As part of revivals in Christian faith during 18th century onward three practices evolved into their own interpretation on the place and authority of Scripture in the Christian faith. The first of these were the Liberals who “viewed themselves as the saviors of a defunct out of date Christianity” (Bingham 149). Their founder, Friedrich Schleiermacher an 18th century pastor, “did not view traditional, authoritative doctrines, creeds and biblical texts as the preeminent sources in theology (150). Instead the Liberal perspective of Christianity put more emphasis on the doctrines of sin and grace and less attention on the holiness of the trinity (Kerr 213). Jesus was viewed as a historical figure that we can learn from spiritually and the Bible is used as a source of knowledge on Christian history (Bingham 152, 153). In this theological movement being a Christian is considered “nothing but feeling and experience” (Lane 238).
Following is the Evangelical theology which evolved from the Pietism and Revivalist movement (Olson 33). Charles Finney, a leader in Evangelism, emphasized the need and ability to evangelize the world while also maintaining the power of free will” thereby influencing all but not trying to control the mind of the masses (Lane 253, 254). As well as being a supreme authority Evangelist’s believe that because the Bible was written by man through God’s instruction the Bible is both fully man’s and God’s (256). Furthermore, because the words written by man come directly from God the Bible is God’s holy word and everything it contains is true (257). The Evangelicals believed that “the Bible is the supreme authority for faith and practice” and it is Christ who redeemed us through the cross (Bingham 162).
Lastly is the N...
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...I could grow and learn in a Christ centered environment and be more prepared for when I graduate and fond my place as a Christian in a secular world. But I will be the one influencing others. With the Bible as my sword and the Lord as my strength there is nothing I am unable do.
Works Cited
Bingham, D. Jeffrey. Pocket History of the Church. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2002. Print.
Kantzer, Kenneth S. “Neo-Orthodoxy and the Inspiration of Scripture.” Bibliotheca Sacra 116.461 (1959): 15-29. ATLA Religion Database with ATLAserials. Web. 12 Nov. 2013
Kerr, Hugh T., ed. Readings in Christian Thought. 2nd ed. Nashville: Abingdon, 1990. Print.
Lane, Tony N. S. A Concise History of Christian Thought. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006. Print.
Olson, Roger E. Pocket History of Evangelical Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2007. Print.
The Second Great Awaking consisted of new applications of religion that deviated from rationalism, which sparked promotion of democracy and freedom. The message of salvation rather than condemnation was evident in this movement as spoken by Charles G. Finney. He sought to remove sin from reformed churches and organize sinners to unity and freedom (Doc B). This practice showed the crucial democrati...
Evangelicalism by its very nature is hard to define. In fact, Douglas Sweeney, Chair of the Church History and the History of Christian Thought Department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School states, “precious little consensus exists among those who have tried to describe the evangelical movement.” Nevertheless, Sweeney does an excellent attempt by briefly explicating the diverse history of the evangelical movement in his book, The American Evangelical Story: A History of the Movement. Sweeney, a Lutheran and expert in American religion and culture not only introduces
In 1741 a Puritan preacher, Jonathan Edwards, delivered a sermon to a congregation in Enfield, Connecticut. He moved many people and helped them to become saved and trust in Jesus Christ. In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, - which is the name of the sermon by Jonathan Edwards- the author uses each rhetorical appeal to connect with his congregation. The whole purpose of Edwards’ sermon was to try and get all the unsaved men in his congregation to trust in Jesus Christ as their savior and be converted. He was a very persuasive man who successfully reached out to his congregation by digging down deep and coming in contact with many people’s personal lives and making them think long and hard about why they are lucky enough to wake up every morning. In his sermon, Jonathan Edwards uses the three rhetorical appeals- ethical, emotional, and logical- to reach out to his congregation and try and help them to see why they should trust in Jesus Christ.
Schüssler-Fiorenza, Elizabeth. In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins. New York: Crossroad, 1983.
Metzger, B. (1997). The Canon of the New Testament: Its Origin, Development, and Significance. New York.
McManners, John. "The Oxford History of Christianity." The Oxford History of Christianity. New York: New York Oxford Press, 2002. 28.
"EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 & 2." EXPLORING THEOLOGY 1 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2014.
Benchmark Assignment: Gospel Essentials There are several aspects to consider when exploring the Christian worldview. There are many facets and denominations and they each have their own distinct beliefs and practices, but they all share the same fundamental beliefs. In this paper we will explore the character of God, His creation, humanity and its nature, Jesus’ significance to the world, and the restoration of humanity, as well as my beliefs and the way that I interact with Christianity and my personal worldview. God In the Christian worldview, God is the one and only God. He is the sovereign creator of everything.
The Wesleyan quadrilateral is still relevant today as it provides a method for discovering the things of God, ourselves, and lets us know who God really is. For the purposes of this reflection paper, I would like to summarize the four components of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and then reflect personally upon each term as how it relates to the Christian theologian. The first component of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral is scripture. The term scripture used in the Wesleyan Quadrilateral refers to God’s word. God’s word is found in the Bible.
and grow in the scope of their experience and understanding of their faith.1 All Christians engage
Modernized Eschatology: In liberal attempts to devalue Jesus and in the vein of the Jesus Seminar, people like Albercht Ritschl, want to make Jesus just
Church History in Plain Language is written by Bruce L. Shelley. This work focuses on the history of Christianity from 6 B.C. to the current period. It covers some of Christianity’s greatest events, theologians, and the various subsection of Christianity. Other than the events leading up to the death of Jesus, I had very little knowledge of Christianity’s history. After reading through the book, I have gained understanding on the Christian Councils, scholasticism, Christendom, and modern trends of Christianity.
To forsake a God-given gift is not a good idea. God gave his word to the world. From Scripture, his word, comes revelation and understanding of not only who he is, but also who we are in him. Living without the knowledge and wisdom of Scripture would only lead to an unscrupulous and impure life. God gave his word to the world for a reason, and that gift should not be taken lightly. Through it he reveals the desire he has for the lives of his people. Because it is God’s word, Scripture is a guide that his people need to live by.
There are several key historical references that were influential and these references are imperative to understanding the full context of the canonical books and their relevance to the Christian faith. In most instances, the opposition of generally accepted truths is challenged and when the opposed truth is the winner, it emerges more accepted than it was before. This is the case for the canonical books as well. Challenges of opposing faiths are a major part of their emergences as the truth. Therefore, early Christianity experienced opposition from individuals and their following, thusly creating a devote need for clarification and a solidified statement of beliefs for all Christians. This was a part of the events that shaped the canonical books and it also contributed to the clarification and interpretation of what it actually meant to be a Christian and the consensus of what that meant to an individual seeking to serve the one true living God (Brueggeman 1978). In an analysis of the most prolific influences of the canonical books, the Gnostics, the ideals of...
Lutzer, Erwin. The Doctrines That Divide: a Fresh Look at the Historic Doctrines That Separate Christians. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.