Introduction to Systematic Theology :Introduction to Systematic Theology


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 2 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Why Orthodoxy? Influences on Karl Barth Educated in Consciousness Theology A student of W. Herrmann Began a series of dogmatics lectures in 1924 In preparation, Barth read Heppe’s Reformed Dogmatics and Schmid’s Theology of the Evangelical Lutheran Church


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 3 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Barth’s theological concerns A scientific theology, related to Scripture and the Reformers Justice to the biblical ideas of revelation, sin, and redemption See Preface to1935 edition of Heppe Shift theology from Immanence to Transcendence Focused his theology of the Word of God over against modern liberalism, Roman Catholicism


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 4 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Barth’s key theological points Revelation has no point of contact with natural man (NO Natural Theology) Man in sin must realize he is free in Jesus Christ Man is assured of his acceptance with God in Jesus Christ Faith is the knowledge of the freedom we have in Christ FORMALLY- An appeal to orthodoxy and the reformers MATERIALLY- Revelation comes from above, does not begin with human experience


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 5 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Why Neo? Barth shared a basic starting point with preceding theologians Kantian presuppositions limit our ability to discuss the noumenal We cannot have a theoretical knowledge of God  Shared the views of Higher Criticism re. Scripture rather than traditional view of Scripture as Word of God


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 6 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Barth on Revelation Barth on Revelation: Feared anything that would lead to Natural Theology Revelation occurs, but cannot be considered a given Revelation cannot touch us directly But, at the moment of encounter, Revelation enters history


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 7 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Barth on Revelation The “WORD OF GOD” may be viewed in three ways. It can refer to: Jesus Christ Scripture Preaching of the Word The Bible is God’s word so far as God lets it be His Word, so far as God speaks through it.” Church Dogmatics, 1.1,123


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 8 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Barth on Revelation The question of errors is irrelevant Scripture is a witness to Revelation, or a vehicle for Revelation It is not revelation per se Cf. the 1972 Presbyterian Church Worshipbook, 28, in which the congregation is invited to “Listen for the Word of God.”


NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 9 NEO-ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Reflections on Karl Barth Cf. the traditional Reformed view God does act in Revelation that touches us directly The prophetic word The fulfillment The interpretive word Modernism has no supernatural revelation Neo-Orthodoxy has a supernatural revelation, but only in accordance with Kantian presuppositions (you cannot hear what you have no capacity to hear) Although Barthianism protests against the Roman Catholic scheme (formally), materially, there is structural similarity


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 10 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Relation to Neo-Orthodoxy Metaphor changes, but the pattern is the same Dimension of transcendence is not found outside the individual Rather, it is found in the depth of being Nevertheless, this approach reintroduces a form of natural theology Not the same as the medieval model Rather, the element of natural theology is existential theology’s reliance upon the existentialist analysis of being and the human predicament Theological categories are influenced by and interpreted in light of existentialist categories


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 11 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Rudolf Bultmann, premier existentialist theologian Builds on philosophy of Martin Heidegger Inauthentic Existence is when man is carried along by circumstances, day to day routine Authentic Existence man stands outside himself as master of his circumstances “Demythologizing is existentialist interpretation,” Bultmann, NT and Mythology, 99


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 12 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Rudolf Bultmann, key figure Builds on philosophy of Martin Heidegger Inauthentic Existence= man is carried along by circumstances, day to day routine Authentic Existence= man stands outside himself as master of his circumstances “Demythologizing is existentialist interpretation,” Bultmann, NT and Mythology, 99 This distinction, it is claimed, is found in Scripture in the law/gospel antithesis Inauthentic Existence is subsistence under the law Authentic Existence achieved through freedom under gospel


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 13 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Comparison with Older Liberalism The older critical approach sought to discover the historical Jesus. Bultmann recognizes: It is not possible to arrive at truth by “picking and choosing” NT&M, 8 Older Liberalism reduces the Kerygma “to an idealistic ethic” NT&M, 12 Bultmann’s approach, “demythologizing,” Attempts to remove mythological elements from NT to arrive at the “truth” Results in little, besides the death of Jesus, left as firm historical fact


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 14 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Comparison with Older Liberalism “Can Christian proclamation today expect men and women to acknowledge the mythical world picture as true? To do so would be pointless and impossible.” NT&M, 3 “But it is impossible to repristinate a past world picture by sheer resolve, especially a mythical world picture, now that all our thinking is irrevocably formed by science. A blind acceptance of New Testament mythology would be simple arbitrariness.” NT&M, 8


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 15 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Comparison with Older Liberalism “The historical and the mythical here are peculiarly intertwined: the historical Jesus whose father and mother are well known (John 6:42) is at the same time supposed to be the preexistent Son of God, and alongside of the historical event of the cross stands the resurrection, which is not a historical event.” NT&M, 32.


EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 16 EXISTENTIALIST THEOLOGY Comparison with Older Liberalism Demythologizing: “Stripping the Kerygma from its mythical framework.” We cannot find a crutch in the experience of Jesus; crutches deprive us of freedom and authentic existence Jesus is the example, par excellence, of one who chose authentic existence His death is historical; in his death he abandons all crutches (even his life)


LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 17 LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE Liberation Theology is a further development of post-Kantian thought It is attached to: Theology of Hope (Jurgen Moltmann) Philosophy of Ernst Bloch Key characteristics of Bloch’s philosophy: Relied upon Karl Marx-------Hegel (Bloch, Marx both were left-wing Hegelians) Materialism underlies Bloch’s philosophy (as opposed to Hegel’s Idealism) The future is endless, unguided; thus, there is no goal to which proceeding, no consummation No transcendent God in Bloch’s thinking


LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 18 LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE Note these important contrasts: Older Liberalism-theology of love (immanence) New Modernism-theology of faith (transcendence of God) Theology of Hope-new dimension (God is God of the future)  Future is the essential nature of God The dimension of transcendence is not within or above Rather, it is ahead; hence, God draws us forward


LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 19 LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not historical, but eschatological (part of the future projected back into time): General resurrection proves resurrection of Christ Kingdom of God does not come; always coming  A natural theology was needed to provide point of contact between theory and practice; found in the social theory of Marx Seeks to liberate from the forces that oppress Marxism is a striving for authentic freedom


LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 20 LIBERATION THEOLOGY/HOPE Marxist terminology (bourgeois, dictatorship of the proletariat, dialectical materialism) replaced by biblical terminology: i.e., poor, oppressed, justice Liberation Theology primarily a Roman Catholic movement; hence it is strong in predominantly Roman Catholic areas (Central, South America)


PROCESS THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 21 PROCESS THEOLOGY Based on philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead & theology of Chas. Hartshorne Essential idea is that of “becoming,” rather than that of “being” God is also “becoming” Process Theology discards the idea of God’s transcendence In favor of a radical immanence theme God is working with humanity to accomplish goals that are uncertain of fulfillment Antecedent and Consequent Poles


PROCESS THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 22 PROCESS THEOLOGY God and creation are so closely related as to justify the expression “Panentheism,” God is in all reality   Key theologians include Norman Pittenger, Daniel Day Williams, Schubert Ogden, and John Cobb, Jr. Process theology is no longer a major movement; although recently “Openness Theology” has many formal similarities


FEMINIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 23 FEMINIST THEOLOGY At least three key operating principles The gospel is distorted by the exclusion of women from ministry The “hermeneutics of suspicion” is foundational, i.e., women must seek to “unmask” male bias in interpretation Assuming that theology is really reflection on our experience of God, Feminist Theology points out Patriarchal experiences do not adequately account for the reality of religion from a female viewpoint Feminist viewpoint can serve as needed corrective


FEMINIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 24 FEMINIST THEOLOGY Feminist critique Seeks to overcome androcentric theological construction To promote whatever helps women realize their full humanity as reflections of Creator Among the issues up for discussion is the use of male-gender language in reference to God (Father-Mother??)


FEMINIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 25 FEMINIST THEOLOGY Feminist theologians range the spectrum from more evangelical (Aida Besancon Spencer) to more radical (Rosemary Reuther) Feminist theology Has, in some instances, led to a major overhaul of significant theological affirmations Some on the fringes of the movement have espoused “goddess” worship


FEMINIST THEOLOGY :1/5/2009 Intro to Systematic Theology 6 26 FEMINIST THEOLOGY Feminist theologians range the spectrum from more evangelical (Aida Besancon Spencer) to more radical (Rosemary Reuther) Feminist theology Has, in some instances, led to a major overhaul of significant theological affirmations Some on the fringes of the movement have espoused “goddess” worship


Introduction to Systematic Theology :Introduction to Systematic Theology