense data to determinethe categories," what is meant by it? (this is very crucial

to understand Biblical thinking):


14/35

Page 13 of34

a. What that means is, you have a bit ofqualia, animpression of the way with which sense datastrikes us, the way something appears to us.

i). God is not the subject of empirical databecause He is the basis of empiricalknowledge and data and the basis of all

reality.

ii).Lets say a scientist who is a marinebiologist says to another, My boss hasassigned me to study only things that are

called water or the make-up of H2O, but

I cannot find water anywhere.

aa. The marine biologist saysthis because it never hasoccurred to him that watersurrounds him on a

constant basis and that he

only sees through waterrather than looking directly

at water and misses the

very thing that surrounds

him.

ba. Its the idea that one cannotsee the forest because of thetrees the individuals units

that are called trees make

up what is called a forestand we see so many

individual trees that the

forest as a whole is lost.

ca. Therefore, because God isthe basis of reality, the

ground of Being (For inhim we live and move and

have our being Acts

17.28), and when we try tolook for God and to see

Him directly, we have a

tendency to lookthroughrather than directly at Him

because He is the medium


15/35

Page 14 of34

in which we live and who is

the ground of all being thatsurrounds all creation and

reality.

iii).The only way to the search for and findGod, other than through the revelation of

Scripture, is not to look for empiricaldata or evidence of His existence but to

look for a co-determinate or trace of

Him in reality and creation.

aa. Thus, one looks for thesignature or trace of God in

creation much like onelooks for the trace or aura

of a neutrino.

ba. One cannot photographneutrinos directly but one

can photograph their auraor trace when neutrinos

react with other particles,

and when one sees that aura,

one knows neutrinos exit.

b. Atheists are hung up on empirical knowledge.i). Thats why so many of them (not all by

many) insist that we have no information

about God or that you cannot verify God.

ii).God cannot be the subject of empiricaldata because He is not given to sense

data since He is the basis of sense dataand all reality.

aa. That's because God is notjust another object

alongside objects in

creation.

ba. God is not just anotherthing because God is thebasis of reality and things.


16/35

Page 15 of34

E).Knowledge and faith in the Bible are not opposed with eachother but are equally matched.

i. Knowledge, in the Bible, is not pure scientificobjectifying cognition, but is an act whose meaning is

drawn in part from the usage that makes, for example, thesexual union of man and woman to be a knowing, or a

special knowledge that only belongs to men and womenwhen in and after sexual union with one another.

ii. Faith is no second-class knowledge in the Bible becauseit is directed toward a first-class object (God and human

life are first-class objects in the Bible) and it possesses a

first-class certainty because it is grounded in a first class

knowledge of God and humanity.

iii.

Faith, like knowledge of God, is that act of the wholeperson in which God is apprehended, acknowledged,accepted, and affirmed ( by earthen vessels who see in

a mirror dimly - 2 Cor. 4:7)

C. The Christian community must use all forms of reasoning from man and use thereasoning which comes from knowing spiritual values and principles that are

from God.

1). Part of the way to knowledge is by faith.A).Faith is to believe something to be true before one can accept it.B).Faith also affirms the way toward wisdom and not just intellect

alone by acting upon that part of knowledge with which youhave accepted to be true.

2). The way into true knowledge is to use the conscious mindin unitywith the deep mindthat is referred by the Apostle Paul to be therenewed mindof man in Christ (Rom. 12:2; II Cor. 4:16; Eph. 4:23;

Col. 3:10; Titus 3:5).

A).In Biblical thought, man is never divided into a compartmentsor classes such as body, rational mind and soul.

B).Man is looked upon as a whole unit which functions as a wholeself that takes on many dimensions including spiritual, physical,

mental, communal, and social and so forth.


17/35

Page 16 of34

i. The wholeness of man points to a deep mindwhich fallsin love with values and articulates itself through thecentral-self that functions through the mind, both

conscious and unconscious, and then expresses itself

outwardly through the body.

a. The deep mind(Biblical word is heart) willplace the living Christ to be the supreme valuethat is above all else (For a deeper

understanding of the use of the word heartin

the Bible, read, Dallas Willard,Renovation of

the Heart, 2002, Navpress Publishing Group).

i). The word heartin the Bible does notstand for emotions as many learned menof theology have suggested (only two

instances ofheartas referring to emotionare found in I Sam. 1:8 and 2:1).

ii).The Biblical word heartrefers to and isinseparable from the mindand the abilityto understanding deep spiritual things

both demonic and divine (Prov. 23:7,

Deut. 9:4, Isa. 10:6, Matt. 9:4, James

1:26).

iii).The heart, in the Scripture, gives valuesto the things with which the mindunderstands.

aa. Hebrew thought does notexpress abstract thinking

about anything but is

always expressed through

concrete material things.

ba. Hebrew thought saw theheart as the concrete andphysical heart, the organ in

the chest.

ca. But the Hebrew thinkers ofthe Old and New Testament

used the concrete word forheart to express the place

where one exercises faith


18/35

Page 17 of34

(Lk. 24/25, Rom. 10: 9,10),

where the location of thehuman deliberation is made,

and where wisdom is

employed.

da. To the Hebrew mind, whenmen got scared, the heartwould beat faster and they

felt it in their chest and

associated it with the ideaof what to do to escape fear.

ea. When man is calm, theheart beats slower thanwhen he is excited from

fear or depression.

fa. Understanding is said to bethe function of the mind

(Job 38:36), yet theconnection to the heart is

undeniable because the

heart is where a person

desires the differencebetween right and wrong (I

Kings 3:9).

ga. The Biblical concept ofheartin modern days has

been too much determinedby secular psychology and

pietism, a hangover from

the nineteenth century.

ha. The heart, regenerate orapostate, gives basic sets of

values to the mind but itdoes not completely control

the mind.

ia. The unregenerate heart,because of common grace,

does not come to fullexpression in the

unbelievers mind.


19/35

Page 18 of34

ja. The regenerate heart,because of sin, does not

come to full expression in

the Christians mind.

ka. There is an unqualified andabsolute antithesis betweenthe regenerate and

unregenerate heart.

la. There is not an absoluteantithesis between the

Christian and non-Christianmind.

ma.

He who in his heart is aChristian belongs to God inprinciple and yet may have

a mind that embraces

egregious error andbreathes a reprehensible

spirit.

na. He who in his heart is anon-Christian belongs to

Satan in principle, and yet

may have a mind thatembraces much of truth and

breathes a temperate spirit.

oa. In the case of both theChristian and the non-

Christian, the mind, though

for different reasons, can befalse to the heart. (Henry

Stob, Theological

Reflections, Eerdmans,1981, page 236).

pa. The heart containsknowledge that is both

conscious and unconscious.

qa. Basically, the heart is thecenter of mans moral


20/35

Page 19 of34

character, who he really is

from on the inside (Lk.6:45).

b. The central-self is made in the image of Godthat is value pursuing, and centered in values ofGods moral character, i.e., the central-self is

the soul or essence of a person wherewith Godsimage is present in Christians.

i). Biblical psychology of man (refer to C.Ryder Smith, The Doctrine of Man; R.

Niebuhr, The Nature and Destiny ofMan).

aa. There is no Hebrew wordfor body but there areseveral Hebrew words forbody parts, such as heart,

mind, etc.

ba. The English word body orform comes from the Greek

word soma and meansform

that is animated by life.

ca. The Hebrew word nepheshand the Greek wordequivalentpsuche is

translated as soul, the total

life force of living man.

da. The Hebrew word ruachand the Greek wordpneuma is translated spirit,meaning life force, a person

who strives for self-

transcendence whenenergized by God and is

able to turn all life toward

Gods dimension.

ea. The Hebrew word basarand Greek word sarx is besttranslatedflesh, the

capacity to cooperate with


21/35

Page 20 of34

the Evil One and order life

toward Satans direction.

ii).The Hebrew word nephesh (used 754times in the Old Testament) and the

Greek wordpsuche (used 105 times inthe New Testament) for the word soul

are equivalents to the modern day termcentral-selfand has many shades of

meaning such as:

aa. Breath, the breath of life,ba. The vital force that

animates the body andshows itself in breathing

within man and animals,

ca. Life and that in which thereis life,

da. A living being, a living soul,or the soul,

ea. The seat of feelings, desires,affections, aversions of the

heart these are selective

values with which onlynephesh orpsuche can

partake because it onlyselects or chooses what ispertinent to man at the time

for which those values are

called.

fa. The moral being of manthat is designed in the

image of God and destinedfor everlasting life when

God Himself calls it forth

from the dead.

iii).Nephesh andpsuche both mean life inthe sense of an individual, or the lifeexperiences of an individual and is the

thing which makes each individual


22/35

Page 21 of34

person to be unique and different from

everyone else and is made in the imageof God.

iv).A commonly held andfalse beliefthat isamong Christians is the existence of ahuman soul,

aa. That is dwelling within us,forming the core of our

entity, and is an immaterialand invisible spirit.

ba. This spirit or ghost entersour flesh in the womb, exitsour flesh at death, and acts

as the hub of ourconsciousness and thoughtprocess.

ca. It is the fundamentalconstituent and essence of

who we are, making us to

be ourselves, and not

someone else.

da. This belief is Greekthinking and is notBiblically sound or logical

in the light of who God is.

ea. When man dies, there is noimmortality of his soul after

death, because when he

dies, he remains dead onlyuntil God calls him forth

from death and into life.

v). The central-self is very picky andselective with which values that it

chooses for man at the moment of choicebut it must have a value system that is

inexhaustible and can constantly

challenge it to seek the depths of thatvalue system without reaching a plateau.


23/35

Page 22 of34

aa. The moral character of Godis the only non-exhaustivevalue system and principles

that will never grow stale or

on which man will never

flat-line.

ba. The vitality of man is foundin what he loves and for

which he is willing to die.

c. The mind is suited to examine data, makerational deductions, and use experience to gain

knowledge of the truth about reality.

i). However, these actions are not alwayscarried out properly because the mindoften interprets data and experiencethrough preconceived notions of life and

faith rather than though objective truth.

ii).This contradiction between preconceivednotions and objective truth is evidenced

by the fact that two minds may take the

same data and come to contraryconclusions concerning that data.

iii).Greek thinkers and philosophers whocreated theories of the nature or reality,

which had little or nothing to say about

the real world, vividly demonstrate thiscontradiction of notion and objective

truth because these Greek thinkers found

themselves living in a real world that

was often contrary to their theories.

iv).The mind has the ability to deceive itselfand rationalize away faults andweaknesses.

v). Within the mind is the conscious mindwhich is the logical selfof a person and

the unconscious mindwhich is theemotional side of a person whosometimes allow his emotions to


24/35

Page 23 of34

overtake sound thinking and wisdom of

the conscious mind.

d. The deep mind, the central-self, the unconsciousand conscious minds and the body are so unified

that the individual is all of these things at once.

e. When the deep mind, the central-self, the mind(conscious and unconscious), and the body

function according to each ones particular

uniqueness, they blend into a harmony of unityand wholeness.

i). Therefore, the following is how manthinks and lives:

aa.

The deep mindor heartofman falls in love with avalue system and accepts it

whether or not it is good or

bad.

ba. The central-selfisawakened by the deep mind

and seeks to steer mantoward selecting only those

values from the deep mind

that are worthy of mansstature or importance in life.

ca. The unconscious mindormans seat of emotions is

either excited over the

selected value system of thecentral-selfand pushes manto act upon it or it is

unexcited and causes man

to delay or procrastinate theway with which he is to

handle these selected values

of the central-self.

da. The conscious mindorlogical-selfdetermines theworthiness of the selected

values that have been


25/35

Page 24 of34

accepted by both the deep

mindand the central-selfand uses the powers of

reason and intellect to

render judgment upon these

selected values of the deepmind and central-selfand

sometimes runs intoconflict with the

unconscious mindof mans

emotions.

ea. The body of man becomesthe outward expression of

the combination of theworkings of the deep mind,

the central-self, theconscious mindandunconscious mindwith the

value system that is in

question.

ii).Steps with how the deep mind, central-self, unconscious mind, conscious mind

and body work together whenassimilating Christs values from the

moral character of God:

aa. When the deep mindpassionately chooses the

value system of the moralcharacter of God in Jesus

Christ,

ba. then the central-selfchooses or only selects the

values of the moral

character of God that arefitting for mans place

within his environment,

ca. and is followed byemotions of theunconscious mindthatcauses man to become

excited enough to act upon


26/35

Page 25 of34

the value systems of Christ

that come from the deep

mindand central-self,

da. which triggers theconscious mindor logical-selfto determine the

rationale for accepting thevalue systems of Jesus

Christ that came from

within the deep mindandcentral-selfbut sometimes

comes in conflict with the

emotions of theunconscious mind,

ea.

and from the combinationof the total workings of thedeep mind, central-self,

unconscious and consciousminds about Christs moralnature and values, man

comes to some sort of

conclusion that produces

expression of these valuesthrough the body and into

the world.


27/35

Page 26 of34

ii. Therefore, when the central-selfpassionately chooses thebeauty of Jesus Christ that comes from the depth of thedeep mindand works its way through the unconsciousemotional mindand conscious logical-self, then the body

willingly acts upon these value principles that trigger thepower of the whole being of man to be centralized and

released into the world in and with words and deeds.

a. This is the whole being of man unleashed andwhat God intended us to be.

b. Consequently, a hierarchy of values isestablished and brings about richer fulfillment.

c. Within this context, the imagination can maketremendous contributions to the whole of life formemory can unite the past with the present and

lessons spring forth that guide man further intoadventure with Christ.

d. Emotions are awakened to become healthydrives toward realistic goals; and worldly values,which allow the rise of inordinate lust and

purely physical desires, are lessened.

e. Other-centered love then begins to redeemsexuality from being physical and sensual tobeing self-giving to the one that is loved by you.

f. The energy of temper is increasingly directedaway from personal tendencies toward righteous

anger where justice is practiced rather than rawangry emotions.

D. Involvement in the three levels of learning.1). A tremendous surge in growth can be found in what may be termed as

the three ways of learning.

A).The first level of learning is empiricism.i. In empiricism knowledge is gained from facts that come

from experience and the assimilation and relation of those

facts with meaning that issues into evidence of a thing

with being true.


28/35

Page 27 of34

ii. .Knowledge is the seeking of facts that are true and anyapproach to knowledge that by-passes or overlooks

empiricism will soon defeat itself.

iii.

If empiricism is considered to be adequate in itself,knowledge will decline.

iv. Science and technology are the masters that use empiricaldata in the quest for scientific truth; but science and

technology that is left alone with empiricism as the onlysource of knowledge will enslave people.

B).The second level of learning is rationalism.i. In rationalism the mind or reason is considered to be

adequate at its best to know the whole of reality.

ii. Knowledge, in rationalism, is by inference andpropositions that correspond to reality with what has

already been proven to be true.

a. Many great advances in learning have come outof rationalism but it is unable to know the whole

of truth when it is considered the only way toknowledge and learning.

b. If one does not allow some measure of guidancefrom empiricism into rationalism, rational

thought can lead into an unreal conception of

truth.

C).The third level of learning is moral integrity.i. It would seem the harmonious union of empiricism and

rationalism would be a better avenue to learning than

with either one of them alone as the only way to

knowledge and truth.

a. There are those who reject any such effort ofjoining empiricism with rationalism.

b. For those who do desire to unite empiricismwith rationalism, the task is not easy.


29/35

Page 28 of34

ii. The third way of learning involves one with values andthe spiritual aspects of his or her being.

a. This third level of learning seeks the services ofboth empiricism and rationalism in its quest for

truth.

i). In empiricism the senses are the meansby which facts from experience are

gathered and organized.

ii).In rationalism the mind acts according tothought and logic in order to know the

explanation and meaning of reality.

b. In the third level of learning, which is mainlyspiritual, the vital avenue to learning lies inmoral integrity in which one acts in harmonywith and obedience to values and spiritual

principles with which one seeks to understand.

i). To accomplish moral integrity withspiritual values and principles, the seeker

of the whole truth gathers all the relevant

truth with which empiricism can furnishto him.

ii).Added to this, the contribution ofrationalism is supplemental in which the

coherence, validity of inferences or

conclusions, and implications ofprinciples are recognized.

iii).Added to empiricism and rationalism isthe perspective of values and spiritualprinciples and all are blended into a

whole that serves for further learning.

aa. Spiritual principles andvalues are more than facts

of experience and rationalconcepts because they must

be internalized into

character and made to bepart of the deep mind that is

within the inner most being


30/35

Page 29 of34

of one who seeks

knowledge so that thesespiritual values and

principles may issue into

expressions of personhood.

ba. Some aspects of reality aregrasped by experiences andother aspects of reality are

known through reason, but

the wholeness of truthincludes the entire range or

reality that comes from the

spiritual, the experiential

and the rational, whichincludes both the knower

and the known.

2). Ones concept of the truth includes more than knowing enough of theprinciples of nature, for instance, that comes to one from empirical

evidence and rational thought in order to use nature for ones own ends.

A).The wholeness of truth will require the knower to understandthe principles that stand in back of nature and reality so that he

can intelligently and creatively cooperate with them to thebenefit of all.

B).The wise use of the three levels of learning must result intoknowledge that is dynamic and splendid in growing conditions

for the Christian.

5. Pillar 4 - Methodology is the fourth pillar of the earth.A. The methodological question is three-fold:

1). How do you know what exists or is real?2). What is important to you and the Christian faith?3). What is it with which we are able to know anything?

B. Symbols are the methodology that is used in communicating anything.1). Non-verbal symbols.

A).Signs.


31/35

Page 30 of34

B).Body language.C).Symbols.

2).Verbal symbols.

A).Symbols are those things which describe:i. What is and is not real to us.

ii. What is or is not important to us.iii. How we are able or not able to know anything.

B).Symbols describe realities of the world and participate in thevery realities by which it describes and yet do not exhaustreality of its content.

C. All language is symbolic and falls into three classes of symbols.1). Common symbols Ex. water.2). Technical symbols Ex. H2O.3). Poetic symbols Ex. the water of life Would you use apocalyptical

language to interpret historical language or historical language to

interpret apocalyptical language? I would hope not.

VI Ways to look at reality.1. The Greek way is descriptive and reflective and asks the question, What does it look

like?

2. The Latin way is with what method does one use to look at reality (Latin - qui modoand asks the question, How does it work?

3. The Hebraic way is functional, theological, phenomenological and pre-scientific.A. The Hebraic mind would ask:

1). Does it work?2). Does it function?3). What is the function?


32/35

Page 31 of34

4). What is a things purpose?5). Has it fulfilled its purpose or function?

B.

The Old and New Testament revelation of God is always seen through theancient Hebrew thinking and not through Greek thought.

C. Though the New Testament was written in the Greek language, it does notreflect Greek thinking or reasoning.

VIIThe five presuppositions of Christian thought.1. God is.

A. The atheist says there is no God to whom we are responsible.B. Practical atheism claims there is a God but acts like He is not the one to whom

one is responsible.

2. God speaks.3. Man can understand God who speaks.4. As the world is now, it originally was not, nor shall it ultimately be.5. God has not revealed all of who He is, but from what He has revealed, it is true with

who He is. This is based on one of two possible presuppositions

A. Finitum capax infiniti Latin for the finite is capable of knowing the infinite.B. Finitum non capax infiniti Latin for the finite is not capable of knowing the

infinite unless God reveals it to him this is the position of the Christian

Community.

VIII Preliminary considerations for a study of God.1. Introduction.

A. What God has revealed of Himself is not all that there is of Him, but from whatHe has revealed, it is true with who He is.

B. Knowing God.1). Question and answer 1.


33/35

Page 32 of34

A).Question 1 How is God known or what is God like?B).Answer 1 God is known or like by what He does.

2). Question and answer 2.A).Question 2 - What has God done in history in order for us to

know Him?

B).Answer 2 God has acted out of His moral character on ourbehalf in history with redemptive acts of love and has providedunderstanding.

3). Question and answer 3.A).Question 3 How does God speak?B).Answer 3 Revelation.

2. Two contrasting approaches to the study of God.A. Scholastic and classical way.

1). Presupposition is finitium capox infiniti Latin for the finite iscapable of knowing the infinite.

2). The scholastic method of approaching the study of God was built onthe distinction between essence and existence.

A).The assumption was within God Himself there were certainattributes.

B).But when God dealt with His creation in the historical scene,God was different than from what He is within Himself.

C).This view is logical but is not biblical.3). Some of the scholastic vocabulary that is found in this scheme.

A).aseity = God is self-caused and self-existent.i. Aseity or the self-caused-ness of God makes God to be

so perfect that He cannot suffer but the Bible says God

did suffer on several fronts.


34/35

Page 33 of34

a. He Suffers due to Hell because Hell is theeternal ulcer that eats away at the stomach ofGod.

b. He suffered at the cross.ii. This reduces the theology of God into minuscular

segments of what and who God is.

B).apathetici. This view says God is not moved by passion.

ii. The corollary to this assumption about God is God andman are equal with each other.

C).simple or the ultimate substance which cannot be reducedany further.

D).immense or God is so large that He is not capable of beingmeasured this is based on mathematical models and does notwork well with revelatory norms.

E).omnipotent.F).omnipresent.G).omniscient.H).immortal.

4). Examples of those who used the scholastic model to study God.A).Aquinas esse/esistence.B).Mullins natural/moral attributes

i. Mullins discusses God according to natural and moralattributes.

ii. This is a hideous distinction but is not exactly in whatMullins was saying.

iii. The natural laws of God were those laws which werewithin God.


35/35

Page 34 of34

iv. The moral attributes of God were those laws with whichGod uses in His creation.

B. The revelatory or functional model of studying God.1).

The Bible shows what God does, and from those acts by which He hasdone within history is how we know God.

2). Presupposition is finitium non capax infiniti Latin for the finite isnot capable of knowing the infinite..

3). This view prefers to explore the acts of God in history and extractfrom these characteristics of who He is and of what He has done.

4). This view is biblical and functional.5).

Look at Gods acts.

A).Because God does these things that are in history, He must belike with what He does.

B).God is known by His activity in history.

The Presuppositions of Theology and The Authority of the Christian Community

Documents

Transcript of The Presuppositions of Theology and The Authority of the Christian Community