Regarding the necessary instruction in Theology

[Keachian]

So there is no sure way?

You have it easy, look out for the papal stamps of goodness

 

[drjean]

What gets me is that they reject an authority (such as the Pope) and say "No, I'll read Evans instead!")

Substitution!

As long as the pope says what's in the Bible, like Evans does, I'll listen. I appreciate how the more recent popes have changed the catholic church for the better... growing up, my best friend was catholic, back when they were prevented from reading anything but the Douay version of the Bible, and all the masses were in latin, which only a handful of people studied (required in school, but still.) I wonder what authority the catholic churches had in bringing in 18 wheeler beer dispensers for their church picnics? And how the home for alcoholic priests was just down the road, on a hill overlooking the nudist colony... No one is perfect, but Christ... and my Bible tells me that the Holy Spirit is my mediator, not man. Be well.

 

[Keachian]

What's wrong with beer? Theology goes right well with beer

 

[brevis]

So there is no sure way?

There's no substitute for hard work

 

[Gnarwhal]

What's wrong with beer? Theology goes right well with beer

Does it ever! New Castle + Burrito + Bible Study = goodness.

 

[ViaCrucis]

Is there such a thing as an Encyclopaedia Theologica?

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Keachian]

Well from a quick look around, online encyclopaedias of interest would be
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Home
Theopedia, an encyclopedia of Biblical Christianity
JewishEncyclopedia.com

Not going to comment on the articles contained within any of those, I haven't actually looked

 

[Montalban]

As long as the pope says what's in the Bible, like Evans does, I'll listen.

Where's it say that the bible is the ultimate arbiter of all Christian truths?

My church faces east. That's not in the bible. Is that wrong?

There's no clear instructions on whether children can be baptised. Is it wrong if they are?

There's no end to slavery in the Bible.

 

[Montalban]

Greater theologs than I have approved Evan's work. It was and might still be the text for first year Christian Bible college students. It's accepted just like Mathew Henry, Unger, Strong, A T Robertson, Thiessen, Morton Smith, but those are old sources. I'm not familiar with modern authors.

However, go to the websites of the Bible Colleges and Seminaries you are familiar with and agree basically with, and download or review their course books (such as here for WestMinster Knox http://www.wjkbooks.com/Content/Site117/Basics/1794F11Academic_00000009447.pdf

Knowing that that particular seminary is Reformed Presbyterian will guide you in what you may or may not agree with (it never hurts to read what others base their beliefs in)... or look over some 18,000 books listed at the Central Bible College's site (while it's an Assemblies of God college, it lists all "usable" texts, some even by Catholic presses etc.) The Assemblies of God have a printing press in Springfield MO, where CBC is located.

anyway... I think I rambled.

Greater men haven't: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Irenaus of Lyons, Ignatius of Antioch, et al.

 

[brevis]

Greater men haven't: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Irenaus of Lyons, Ignatius of Antioch, et al.

I'm afraid we can't go and ask them, don't you think?

In any case, you don't study somebody because he's absolutely right in everything. Even the ECF erred from time to time.

 

[whitetiger1]

You have it easy, look out for the papal stamps of goodness

That's not even sure of truth

 

[whitetiger1]

There's no substitute for hard work

So hard work will get the truth? So what about all those that did and their truth is all different, why follow one over the other how can one be sure any of them have the real truth.

 

[Harry3142]

If you want to understand Christian theology, then you need to read the New Testament in its entirety. The problem with putting other books ahead of studying Scripture itself is that many of those books are, to put it bluntly, tiresome reading for most people. Also, they tend to promote the particular bias of their author rather than taking a serious look at what Scripture itself is telling us.

But Scripture was written so that the people could understand it (even if there are certain people who would attempt to convince us otherwise). By reading each book in the New Testament as if that book were a chapter in the testament, rather than seeing each book as an independent work that just happened to be inserted there, we can gain a better comprehension of what Scripture is teaching us.

If you want to study a book that gives us further insight into the mindset of Jesus and those to whom he was speaking, I personally suggest that you get the book Jewish Wisdom, by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin. Jesus was a Jew who taught almost exclusively other Jews. His disciples were all Jews, and the church began in Judea. So doesn't it make sense to find out what their theological background consisted of, as well as the mindset they had, so that we can better understand what Jesus was really teaching them (Did he really want them to sever their own hands to prevent themselves from sinning, for instance?)?

 

[brevis]

So hard work will get the truth? So what about all those that did and their truth is all different, why follow one over the other how can one be sure any of them have the real truth.

There are a few things in Theology that we know by faith in the one who saved us. Beyond that, you have what other people have thought before us. We should read them, study them, if only to avoid to fall into their same mistakes but only follow them as they illuminate our walk with Christ.

And even so, Theology is far from finished, there is room to rectify old theories, and some of them would be wrong. That's life, and that's what you have for being a human. The essentials for salvation, these we know, how we explain them in a systematic theory, that's another matter.

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

If you want to learn theology... attend The Divine Litugy ('s) and sing in the choir.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

If you want to learn theology... attend The Divine Litugy ('s) and sing in the choir.

I like church choirs...especially the sound of both adults and children singing together in harmony praising the LORD

http://www.christianforums.com/t7557182/
Question about Divine Liturgy

Originally Posted by Blackknight I sing along even though I'm flat and off key.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7523003/
Divine Liturgy

Home Alone Soundtrack - O Holy Night - YouTube

 

[whitetiger1]

There are a few things in Theology that we know by faith in the one who saved us. Beyond that, you have what other people have thought before us. We should read them, study them, if only to avoid to fall into their same mistakes but only follow them as they illuminate our walk with Christ.

And even so, Theology is far from finished, there is room to rectify old theories, and some of them would be wrong. That's life, and that's what you have for being a human. The essentials for salvation, these we know, how we explain them in a systematic theory, that's another matter.

So we have no way of knowing for sure any objective truth we just have to hope it is right.

 

[Albion]

So we have no way of knowing for sure any objective truth we just have to hope it is right.

We've achieved a breakthrough!

 

[whitetiger1]

We've achieved a breakthrough!

Confusion you call a break through. So the Christian God is not what He seems, He can not provide objective truth it's a free for all, isn't Christian relativism great make your own truth from Scripture everyone is doing it!

 

[Albion]

Confusion you call a break through.

You're confused? The statement--yours--hit the nail on the head. And it's refreshing, too, considering all the posts we read regularly in which somebody or other is insisting that his POV is absolutely the truth and no one with any sense can deny it. Once we all realize that we cannot be absolutely free from having made a mistake, we can turn to debating what is true according to all the evidence available to us. It's all a matter of probabilities in the end.

So the Christian God is not what He seems, He can not provide objective truth

No. Not so

It's a free for all,

What else would you call the furious inter-denominational discussions and accusations we have around here?

Christian relativism

Nothing I said added up to THAT!

great make your own truth from Scripture

or that.