QUESTIONNAIRE

PRESENTED BY:

ESTEBAN SOLARTE

SUBJECT:

INTRODUCTION TO

THEOLOGY

MEDELLÍN, JANUARY 28, 2019

 Questionnaire

Lesson
What do you understand by theology?

The science of God

2. Is theology a science?

Theology is a science because, like any other science, it does not create but
discover the existing facts and their mutual relationships trying to show their unity
and its harmony in the different parts of a system of organic truth.

3. Define biblical theology.

It is the science of God as He has revealed Himself in His Word.

4. What is systematic theology?

Study the Revelation as a whole in its organic and structural character, as a

system of doctrine and morality.

2. Lesson
1. What do we understand by Historical or Dogmatic Theology?

It seeks to expose in its historical trajectory the impact of the truth of revelation on
the people of God from the end of the apostolic period until our days, and the way
in which this impact has acted in the life of the Church.

2. Define Practical Theology or Ethics.

Theology in action: that is, the application of doctrine to practical life.

3. List the most important divisions of Theology.
01. Biblical Theology.
02. Systematic Theology.
03. Historical Theology.
04. Practical theology.
 3. Lesson
1. Explain the Catholic-Roman concept of Theology.
The Church of Rome had been insisting that Revelation comes to us through
two channels: the Bible and Tradition. Access to both comes to us mediated by the
teaching of the Roman Church that determines what we must receive and how we must receive it
to interpret it.
What does V. Subilia understand by the Church alone in contrast to the principle
reformed "Sola Scriptura"?
We can no longer speak of Scripture alone, nor of Scripture and Tradition, at the
to refer to current Catholic teaching, but to the Church alone, that is, the Word of
God is no longer properly the focus that illuminates the Church, but rather the Church is the focus.
that lights up the Bibles.
3. What has motivated the Roman Church to proclaim infallible definitions?
They wanted to be an explicit expression of certain aspects of faith that were supposedly implicit before.
the belief of the people of God. These definitions bind the member of that Church with
danger of condemnation if not complied with.

What place does the Bible occupy in Roman Catholic Theology?

Tradition and ecclesiastical authority are juxtaposed to the authority of the Word and
they constitute the most important elements for the donor formulations. Both the
Roman Catholic theologian, like the Eastern one, must be attentive not only to the voice of the
Word but to that of the Tradition of her Church.

4. Lesson
1. Indicate the three branches of subjective Theology.

These schools operate under the assumption that the authority of God is expressed
directly in the subject and is transmitted through some of the faculties of the
human soul: reason, feelings, or consciousness.
2. What is rationalism?

Rationalism: It has always been tempting for man to attribute to reason the place
most prominent for obtaining religious knowledge.

3. Is rationalism reasonable?
Human reason, when it has the final word, ultimately leads to irrationality.
modern thinkers have ignored the implicit lesson in Hume, who already
the environment in the seventeenth century. That the rationalist argument can only produce
absurd results

4. Explain Schleiermacher's position.

Sentimentalism: As a reaction to the aridity of rationalism, Schleiermacher

he developed his theology based on feelings.

5. And that of Kant.

Moralism: A third option is moralism, which emphasizes the

importance of awareness and norms

5. Lesson

1. What philosophical system does neo-orthodox theology owe its debt to?

this theology is indebted to existentialist philosophy from which it has drawn the
tools for your reflection work.

What is the fundamental characteristic of evangelical theology?

The fundamental characteristic of Reformed, or evangelical, Theology is its willingness to

joyfully render obedience to the sovereign authority of God as it is expressed in
on Revelation, recorded today in the canonical books of Hebrew-Christian Scripture

What value does ecclesial tradition have for theological reflection?

The evangelical theologian cannot forget that, after laying the foundation
(Ephesians 2:20) establishing the apostles, the Lord established "other prophets, to
other evangelists, to other pastors and teachers, in order to perfect the saints for the
"work of the ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11, 12). Thus,
has the duty to study what they learned from the Scripture -with their specifics
perceptions - the generations of saints, scholars, and martyrs that preceded him. It is
here where we discover the immense value of ecclesial tradition, not as a
authority juxtaposed to that of the Scripture and overshadowing it, but as a
explanation of this same Writing.

4.Should Theology isolate itself from the concerns of the people of God and shut itself away in
your ivory tower?

the evangelical theologian does not meditate or write as an isolated believer, but in the midst of the

people of God, starting from the same faith and the same communion of the churches faithful to
Lord and to His Word

Lesson 6
What triple base does Strong present to indicate the possibility of knowledge?
theological?

Strong states that the possibility of Theology is based on a triple foundation:

In the existence of God who has relationships with the universe.

In the capacity of the human mind to know God and certain of these relationships.

In the provision that God himself has made to establish contact with us, it is
to say, your self-revelation.

2. Indicate the various methods of theological knowledge.

a) The deductive method - 'a priori' - that goes from cause to effect. Based on a rule.
general, accepted by all, proceeds to its particular application.

b) The inductive method -'a posteriori'-- that goes from the effect to the cause. Based on what
The particular reaches the general. It requires a great deal of research and verification.
The physical sciences mostly depend on induction: some scientists
they claim it is the only valid method. But such a statement is arbitrary because each
science has its own methods. Professor Kevan claimed that Theology has its
own method and does not have to be inductive always. Deduction is no less
scientific induction.

3. For which section of theological work is the inductive method most suitable?
The inductive method is mostly suitable for Biblical Theology. After
examine a large number of examples of God's wrath against sin,
We came to the conclusion that God hates sin. It is about discovered facts.
by historical-critical methods.

4. And the deductive?

The deductive method is most suitable for Systematic Theology. For this reason,
the system leads to many propositions. And from these propositions, the inferences are made.

facts. For example, we know that God receives repentant sinners (principle
therefore I must conclude that you will receive me if I come.
as a repentant sinner (particular result).

7. Lesson
1. What do you think are the limits of theological knowledge?

1. - The finitude of human understanding (Job 11:7; Romans 11:33).

2. - The imperfect state of the other sciences, both natural and metaphysical
(philosophy) or morals.

3. - The inadequacy of human language.

4. - The incompleteness of our knowledge of the Scriptures.

5. - The silence of the biblical Revelation on certain topics, such as example

of the origin of evil (Deuteronomy 29:29).

6. - The lack of spiritual discernment.

2. In what sense does Theology make us humble?

It is impossible to attain the knowledge of God solely through the intellect; for
To know about divine things, the heart must accompany the intelligence.
humans -Pascal said- must be known first in order to love them afterwards: but
Divine things must first be loved in order to be known." It is obvious that
our capacity to love is as imperfect as our ability to know, and this is about
a progressive activity to achieve partial objectives.
Theology, then, makes us modest. It invites us to humility.

What consequences does John 7:17 have for our study of divine truth?

We would say that we must know God, even if imperfectly and partially, with the
the totality of our faculties, or we will not know it in any way. Also
Pablo warns us that to know the "good, acceptable, and perfect will of God"
we must be transformed by the renewal of our understanding" (Romans
12:1,2). It is addressed to believers.

4. The fact of knowing only in part means that we do not possess a

true knowledge of God?

The fact that we only know partially does not mean that it is impossible to know.
truly something of God and to God himself.

Lesson 8
What are the major themes of Biblical Theology?

The central theme is the cross of Christ - the focal point of all Theology - and from it
All other divine realities flow. As Luther expressed in 10: "The theology of the
cross is the Theology of light.

2. What gives the Scripture its basic unity?

The central message of the Bible - writes F. F. B. - is God's Covenant with mankind.
From this concept of the Pact we find the thread that runs through the entire history of the
salvation

3. How does the doctrine of the Covenant provide a unifying element of the
Biblical revelation?

God himself is the Savior of his people; it is He who confirms his merciful Covenant.
The Mediator of the Covenant, the Giver of salvation, is Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
way of salvation, the foundations of the Covenant, consists of the grace of God that demands
from his people a response of faith and obedience. The heirs of salvation, the
people of the Covenant, they are the Israel of God, the Church of God.
 9. Lesson
What are the main topics of Systematic Theology?

The existence of God

2) Scripture as Revelation of God

3) The nature of God, his decrees and his works

4) The man, from his original likeness to God and his consequent depravity,

5). Redemption, through the work of Christ and by the Holy Spirit,

6) The nature of the Christian Church,

The end of the current state of affairs.

2. Why must the treaty on Revelation be the first chapter of Theology?

We believe, however, that the treaty on Revelation - and therefore, on

the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures - must be the first chapter of the
Theology, since this is only feasible because Revelation is a fact.
We must start, then, with 10, which is the foundation and justification of the work.
theological.

3. What have been the major themes of Historical Theology throughout the course of the
centuries?

Apologetics

Theological disputes about the nature of God.

Anthropological controversies

Christological controversies

Soteriological controversies

Ecclesiological controversy
Controversies with rationalism, romanticism, and existentialism

10. Lesson
1. Who were the most prominent theologians of the East in the first period of the
history of the Church?

Origins

Atanasio

John of Damascus

2. Point out Agustin's contribution.

Augustine, one of the most restless theologians, who wrote verses about the doctrine of God (On

Trinity), on grace (On Correction and Grace) and on biblical anthropology in

opposition to Pelagius (On Grace and Free Will)

3. Who were the most prominent theologians during the Middle Ages?

Anselmo

Pedro Lombardo

Thomas Aquinas

John Duns Scotus

4. What doctrines occupied the most attention of theologians during the Reformation?

It was the era of the Creeds and Confessions of Faith in which the Reformed Churches
they presented their doctrines in contrast to the teachings of Rome.

5. Mention some of the most prominent theologians of the modern party.

Bernard Ramm, Carl H. F. Henry, James I. Packer, Klaas Runia, Harold Kuhn and Henry
Blocher
 11. Lesson
We can achieve a clear and correct understanding of God if God himself does not...
to make known?

If God himself had not made himself known, man would never have arrived, on his own.
same, to have a clear and correct knowledge of God.

2. Define General Revelation.

We understand it as that which is given to us in the contemplation of the phenomena of the

nature -and the study of the laws that govern it-, in the constitution and operation of the
mind and the human body, and in the events of collective history and experience
personal (Psalm 8:2; 19:1-2; Romans 1:19-20; 2:14,15; Acts 17:27).

Is General Revelation sufficient?

In this class of revelation, there is no message of salvation, nor an invitation to communion.

personal relationship with God. At most, the existence of God is admitted and, perhaps, certain
signals of His Providence, but nothing is known of His justice, His love, His character and His
purposes in relation to Creation and its creatures that we are.
General revelation allows us to know that there is a God, but we continue
ignoring who it is and what it is for us. The Divinity remains distant and God
He continues to be, for the majority, the Great Unknown (Acts 17: 23).

Why do you believe that General Revelation has ceased to have power over
many men in our days?

On the other hand, neither reason nor intuition alone -when contemplating the works of
creation, when studying the constitution of the human being and meditating on Providence
they can gain knowledge of certain vital issues that we do not find
explicit neither in nature nor in history: Where do I come from? ; Where am I going? ; Which
Is it the meaning of my life? What is the meaning of the history of humanity? For
these and other similar questions, General Revelation has no answer and its
The problem escapes the human capacities for investigation and knowledge.

5. Explain 'the malleability of General Revelation'.

We have already quoted Calvino who stated that 'men have a certain
feeling of divinity within themselves," adding: "and this by natural instinct.
Because, in order that no one would excuse themselves under the pretext of ignorance, God himself

"He printed in all a certain knowledge of his divinity, the memory of which he renews."
also, later: "This is carved into the soul of every man a feeling of the
divinity, which in no way can be destroyed; and which is naturally rooted
in all this conviction: that there is a God.

12. Lesson
What does sin have to do with General Revelation?

Because of sin. The problems that man poses -in any sphere that
They do not revolve solely around their intellect, but also concern the state equally.
from his heart and his will. Man is never pure intelligence and his
cognitive faculties are conditioned by 10 which is in its entirety like
a person composed of feelings as well as thoughts.

2. What use does man usually make of his reason?

They became vain in their reasonings, that is: their reason became a vain, empty thing.
huera, just when I had the opportunity to gain some knowledge
of God, they should have glorified Him. But neither did they glorify Him as God, nor did they give Him
thank you.
3. And from your heart?

And his foolish heart was darkened," as a consequence of the clumsy use made of the
reason. There is an ambivalence between 'reasoning' and the 'heart.' Both are
they influence and condition each other. The vanity of reason determines necessity
from the heart; where that vanity arises that hinders the proper use of reason
if it is not from the heart, which in turn becomes vain due to the folly of understanding?
The "reasonings" are at the mercy of a foolish heart and the "heart is
"darkened" by the vanity of reason

Does man have an excuse for his unbelief?

It is now that we see clearly the fall and the present state of every being
human -sinner- determine the use of all their faculties. Consequently, the
the problem that is posed is not only intellectual but also moral. Hence the
apostle's expression: "so that they are without excuse." It is 10 that we verify from
the beginning, in Genesis: man wanted to be like God. And since then, the
the tendency to idolization is constant.

5. How are General Revelation and the wrath of God related?

This is the reason that explains why St. Paul begins his reflection with the theme of the
the wrath of God (verse 18). Every man, every nation, every culture that refuses to recognize
the evincements -however subtle they may be- of the General Revelation in the works of the
creation and in Providence, and in some way perverts the Revelation, is under
the judgment and wrath of God.

13. Lesson
1. Explain the biblical concept of 'truth'.

The word 'truth' -aletheia 1- is used in Scripture in a broader sense of

what we give in Spanish. Hence, in a sense, it is the opposite of injustice.
as much as of the error; examples of this use can be found in Romans 2:8 and Galatians 3:1 and
5:7. It has to do with morality as much as with religious truth - inseparable for him.
Hebrew thought (Cf. John 3:21; 8:32; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:12)
and it is equivalent to 'the true religion: that is to say: that which is true and correct before
God, 10 who is just in His eyes" (Ch. Hodge).

What connection exists between sin and spiritual madness?

God "did not leave Himself without witness, doing good, giving us rains from heaven and
"fruitful times, filling our hearts with sustenance and joy" (Acts
14:17), but this testimony of General Revelation has been distorted and perverted by
man so that we have no excuse (Romans 1:20). 'Claiming to be wise, they
they became foolish (Rom. 1:22). Throughout all of Scripture, we are presented with an intimate
connection between sin and madness, wisdom and piety. In biblical terms, the
an impious man is a fool; the wise is the pious one, the one who fears God, because sin is
madness and piety understanding. The madness and the darkness that Paul speaks of
Romans 1:21 is sufficiently expressive of the lack of divine knowledge.
what is both the effect and the cause of moral depravity (Ch. Hodge)

14. Lesson
1. Why does the General Revelation accuse us?

The General Revelation is, at its core, a testimony that accuses us, because it denounces
our sin of indifference and disbelief, which keeps our eyes closed and
our hearts to the wonderful works of God in creation and in history. The
General Revelation is a witness to our pride, our vanity, and our foolishness.
spiritual.

Aren't the 'nature psalms' proof that man, just...

contemplating the universe, is able to rise to the knowledge of the
divinity?

We understand by such those who praise God as Creator and are held by some.
as evidence that the Bible itself supports the idea that man can elevate himself to
knowledge of God -and a quite clear and correct understanding of Him- so
only for the contemplation of the phenomena of nature.

3. Explain the Catholic doctrine on General Revelation as it was expounded by the

Vatican I (Outline of Catholic Faith)

The first two paragraphs that tried to explain the fact and the need for the
Revelation in the natural and supernatural order suffers, as is characteristic in the
Roman Catholic theology, from the inadequate recognition of the fallen condition of the
man, ruined as he is by sin. The approved text (Denzinger, 1785 - 1788)
ensures that a true knowledge of God is possible by the sole light of reason,
aside from the special divine Revelation.

15. Lesson
1. What does the insufficiency of General Revelation consist of? Is it insufficient "in itself"?

the same" or because of us?

General Revelation is not insufficient in itself, but because of us. Neither

We must think that it is deficient, since the deficiency is within us.
2. Explain Romans 1:20.

Commenting on Romans 1:20, Charles Hodge writes: "Although God's revelation in

his works are sufficient to make man inexcusable (this Revelation being)
In general, ignorance cannot be claimed nor justified in any way.
indifference toward God), it does not follow that it is enough to lead him, blind
how it is for the pee ado, to a saving knowledge for oneself. What Paul says
the law -weak because of the flesh- that is: insufficient because of our
corruption, it can also be said of the light of nature, because even being
sufficient in itself as Revelation, number 10 is considering the clumsiness and the
the man's displeasure with divine things.

3. Summarize the biblical doctrine of General Revelation.

1 - God should be known through the work of His creation (Romans 1:19-
20. See also: Acts 14:16-17; 17:27 and following.)

The man, due to his fallen condition, cannot attain knowledge.

God's correct, on the contrary, always perverts any hint of the
Divinity. (Romans 1:21-25).

1) Sin perverts our understanding and renders ineffective the

testimony of the General Revelation.

2) The sin -by perverting General Revelation- makes one deserving of wrath
God.

3) General Revelation is, at its core, a testimony that accuses us.

4) The Psalms of nature -and other parallel texts- do not contradict what
said so far, for they are not the result of a pagan rite, but the
fruit that arises sanctuary of Israel, illuminated by the Special Revelation,
 with which one can read again, .. and with new light, the testimony of
the General Revelation.

Lesson 16
Do you think that the heart of man is a constant factory of dreams?

Yes. Calvin's assertion that the heart of man is a well-known one.

factory of idols: "From here came that infinity of mistakes that Ilene covered everything
world; because the spirit of each one is like a labyrinth, so that there is no way
What is there to marvel at, if every people has fallen into folly; and not only this, but almost
Each man has invented his own God. For because of recklessness and boldness...
they united with ignorance and darkness, there has hardly been anyone who has not
made an idol to worship here instead of God. Indeed, just as water usually
To boil and flow from a large and abundant spring, thus an infinite number of gods have emerged.
of the understanding of men, according as each one takes the liberty of
to vainly imagine in God one thing or another.

2. What was Karl Barth's reaction to Catholic Natural Theology?

Karl Barth saw this danger and to avoid any attempt at Natural Theology denied the
General Revelation. By acting this way, was he not starting precisely from the same point of view as

Catholic theology? That is, it did not identify General Revelation with Theology.
Natural, if not, did I not assume that one leads to the other inexorably? Barth
I forget the fact that Reformed theology has always admitted the validity of the
General revelation that is manifested in the works of creation and at the same time has
I have always confessed the inescapable need for the knowledge of God through
Special Revelation in Jesus Christ.

3. What was the reaction to the Reformation?

Now then, with the same emphasis, reformed theology has denied that man can
to reach, solely with the help of General Revelation, a true and correct
knowledge of the Divinity, since the teaching of Romans 1 demonstrates that the
 man does not sufficiently grasp such Revelation, does not understand it in all its
meaning and, finally, it corrupts or denies it.

4. Point out Barth's errors regarding General Revelation.

For the theologian of Basel, there is no General Revelation, and just as only Christ is
Salvador, also only €I is revealing

Barth denies that there is proper revelation in the Old Testament; to 10

sumo, it merely signals in some way towards the future in which it will be given
(mica Revelation worthy of this name. Barth's error here should be related to
with its deficient doctrine of the inspiration of the Bible.

The tremendous accusatory significance of the General Revelation and its function escapes him.
parallel to that of the law, according to the context of Romans 1 and 2

17. Lesson
What is your opinion on the quote by Raymond Paniker?

2. Explain the current neo-syncretist and universalist trends of Catholicism.

Roman from the Vatican 11.

In what way does traditional Catholic-Roman soteriology help modern syncretism?

18. Lesson

What is 'common grace'?

In what way can common grace explain how much of the 'good' remains in the world?

3. l, Report merit for the man the 'positive' that is still possible to see in the world?–

4. In what sense can we speak of 'flashes of light' outside of Special Revelation?

5. How does Berkouwer define the response that man gives to General Revelation?
 19. Lesson

1. Explain the basic postulates of Hinduism.

2. ;,C6- how would I define neo-pantheism -naturalist and animist that occurs both in the
Canaanite religions like in India?

3. What process did the Vedas undergo to become 'sacred' books?

What are the routes of Hinduism?

20. Lesson

What is Buddhism?

How did it originate?

What are the most positive elements of Buddhism?

4. Define 'Nirvana'.

What are the tenets of Buddhism?

21. Lesson

Did Confucius want to found a religion?

They are sacred books, the Confucian canons.

3. Describe the ethical thinking of Confucius.

What have been the consequences of the Conjucio system?

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Lesson 39

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Lesson 52