CONTENTS

24. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ESCHATOLOGY 650

Eschatology as Insight into the Present 651
Eschatology as God's Call in the Present 652
The Foundation for God's Eschatological Ca11 652
The Biblical Precedence 653
The Implications for Theology 653
Aspects of God's Eschatological Ca11 653
A Call to Evangelism 654
Preface
A Call to Holiness 654
A Call to Steadfastness 655
Eschatology as Insight for Living 655
Eschatological Living as Hopeful Involvement 656
Eschatological Living as Realistic Engagement 657 During the last two decades, the church in North America has witnessed a re-
657 newed interest in theology. This interest has spawned a litter of new systematic
Our Actions as Effective
theologies, as thinkers have sought to provide the intellectual resources for the
Our Actions as Penultimate 657
Christian community as it faces the third millennium of its history. Theology for
Eschatological Living in the Light of the Eternal 658 the Community of God arises out of this theological fermento
Like many similar works, the following pages delineate the central themes
INDEXES of Christian doctrine in a systematic manner. Hence, after an introductory
chapter, the discussion moves through the major divisions of systematic theol-
Subject Index 661
ogy as it has been traditionally conceived: God (theology proper), humankind
Name Index 671 (anthropology), Christ (Christology), the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), the
Scripture Index 679 church (ecclesiology), and the last things (eschatology).
While sharing the common format, the book differs in certain crucial re-
spects from other systematic theologies. One obvious difference is perspective.
Every theology reflects to a certain degree the faith community which nour-
ishes its author. Theology for the Community of God gives evidence to my loca-
tion within the Baptist denomination and my participation in the broader
evangelical trajectory. Consequently, the statement of systematic theology that
follows is avowedly evangelical and unabashedly Baptist.
Above a11,however, the book differs from recent theologies in the integra-
tive motif - "community" - around which the discussion revolves. Like other
statements of theology, the following chapters offer an outline of our Christian
faith commitment. But my goal is to consider our faith within the context of
God's central program for creation, namely, the establishment of community. 1
believe this understanding of the divine purpose offers a fruitful point of de-
partur f r the logical discussion, because it lies at the heart both of the bibli-
al visión nnd of thc longing of humankind as wc move into the emerging
post 1l1Od ','11 cm.
 2'1. '1'111-: SICNII:ICANCE OF ESCHATOLOGY
«so
Eschalology as Insight into the Present
651
Eschatology as God's Call in the Present
652
The Foundation for God's Eschatological Call 652
The Bíblical Precedence
653
The Implícations for Theology
653
Aspects of God's Eschatological Call
653
A Cal! to Evangelism
654 Preface
A Cal! to Holiness
654
A Cal! to Steadfastness
655
Eschatology as Insight for Living
655
Eschatological Living as Hopeful Involvement 656
Eschatological Living as Realistic Engagement 657 During the last two decades, the church in North America has witnessed a re-
Our Actions as Effective newed interest in theology. This interest has spawned a litter of new systematic
657
Our Actions as Penultimate theologies, as thinkers have sought to provide the intellectual resources for the
657
Christian community as it faces the third millennium of its history. Theology for
Eschatological Living in the Light of the Eternal 658 the Community of God arises out of this theological fermento
INDEXES Like many similar works, the fo11owing pages delineate the central themes
of Christian doctrine in a systematic manner. Hence, after an introductory
Subject Index chapter, the discussion moves through the major divisions of systematic theol-
661
Name Index ogy as it has been traditiona11y conceived: God (theology proper), humankind
671
(anthropology), Christ (Christology), the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), the
Scripture Index
679 church (ecclesiology), and the last things (eschatology).
While sharing the common format, the book differs in certain crucial re-
spects from other systematic theologies. One obvious difference is perspective.
Every theology reflects to a certain degree the faith community which nour-
ishes its author. Theology for the Community of God gives evidence to my loca-
tion within the Baptist denomination and my participation in the broader
evangelical trajectory. Consequently, the statement of systematic theology that
fo11ows is avowedly evangelical and unabashedly Baptist.
Above a11,however, the book differs from recent theologies in the integra-
tive motif - "cornmunity" - around which the discussion revolves. Like other
statements of theology, the fo11owing chapters offer an outline of our Christian
faith commitment. But my goal is to consider our faith within the context of
God's central program for creation, namely, the establishment of community. 1
believe this understanding of the divine purpose offers a fruitful point of de-
parture for theological discussion, because it lies at the heart both of the bibli-
cal vision and of the longings of humankind as we move into the emerging
postmodern era.

xxx
XXXi
 lNTROI )UC'\'lON
As a rcsult 01il~ pcrspective and integrative motif, Theology for tlie Com-
111I11lit Y of God comprises a preliminary sketch of the theology called for in my
carlier, more programmatic book, Revisioning Evangelical Theology (Downers \

Grove, m. InterVarsity, 1993)0 \

The agenda set forth in both books is the product of my own theological
odyssey, My spiritual roots lie in the pious heritage of the Baptist parsonage in \

which 1was raised. After experiencing a dramatic call to the gospel ministry, my \
educational track introduced me to the rationalist approach to theology es-
poused by my teachers, Gordon Lewis at Denver Seminary and Wolfhart
Pannenberg in Munich, Consequently, when 1began teaching in the early 1980s
The Nature and Task Of Theology \

\
my approach strongly reflected the influence of my mentors, and their abiding
influence is readily evident in this volume. During my first sabbatical leave
(1987-88), 1 returned to Munich to study more closely the theology of my
Doktorvatet. The year marked an important milestone in my own thinking, as 1
discovered anew the importance of the pietist heritage in which 1 had been
spiritually nurtured.
Since 1988,1 have been seeking to integrate the rationalistic and pietistic
dimensions of the Christian faith. In continuity with the training 1 received
We zt: zz:
agamst the now e ge Ojo
~;d

make it obedient to Chnst.

d

'
~~~:e
pretension that sets itsel! up
take captive every thought to
\

\
from my mentors, 1 acknowledge the crucial role of reason in the theological \
2 Corinthians 10:5
enterprise. At the same time, 1 am convinced that a personal faith commitment \
as nurtured in a community of faith - piety - is also significant in our at-
tempt to understand and to pursue the constructive theological task. Thus, o o o Whether consciously or unconsciously, e~ch
while theology may be an intellectual search for truth, this search must always Every Christian 1Sa theologlano A d h believer whether in a delib-
o b b lief system n eac ,
be attached to the foundational, identity producing encounter with God in person of faith em races oa e 01o fl o th content of these beliefs and
erate manner or merely lmpltCltly, re ects on e
Christ, And it must issue forth in Christian living.
The book itself owes its impetus to an invitation in spring 1990 from David their significance for Christian life. od the foundation for this close
Dockery, then editor at Broadman Press, to write a one-volume text in systematic The biblical doc~ments themselvesJ:o~:al\eflectiono The Scriptures en-
theology, Since then, David has returned to the Southern Baptist Theological connection between faith stance anbdl~hfeo g der to understand the extent to
hi k h h our e le s 111 or
Seminary, leaving the project in the capable hands of others at Broadman and courage us to t m t roug mmitment (eogo,Matt. 22:37; \
al and corporate co o
Holman Publishers, especially Iohn Landers and Steve Bond, to whom 1 express which they express our person b d me re haphazard reflectwn on
3015) When we move eyon o
my gratitude. 1 am also indebted to Carey Theological College for providing an 2 Coro 10:5; 1 P eto o 00 1 beliefs systematically, we step mto
amiable context for my writing, as well as to the Carey support staff who have as-
faith and consciously seek to arncu ate our \
sisted me - Beverley Norgren, Heather Penner, and my teaching assistant, Iane the discipline called "theology:' o o esoWhat exactly is theology?
Rowland. Finally, 1 thank the students and colleagues who have interacted with In this context the fundamental ~uestlo~ :~l:ys~ematically on faith and to
What task becomes ours when we begin to re e o "(
my ideas and challenged my thinking over the last thirteen yearso
seek to offer an ordered articulation of our behefso
My hope is that this volume may provide a systematic context which will
enhance the efforts of future students and colleagues in reflecting on our Chris- \
tian faith, so that thereby the gospel may be served and, above all, that God may The Theologica1 Task
be glorified in the church, In short, 1 would hope that the following chapters
might serve as a statement of theology for the community of Godo o o e reflection on and the ordered articulation
Basically, systematlC theology 1s:h o lf our commitment to the God re-
Stanley [. Grenz of faith. Hence, the reality of fhalt~ lt~e 1 ~ection Because we are a people of
vealed in Christ - calls forth t eo oglca re o
Spring 1994
1
XXXll
Iaith, wc. readily cngagc in ihcology. Thc th 'ologi .11 l'111 -rprisc, thcrcíorc, íunc ugain. Christian thinkcrs rcpla cd thc on cpt of a unified, practical science
tions within thc liíc 01" discipleship; theology can be a spiritual activity. Beforc wiih rhc multipli ity of the theological sciences'' often divided into the now fa-
engaging in this task, however, we must look more closely at the intellectual dis- miliar scherne of biblical, systernatic, historical, and practical theology.?
cipline itself. Thereby "theology" was transformed into an all-inclusive word referring to the
various aspects of the study of the Bible and the church. Friedrich Schleier-
macher accepted the challenge of bringing the various theological disciplines
The Historical Development of Theology
into a unity.f He reorganized the several academic pursuits into a threefold cur-
We begin our attempt to understand theology historically, by noting how theo- riculum division: biblical (the doctrine espoused by the various biblical authors
logians at various stages in history have viewed their task. The ways in which and books), historical and systematic (the development of doctrine and the un-
Christian thinkers have understood both the term and the nature of the theo- derstandings of the contemporary church), and practical (the application of
logical enterprise have changed over the centuries of Christian history. doctrine to church life).?
During this time, Christians were becoming increasingly aware that hu-
Developments in the Meaning of the Term The word "theology" does not mans followed a number of separate religious traditions, each with its own
appear in the biblical documents. Rather, ancient Greece formed the seedbed for belief system. Consequent1y, the term "theology" carne to refer as well to the
its use. The word itself is formed from two other Greek terrns, theos (God) and 10- account of God in the various religions.l?
gos (word, teaching, study). Hence, etymologically "theology" means "the teach- Today Christians generally use "theology" either in the inclusive sense or
ing concerning God" or "the study of God." The Greeks used the word to refer to in a slightly narrower manner, often interchangeable with what earlier thinkers
the sayings of the philosophers and poets about divine matters, especially when termed "dogmatics," In North America the preferred designation for the latter
viewed within the framework of knowledge of humankind and nature.! is "systematic theology," or perhaps "constructive" or "doctrinal theology," al-
Christian thinkers imported the central aspects of the Greek theological though these terms may not be totally interchangeable.l ' Whatever the term
concern. Its presence is evident in Paul's encounter with the philosophers in used, the theological task encompasses the intellectual reflection on faith. The-
Athens (Acts 17:16ff.). Already in the first century Christian thinkers were ology is primarily the articulation of a specific religious belief system itself
theologizing in accordance with the Greek style. Even as late as the Middle Ages (doctrine). But it also includes reflection on the nature of believing, as well as
the Greek understanding of the theological enterprise remained influential declarations concerning the integration of commitment with personal and
among the theologians of the church. The early medieval thinkers understood community life.
"theology" as referring to the doctrine of God, which they regarded as one topic The Christian theologian seeks to set forth a coherent presentation of the
within the broader study of "dogmatics" or "sacred doctrine" (sacra doctrinal? themes of the Christian faith. Traditionally these include God (theology), hu-
During the 1100s and 1200s, "theology" underwent a change in meaning. mankind and the created universe (anthropology), the identity of Iesus as the
No longer simply the discourse concerning God, it now became the rational ex- Christ and the salvation he brought (Christology), the Holy Spirit and the
plication of divine revelation." And with the rise of the universities, the enterprise Spirit's work both in the individual and in the world (pneumatology), the
was destined to become an acadernic, as well as an ecclesiastical discipline+ The church as the corporate expression of Christian faith (ecclesiology), and the
term carne to refer to a single, unified "science" focusing on knowledge of God. consummation of God's program for creation (eschatology).
But it nevertheless remained "practical' (linked with Christian living), for theol-
ogy retained its older character of "wisdorn,"> 6. Ibid., 49, 65, 77.
In eighteenth-century Germany the understanding of theology shifted 7. For a recent defense of the traditional fourfold scheme, see Richard A. Muller,
The Study ofTheology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991).
l. For this latter point, see Frank Whaling, "The Development of the Word 'Theol- 8. Friedrich Schleiermacher, A Brief Outline of the Study of Theology (Atlanta: Iohn
ogy;" Scottish [outnal ofTheology 34 (1981): 292-93. Knox, 1966). See also Farley, Theologia, 85,94.
2. Emil Brunner, The Christian Doctrine of God (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1950),89. 9. See Schleiermacher, A Brief Outline of the Study of Theology.
3. Yves M. J. Congar, A History ofTheology (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1968),33. 10. Whaling, "The Development of the Word "Theology,'" 305-6.
See also G. R. Evans, The Beginnings ofTheology as an Academic Discipline (Oxford: Clar- 11. In contrast to dogma tic theology with its focus on the presentation of the body
endon, 1980). of Christian doctrine, systematic theology moves beyond exposition to the larger question
4. Whaling, "The Development of the Word 'Theology:" 300. of the coherence of doctrine in the contemporary context and with al! human knowledge.
5. Edward Farley, Theologia (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983),77,81. For a discussion of this distinction, see Muller, The Study of Theology, 125-28.

2 3
 'J'hc Nced for 'I.'h 'O~()g~ i.n the Chur~h Theology as we know it devcloped
011' 'rning th . nuturc of sulvation and the P irson of Christ (1 Cor. 15:3 8; Phil.
over the c.entunes. Christians engage m theological reflection in response to the
2:6-11; 1 'I'im. : 16). 'Iaking their cuc írorn these biblical texts, systematic theolo-
presence m the church of certain perceived needs, inc1uding what we may des-
gians have traditionally attempted to bring together in systematic fashion the ma-
ignate as "polemics," "catechetics," and "biblical summarization."12 These needs
jor bíblical themes that focus on God's being and gracious salvation.
span the centuries. They appeared already in the early church; in one form or
The understanding of theology as the summarization of biblical doctrine
another they have remained important throughout history; and they continue
to command attention today. sports an impeccable pedigree within the history of the church. Yet since the
Reformation many conservative theologians have treated this aspect as theol-
(1) Theologians carry out their work because of the need to define the
ogy's central, if not sole, function. And they have coupled the focus on biblical
Christian belief system in the context of alternatives (polemics). This intention
summarization with modern concepts of the nature of science. [ust as the natu-
was prominent in the early Christian centuries, as the church faced doctrinal
ral world is amenable to the scientists' probing, they assert, so also the teaching
controversies. Thinkers employed theological formulations to differentiate or-
thodoxy from heresy. of Scripture is objectively understandable. As a consequence of this assump-
tion, systematic theology becomes primarily the organizing of the "facts" of
. The polemical facto.r was again of special importance during the Refor-
Scripture, just as the natural sciences are the systematizing of the facts of na-
mation. Chnstlans who differed over questions of faith marked out their theo-
ture. We may call this the "concordance" or "propositionalist" approach.
logical positions in arder to define their own particular understanding of
Christianity. Contemporary proponents of the concordance understanding of theol-
ogy c1aim the heritage of the great Protestant scholasticsl ' and the Princeton
In the modern era, the importance of polemics has not abated even
theologians of the 1800s. Following their forebears, they understand truth as
though its context has shifted. We are now ca11ed to delineate our faith in the
propositional (consisting in a body of correct assertions) and unchanging.
midst of many competing world views and religions, In order to understand
Consequently, propositionalists seek to emancipate theology from any one cul-
how Christian commitment can be applied to the grave problems and needs of
tural context in order to produce a statement of truth that is timeless and cul-
o~r world, we must become c1ear as to the content of our message and how it
differs from contemporary alternatives. ture-free.!" For them, the correct theology is the one which best crystallizes bib-
lical truth into a set of universally true and applicable propositions.l>
. (2! The theological enterprise is also an outworking of the need to offer
Despite its ongoing popularity among conservative thinkers, the concor-
mstructl~n to th~ peo~le of God (catechetics). The task of teaching the faith to
dance model has been vigorously challenged. Neo-orthodox thinkers were es-
converts IS especially unporranr, for new believers must be instructed in the
pecially relentless in asserting that revelation does not disclose supernatural
fundamentals of Christianity in order to become mature (Eph. 4:11-14).
knowledge; it is not the unveiling of a body of propositions about God. Rather,
From ~he beginning Christian leaders have acknowledged the importance
in revelation God encounters the human person.ls In response to the neo-
of t~eology m the task of instruction. As early as the second century, the church
devI~ed elaborate summaries of doctrine as tools in teaching the many converts
13. A theologian who is often connected with Reformed scholasticism and ~ho
commg from pagan backgrounds. Since then the people of God have continu- through his link to the Princeton thinkers has exercised great infIuence on evangehcahsm
al1~ looked .to. theologians t~ assist them in fulfilling the pedagogical manda te is Francis Turretin (1623-87). For a discussion of Turretin's contribution, see Richard A.
to make disciples of a11nations ... teaching them .... " Muller, "Scholasticism Protestant and Catholic: Francis Turretin on the Object and Princi-
(3) The third impetus for the theological task arises from the need Chris- ples of Theology," Church History 55/2 (June 1986): 193-205. .
tians have always sensed to bring the basic themes taught in the Bible into sum- 14. For a statement concerning the roots of this idea in the Princeton theologians, see
mary form (biblical summarization). In fact, this summarizing tendency is pres- David F. Wells, "An American Evangelical Theology: The Painful Transition from Theoria to
Praxis:' in Evangelicalism and Modern America, ed. George Marsden (Grand Rapid~: .Eerd-
ent alr~ady in ~he Scriptures. In the Old Testament era, the Hebrew people readi1y
mans, 1984),85. Among the proponents of this biblically focused, evangehcal propositional-
capsulized their understanding of the divine nature arising from their experience ism none has been more untiring than Carl F. H. Henry, hailed as the most prominent evan-
of, or encounter with, the God who addressed them (Deut. 6:4-5; 26:5-9). The gelical theologian of the second half of the twentieth century. For a discussion of Henry's
New Testament likewise contains summary theological statements, especially theology and significance, see Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olson, Twent~eth Century Theol-
ogy: God and the World in a TransitionalAge (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarslty,.1992), 288-9:.
15. This feature of evangelical theology is noted byWells, "An Amencan Evangehcal
12. See Brunner, The Christian Doctrine of God, 93-96. Congar cites the church's
Theology," 86. .
need to speak to the pagan culture and the individual believer's need to refIect on faith in
the pagan contexto Congar, A History of Theology, 39, 40. 16. Iohn Baillie, The Idea of Revelation in Recent Thought (New York: Columbia
University Press, 1956), 17-40.

4
5
 OI'lliodox "'I¡¡¡tlr. lOIIS .rvativcs righLly rcfusc lo ti .knowlcdgc a radical dis-
junction bctwc .n "propositional" and "personal" revelation.I? In so doing they Si .ad our idcnt it y ariscs withina ornmunity - within the fcllowship of God's
cmphasize a fundamental insight encapsuled by propositionalism: Our faith is p .oplc in thc church. .
tied to adivine revelation that has been objectively disclosed. God has commu- For this insight narrative theologians are indebted to recent voices
nicated truth - himself - to uso within the human sciences. Thinkers in a wide variety of disciplines have at-
Despite its positive con tribu tion s, the concordance understanding of the- tempted to move beyond the focus on the autonomous individual character-
ology has one decisive flaw. It does not give adequate attention to the con textual istic of the modern mentality in order to develop a more profound under-
nature of theology. Theological reflection always occurs within and for a spe- standing of epistemology and identity formation. They theorize that the
cific historical contexto Consequently, a11theological assertions are historica11y process of knowing and to some extent even experience of the world can. on~y
conditioned. In contrast to the assumption of propositionalists, by its very na- occur within a conceptual framework mediated by the social community 111
ture theology is a con textual discipline. is which a person participates. In the same way, personal identity is formed
The contextual nature of theology renders the concordance model in- within social structures. We understand not onIy the world but also ourselv~s
complete. But what comprises a fuller conception of theology? by means of an intricate web of traditions and beliefs. To the d.egree that rt
provides the categories or language in which we frame our ques~lOns and an-
The Task of Theology and the Church The contemporary interest in "nar- swers, this inherited web - this belief structure - shapes our hves. The ,:eb
rative" offers one helpful insight that points toward a more adequate under- of belief is transmitted to us by the social group within which the ong01l1g
standing of theology.19 Narrative thinkers remind us that we must view theol- process of identity formation occurs.>' ..
ogy in terms of its relationship to the story of God's action in history. This The contemporary focus on community ties directly into the religious
seminal assertion carries important implications. view of life. As Christians we assert that religious experience - an encounter
One ramification is that we can pursue the theological task only "from with the divine - is foundational to our self-identity. According to the biblical
within" - only from the vantage point of the faith community in which we tradition, the goal of the human-divine encounter is the establishment of a
stand. But why is this the case? Why is theology by nature a discipline of the community of people who stand in covenant with God. We enter ~hat co~mu-
church? The connection between theology and the faith community arises nity through our faith response to the proclamation of. the salvific actlOn. of
from a specific understanding of how Christian identity is formed. God in Christ, symbolized by baptism. Hence, the expenence of encount~nng
Narrative theologians rightly point out that the revealed truth of God, God together with the conceptual framework which facilita.tes it are mediated
which comes to us fundamenta11y in the narrative of God's actions in the world, to us by a religious community - the church - through ItS symbols, narra-
forms the "basíc grammar" that creates Christian identity. Truth estabIishes tives and sacred documents.
who we are - Christians, God's children. Rather than mereIy being a product , The importance of the Christian community to the faith and identity of
of our experience, as certain strands of liberalism tend to argue, in an impor- believers has important implications for our understanding of the nature ~f
tant sense this truth of God, this retold narrative, creates our experience.20 The theology. Theology fulfills a role in the life of the people of G.od. Its pur~os~ IS
identity-creative experience, however, is not ours as individuals in isolation. In- ultimately "practica!"; it is related to Christian life and practice.F The blbh~al
narrative forms the foundation for a conceptual framework by means of which
we view ourselves and our experience of the world: Theologians function
within the context of the Christian community by articulating the conceptual
17. See, for example, Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, three volumes (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1983), 1:196. framework and belief structure we share.P
18. Several evangelicals have alerted their conservative colleagues to this reality.
Hence, ]ohn ]efferson Davis, Foundations of Evangelical Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 21. Charles Taylor, Sources of the Self The Making of the Modern Identity (Cam-
1984),67. bridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1989),25-40. .. ,.
19. For a description of narrative theology, see Grenz and Olson, Twentieth Century 22. This understanding reflects points of contact with Niklas Luhmann s sociology
Theology, 271-85. of theology. For a sketch and appraisal of Luhmann's position, see Garrett Green, "The So-
20. See, for example, Pinnock's statement on evangelical theological method. ciology of Dogmatics: Niklas Luhmann's Challenge to Theology,' [ournal of the American
Clark H. Pinnock and Delwin Brown, Theological Crossfire: An Evangelical-Liberal Dia- Academy ofReligion 50/1 (March 1982): 19-34. .
logue (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990),45. This point is delineated in George Lindbeck, 23. So forceful have been recent voices setting forth the fundamentally practlc~l ~a-
The Nature of Doctrine (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1984), 80. ture of theology that Peter Slater finds a consensus a~ong theo~ogians that their dlsclplm.e
"serves the faithful, whether as individuals or collectives, and rt does so properly when it
6
7
 'l'h~'()I()gy, thcn, is hc rnsk of rhc faith conuuurury:
11 11>.1 .ommunity act. . 01. thc t Ileo Ioglans
. ,.IIlqlllry
. .:But. t hei
reir q~es ti\ s e ~O~;;/ .~)
í

Faith is also thc íocus

'l'hcology is thc Christiancorn munity reflcct inp 011 .uid .rrtu ulating thc faith 0('
not t:he cxistential queries concerning the presence of faith 111 a behever s he~f~J~
thc pcoplc who have encountered God in God's activity as [ocused in the his-
readily asked by the church. Rather, they are the more academic questions con-
tory of Iesus of Nazareth and who therefore seek to live as the people of God in
cerning the nature and object of the believer's commitment: What doctrines do
the contemporary world. Ultimately, then, the propositions of systematic theol-
we espouse - what assertions do we accept as helpful reflections of the nature
ogy find their source and aim in the identity and life of the community it
of reality? What is the nature of personal commitment - what do es it mean to
serves. In fact, we need no other rationale to engage in the discipline than our
commit oneself? To whom are we committing ourselves - what statements ex-
participation in the church. And as Theodore Iennings rightly notes, theologi-
press the nature of the God who is the author and object of our faith?
cal reflection is reflection "on behalf of" - on behalf of a cornmunity, a tradi-
In this manner, the focus of theology rests on the inte11ectual dimension
tion, a world.t+
of the faith of the believing community. Theologians view faith as a subject for
discussion and reflection. Insofar as their discipline entails verbal expression,
The Relationship of Theology to Other Concepts they seek to isolate the specifically intellectual aspect of faith and then to illu-
mine, clarify, and articulate it.
Christian theology is the reflection on and the articulation of the belief struc-
The distinction between faith and theology indicates that theology is a
ture that gives identity to the Christian people. As an inte11ectual enterprise it is
"second order" endeavor-> over which faith takes primacy. Theology is called
an academic discipline pursued within the faith community. But this raises the
forth by faith; it arises as we seek to reflect on the reality of our faith and articu-
question concerning how theology differs from certain other activities included
late its contento
within the broader realm in which it is embedded. More specifica11y, what is its
This distinction likewise reminds us that professional theologians are not
connection to the act of faith, which is foundational to Christian life, to the aca-
necessarily persons of greater faith than other Christians. Rather, they are those
demic field of religious studies with which theology shares certain affinities,
whom the church (often in conjunction with the academic community) has
and to the several other inte11ectual disciplines which also attempt to speak
ca11edto employ their powers of thought in service to faith.26 They are to utilize
about reality as a whole?
their intellectual capabilities in order to understand the nature and content of
faith and the application of Christian commitment to life. Professional theolo-
Theology and Faith If theology is reflection on faith, theology and personal
gians, therefore, are vocationally servants of the church, devoting their lives to
faith are closely connected. Nevertheless, we must not confuse the two, for they
assist in the task of speaking about the faith of the people of God. Nevertheless,
differ in one important way.
to the extent that a11Christians share in theological reflection, a11participate in
Faith is by nature immediate. It arises out of the human encounter with the theological task.
the person of God in Christ, mediated by the community's testimony to the di-
vine revelation in Iesus, Personal faith, therefore, is our response to the ca11of
Theology and Religious Studies The relation between theology and faith
God, which involves participation in the believing community.
suggests that we ought not confuse theology with a related intellectual disci-
Personal faith extends to a11aspects of our psyche. It includes our intel- pline - religious studies - even though both fields of inquiry focus on belief
lect. In the faith-response we accept as true certain assertions concerning real-
structures. Students of religion attempt to engage in a scientific observation of
ity, and as a result we view the world in a specific way. Faith includes our will. It
systems of belief. In approaching their topic, they emphasize objective and de-
entails the volitional commitment of ourselves to Another - to the God re-
tached work. As far as possible, they seek to labor "from the outside," apart
vealed in Iesus Christ - and consequently we en ter into a fellowship of com-
from personal adherence to the belief system under observation.
mitment with the disciples of Iesus. And faith includes the emotions, for it is
While not totally devoid of such aspects of scientific study as detached
the heartfelt love for the one who saves us, which translates into affection for
work and objective observation, the theologian approaches faith within the
others.
context of the believing community. Theology presupposes a faith stance and
participation in the faith community on the part of the practitioner. Conse-
enables them ta live more faithfully." Peter Slater, "Theology in the 1990s," Taranta [ournal quently, theologians speak about the nature and content of faith from the per-
af Theology 6/2 (Fall 1990): 289.
24. Theodore W. Iennings, Ir., Introduction to Thealagy (Philadelphia: Fortress,
(976), 179. 25. See Lindbeck, The Nature of Doctrtne, 80.
26. Brunner, The Christian Dactrine af God, 73.

8
9
 SI.).cí ivc 01' p 'rso'wl :Ol1ll11ill1lCI1I.
In contrux: lo studcnts of religion, thcolo-
th . human pcrson, and thc world as a whoJc -lie ultimatcly beyond tbe ability
grans do not scck lo (rcc thcmselves totally from their own faith commitment
of thc human intellect to grasp fully. Therefore, every theological system will
l1?r .fr~m thcir participation in the faith community in order to engage in their
have limitations. Nevertheless, the human mind can grasp something concern-
discipline. Rather, they carry out their work with a sympathetic attitude toward
the tradition in which they stand. ing reality, and therefore a theological system can to some extent represent
truth.
. Faith, the~, marks the central difference between theology and religious
In the task of setting forth truth, the theologian is facilitated by the use of
studies, TheoretIcally, anyone could engage in the study of religion, whereas the
what theorists of knowledge call "models," Important to a proper understand-
theological task is limited to participants of the tradition under scrutiny. The
ing of the role of models in the theologic~l enterprise is ;,he d~fferentiati~n set
academic study of Christianity is not limited to adherents of that tradition, but
forth in contemporary philosophy of science between rephca models and
~o one can claim to be a Christian theologian without being a practicing Chris-
tian. "analogue models," Whereas replica models strive to reproduce the modeled. re-
ality on a smaller, more easily visualized scale, analogue models attempt to sim-
ulate the structural relationships of the reality modeled.
Theology and the Scienees The overarching task of Christian theology is to
The model constructed by theology is of the latter type rather than the
present a specifically Christian understanding of reality, one which views the
forrner.F Theological systems do not provide a replica, a "scale model" of real-
world through the eyes of faith in the God revealed in Iesus of Nazareth. This
ity. Their propositions are not univocal. Hence, no one system can claim to be
conclusion indicates that theology has some affinity with the natural and social
an exact verbal reproduction of the nature of God or of the human person and
sc!ences, inso~ar as scholars in both disciplines formulate understandings of re-
the world in relation to God. Rather, the theologian seeks to invoke an under-
ality, Theologlans share with scientists a comrnon area of exploration _ the
standing of reality by setting forth through an analogous model r.ealities which
universe and especially the human persono And they employ the findings of sci-
ence in their work. may be mysterious, even ineffable. In this process of understandmg, a system-
atic theology can be helpful, insofar as it is an appropriate analogue model ab~e
?e~pite their common subject matter, the sciences and theology part I to assist us in grasping the profound mystery of reality. In this sense, a theologi-
ways 1Il mtent and method. Scientists test hypotheses and draw conclusions
concerning the objects of their study by means of empirical observation of the
.,
"
11
cal system is always ahuman construct .
V Christian theologians focus on the significance of Iesus of Nazareth for
universe. Theologians, in contrast, are not limited in their task to observation
our understanding of God, creation, and history. They seek to assist the Chris-
of t~e.world, forotheological knowledge also moves from the acknowledgment
tian community in articulating the importance of Iesus Christ to the divine
of divine revelatíon. In addition, theologians go beyond scientists in that ulti-
program and the significance of our faith commitment to Iesus for all human
mately their subject is God and God's relationship to creation. Theologians,
life. To this end they construct an analogue model of reality viewed from the
theref~re, .ar~ conc~rned about humankind and the cosmos - the objects of
perspective of God's self-disclosure in Christ. ..
the ~c~entIsts. P:OblIl~ --:, not as mere natural phenomena, but specifically as
Here again we see that theology is a second-order enterpnse, and ItS
paructpants 1Il creanon, that is, as related to the Creator.
propositions are second-order statements. Theologians formulate in culturally
Insofar as they speak of God and the totality of reality, the theologians'
sensitive language the world view of the community that is constituted by the
endeavors overlap with those of philosophers concerned about metaphysics
human response to the story of the salvific act of God in the history of Jesus.
(the study of reality beyond the realm of the physical or of empirical observa-
The second-order nature of theology does not mean that theological
tion). In fact, theologians often employ philosophical categories as a context for
declarations make no ontological claims. By its very nature, the conceptual
their ass~rtion~. But theologians differ from metaphysicians in that they ad-
framework of a faith community contains an implicit claim to represent the
d~ess their subject matter from a vantage point within the believing commu-
truth about the world and the divine reality its members have come to know
11lty:I~ contrast to the philosopher, the theologian seeks to present a specifically
and experience. For this reason, theology necessarily entails the quest for
C~ns:lan understanding of reality which views the world through the eyes of
faith 1Il the God revealed in Iesus of Nazareth. truth. Theologians enter into conversation with other disciplines of human

Theology and Truth While theologians pull into their purview reality as a 27. For a short discussion of the analogous nature of theology, see Davis, Founda-
whole and seek to describe it from the viewpoint of faith, no theological system tions of Evangelical Theology, 48-50. For a more complete explor~tion of the nature of
models in both science and theology, see Sallie McFague, Metaphorical Theology (Philadel-
encompasses reality in its fullness. The topies the theologian studies _ God,
phia: Fortress, 1982): 67-144.

10
11
knowlcdgc wit h th . !:\ll.d of setting forth a Christian world view whi h 0- Substitution Among th . rnost insidious dungcrs is thc lemplation of substi-
h 'res with whal we know about human experience and the world. They seek tution. 'l'hcologians 100 readily a\low personal theologizing to become a su.rro-
lo understand the human person and the cosmos as existing in relation to the gale for gel1uine, personal faith. We dare n?t replace commitment t~ the tnune
reality of God. In so doing they attempt to fashion a fuller vision of God and God and the living Christ with our doctnnes about God and Chr~st. And we
his purposes in the world.P' However, the ontological claims implicit in theo- must avoid placing confidence in our abilities to develop a theological system,
logical declarations come as an outworking of the intent of the theologian to rather than in the God in whose service we stand.
provide a model of reality. Substitution can also take the form of a subtle drift away frorn theology
into religious studies. Theologians sometimes make. such a th?rough-going a~-
tempt at objectivity that they lose from view the faith comm1tme~t to the tn-
The Ongoing Nature of the Theological Task une God around which their vocation centers. The end result 1S to red~ce
Theology is a contextual discipline. Theologians do not merely amplify, refine, Christianity to the status of being one religion among others, merely an object
defend, and deliver to the next generation a timeless, fixed orthodoxy. Rather, for academic study.
by speaking from within the community of faith, they seek to describe the act
of faith, the God toward whom faith is directed, and the implications of our Dogmatism v:
As Christian theologians we are likewise faced ith the tempta-
faith commitment in, for, and to a specific historical and cultural context. tion toward dogmatism. We run the risk of confus~ng one s~eClfic model ~f re-
The fundamental Christian faith commitment to the God revealed in Ie- ality with reality itself or one theological system W1t~truth 1tSel~,thereby can-
sus is unchanging, of course. But the world into which we bring this confession onizing" a particular theological construct or a specific rheologian. Because a11
is in flux. As a result, theologians function in a mediatorial manner. From the systems are models of reality, we must maintain a stance of openness to other
vantage point within the Christian tradition, they seek to assist the church in models, aware of the tentativeness and incompleteness of a11systems. In the fi-
bringing the confession of faith in [esus as the Christ into the contemporary nal analysis, theology is ahuman enterprise, helpful for the task of the church,
contexto They articulate this confession in the thought-forms of the culture to be sure, but ahuman construct nevertheless.
they serve, and they seek to show the implications, relevance, and application of
the Christian confession to life in that society and that historical contexto Intellectualism We must also caution ourselves against inte11ectualism. As
The contextual nature of the discipline, therefare, mandates the use of con- Christian theologians we are tempted to see our task as ending with the c?n-
temporary thought- forms in theological reflection. For this reason, the categories struction of a theological system. In actuality, devising a "sys~em:' however 1~-
theologians employ are by necessity culturally and historically conditioned, and portant this may be, is not the ultimate purpose toward WhICh t~e theologian
the theologian is both a "child of the times" and a communicator to the times. Be- strives. Rather, we engage in reflection on faith in arder that the life of the be-
cause the context in which the church speaks the Word of God is in flux - chang- liever and of the faith community in the world might be served.
ing through time and location - the task of theology in assisting the church in Theological reflection ought to make a difference i~ Ch~istian l~vi~g.
formulating and applying its confession amidst the varied and changing flow of :v
Doctrinal expression is designed to help clarify the ways 1~ h1Ch ~hr~st1an
human thought and life never comes to an end. Like the church and the societies commitment is to be lived. It likewise ought to motivate Christians to live 111 ac-
which it serves, theology is always in vía - on the way. And the theologian is a cordance with their commitment. In short, theology must overflow into ethic~.
pilgrim thinker ministering on behalf of a pilgrim people.s? Whenever our theological work stops short of this, we have failed to be obedi-
ent to our ca11ing.
Dangers in the Theological Enterprise

The understanding of theology charted above suggests several dangers which

Theological Method
confront the Christian theologian. We must alert ourselves to three of these.
As theologian, the goal of our engagement in intellectua~ reflection on the fai.th
commitment of the believing community is the constructlOn of a model of reahty
28. Douglas F. Ottiti, "Christian Theology and Other Disciplines," [ournal of Reli-
that can foster a truly godly spirituality that translates into ethicalliving in t~e so-
gion 64/2 (ApriI1984): 182.
cial-historical context in which we are to be the people of God. Our task 1Sthe
29. See, for example, Daniel B. Stevick, Beyond Fundamentalism (Richmond, Va.:
Iohn Knox, 1964),69. conscious reflection - within the context in which we live and minister - on the

12 13
laith commitrncnt wc share as Christians. But how exa tly do we engagc in this r -quir 's a movcmcnt b '1 w 'en al lcast t wo peles - thc Biblc as the so urce of the
cnterprise? good ncws 01" ;od's action in Chrisl and contemporary culture as the sour~e ~f
Crucial to the development of a helpful theology is the employment of at least somc of the categories through which the theologian expresses the bibli-
proper sources for the theological construction and the selection of a valid and cal message. Even though Scripture must remain the primary norm for theo-
beneficial integrative motif around which we delineate our theological system. logical statements, contextualization demands that we take seriously the
To these aspects of our theological method we must now turno thought-forms and mindset of the culture in which our theologizing tran-
spires. Only then can we explicate the biblical message in language understand-
able in our specific setting.
The Sources for Theology Perhaps the most erudite twentieth-century articulation of this modero
Theology does not arise sui generis. Nor do theologians engage in this task two-norm approach is the well-known "method of correlation" proposed by
without the aid of resources. Rather, each theological system retlects the use of Paul Tillich. His approach oscillates between the existential questions posed by
certain norms which function as the specific sources employed by the theolo- philosophy and the revelatory answers set forth by theology. Through careful
gian in carrying out the theological mandate. There is sharp disagreement examination of human existence, theologians employ philosophy in order to
among theologians, however, as to exactly what sources lie at our disposal. We raise the grave questions encountered by humans today. Then they draw on the
must set forth our position in this context of loss of unanimity. symbols of divine revelation to formulate answers to the questions implie~ in
human existence, which philosophy can discover but cannot answer. According
The Reforrnation Debate Although present in the church from the early to Tillich, the overall task of the theologian is to bring the questions and an-
centuries of the Christian era, the dispute over theological method first became swers together in critical correlation.U The answers theology presents must be
acute during the Reformation. At stake in discussions since the 1500s has been derived from revelation, but they must be expressed in a form which will speak
the role of the Bible vis-a-vis other theological resources. to the existential concerns of human beings. Consequently, the theologian's
In the Middle Ages one proposal became the standard view in Roman goal is to articulate the answers of revelation in a manner that remains faithful
Catholic thinking. This method posited two wellsprings of correct doctrine. to the original Christian message while being relevant to the questions asked by
The first norm, of course, was the Bible - more specifically, the Bible as canon- the modero, secular mindset.
ized by the church and interpreted by the magisterium, the church's teaching An alteroative to Tillich which has gained recognition in recent years is
office. The second norm was apostolic tradition as handed down through, and the so-called "Wesleyan quadrilateral." Theology, its proponents assert, appeals
even augmented by, the church. These norms formed a twofold source of theo- to four sources.V Scripture (the Bible as properly exegeted), reason (the find-
logical truth. ings of science and human reasoning), experience (individual and corpor~te
Foundational to the Protestant Reformation was a strong reaction against encounters with life), and tradition (the teachings of the church throughout 1tS
the medieval adherence to a twofold source of theology. Standing at the head of history). Although seeing a11four as valid, Wesleyans nevertheless tend to ele-
this shift in outlook, Martin Luther replaced the older view with a simpler, yet vate one above the others, whether the Bible as the "norming norm"33 or expe-
powerful approach focusing on sola scriptura ("Scripture alone"): The Scrip- rience as the ultimate starting point for theological retlection.
tures are the sole primary source for theology. Later certain Calvinists, espe- The Wesleyan quadrilateral is not without problems. Perhaps its gravest
cially the English Puritans, refined Luther's position. The Westminster Confes- difficulty lies in its appeal to experience as a theological norm separate from t~e
sion of Faith, which formed the apex of Puritan efforts to delineate a proper other three. Tillich voiced a telling criticism of any method that elevates experi-
recounting ofbiblical doctrine, declares that the final authority in the church is ence to normative status. Experience is not the source of theology, he argued,
"the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scriptures."30 but the medium through which theology's sources are receíved."

31. Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, three volumes (Chicago: University of Chicago
Contextualization and Experience The con textual nature of this discipline
Press, 1953), 1:22-28,59-66.
precludes any suggestion that theology is solely the construction or systemati- 32. Clark Pinnock, Tracking the Maze (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1990), 170-81.
zation of truth by appeal to the Bible alone. The process of contextualization 33. Donald W. Dayton, "The Use of Scripture in the Wesleyan Tradition," in The Use
of the Bible in Theology: Evangelical Options, ed. Robert K. Iohnston (Atlanta: [ohn Knox,
30. "The Westminster Confession of Faith," 1.10, in The Creeds of the Churches, ed. 1973),135.
Iohn H. Leith, third edition (Atlanta: Iohn Knox, 1982), 196. 34. Tillich, Systematic Theology, 1:42.

14 15
 1111' NI\I \lUI' I\NI' 1/\. t\ \1" 1111'\" ""IY

Rath '1' thun b .ing its sourcc, experience is in S()I1lC scnse the focus of thc Ih ' Bihlc. Hccausc failh is our responso to thc God who encounters LIS in his his-
thcological task. Theology is the reflection on faith, which as an act carrying im- torical sclf-disclosurc, our theology must take seriously the good news as pro-
plications for living is by its own nature experiential. Theologians utilize proper claimcd within the context of the ancient cultures. We must look to the trajec-
sources in order to construct an interpretive framework to assist in organizing tory of the proclamation of the story of God's salvific activity within the history
and understanding our experience. Theology, then, is in some sense the critical of Israel, Iesus, and the infant church.
reflection on Christian experience, for it seeks to account for and describe the en- In complex prolegomena, some theologians preface their systematic-
counter with God in accordance with specifically Christian categories." theological constructions with elaborate attempts to establish the resourceful-
11
Carrying this con sideratio n a step farther, we could say that experience ness of the Bible as the foundation for their dogmatic labors. To this end they
cannot form a separate so urce simply because we never receive experience argue for the divine nature of Scripture through a series of proofs, including
uninterpreted. It is always filtered by an interpretive framework or world view. appeals to externally verifiable "miracles" (such as fulfilled prophecies) and to
In fact, because there is no "pure experience," the framework facilitates the re- the Bible's own claims about itself.
ception of experiences. Hence, experience cannot serve as a source for theology All such attempts to establish the role of Scripture in theology, however,
separate from the world view which makes its reception possible. are ultimately unnecessary. In engaging in the theological task, we may simply
Experience cannot be a proper so urce for theology, finally, because any ap- assume the authority of the Bible on the basis of the integral relationship of
peal to an unreflective individual experience is by its own nature wholly subjec- theology to the faith community. Because the Bible is the universally acknowl-
tive. It lacks any canon by means of which it can be judged, both as to whether it is edged foundational document of the Christian church, its message functions as
real or imagined and as to whether it is positive or negative, good or evil. Experi- the central norm for the systematic articulation of the faith of that community.
ence also leaves open the question of universalizability: Is such an experience nor- Consequently, the demonstration of the divine authorship of Scripture or
mative for all persons, or is it merely a priva te, individual phenomenon? its status as revelation need not constitute the prolegomenon to our theology.
Because we dare not confuse our experience of God with our fellowship Sufficient for launching the systematic-theological enterprise is the nature of
with God, the human encounter with God is not the only object of the theolo- theology itself as reflection on community faith. And sufficient for the employ- \ ;
gian's inquiry. Even though experience is not a separate norm for theology, it ment of the Bible in this task is its status as the book of the community, the
remains relevant to the theological enterprise.é" Our experience is informative, source of the kerygma - the gospel proclamation - in the early communities
for it helps us clarify the human relationship to God. and consequently in the contemporary community.
The Bible functions in the church as the Spirit-produced document
\
The Threefold Norm of Theology We conclude that, as the attempt to artic- through which the Spirit continues to speak. Therefore, we will reserve for
ulate in a specific historical-cultural context the unchanging faith commitment pneumatology the fuller development of our doctrine of Sc.ripture an~ bibl~cal \ I

of the church to the God revealed in Iesus Christ, the theological task must be authority. Here we need only offer several remarks concermng the conjunction
carried out with a view in three directions. The three sources or norms for the- between theology and revelation.
ology are the biblical message, the theological heritage of the church, and the Theologians have always viewed their discipline as in some way con-
thought-forms of the historical-cultural context in which the contemporary nected to revelation. We may define revelation as the divine act of self-disclo-
people of God seek to speak, live, and act.V sure which makes known Gocl's essential nature. Ultimately, revelation stands
(1) Of primary importance to the theological task is the Bible as canon- at the eschaton, at the grand climax of human history. Nevertheless, the divine
ized by the church. More specifically, the primary norm for theology is the bib- self-disclosure is a present reality, for it has appeared proleptically (in the man- 11

lical message. As theologians we must look to the kergyma as inscripturated in ner of a foretaste) in human history.
Scripture is connected to God's historical revelation. Throughout the bibli-
\
35. For a lengthy discussion of theology as the giving of an account of Christian cal era, each succeeding generation of the people of God found themselves con-
faith, see Gerhard Ebeling, Dogmatik des christlichen Glaubens, three volumes (Tübingen: fronted anew with the God who discloses himself. The Bible encapsules the foun-
J. C. B. Mohr [Paul Siebeck], 1982). dational witness to God's self-revelation and the record of how the ancient faith \
36. Despite his rejection of experience as a so urce for theology, Thomas neverthe-
communities responded to their awareness that God had acted to constitute them
less acknowledges this point. Owen C. Thomas, "Theology and Experience," Harvard
as his covenant people. In this way the biblical documents have functioned as the
Theological Review 7811-2 (1985): 197.
37. For a similar delineation, see Gabriel Fackre, The Christian Story (Grand Rapids: informing and forming canon for the people of God throughout the generations.
Eerdmans, 1984),40. The Christian church, emerging as it did out of the older Hebrew com-

16 17
\

U
 munity, was con~liluted by the events of the biblical narrative, especially the cont inuity with thc cntirc body of thc pcoplc of Cod - we must take seriously
event of the comll1g of Iesus the Christ. In the New Testament documents the what has be ome thc doctrine of the church throughout the ages. This doctrine
c~urch prese.rved the memory of those grand foundational events together is expressed in those formulations that have gained broad acknowledgment
with the earliest responses to the reve1ation of God in Christ, which believers among Christians of many generations. It is likewise couched in the great theo-
understood in the light and context of the Hebrew Scriptures.
logicalliterature of the centuries, which we therefore can read with profit in the
T~e fou~dation of Christian theology lies in these paradigma tic events contemporary situation .•
and their use 111the community of faith as set forth in the Bible. The theolo- Of course, past creeds and confessions of faith are not binding in and of
gian's t.as~ is to assis~ the contemporary community in its responsibility to be thernselves.w They must be tested by the Scriptures and by their applicability to
the believing people m the world in which they are called to proclaim and live our cultural situation. Neverthe1ess, the doctrinal statements that have with-
out the message that God has appeared in Christ for the sake of the salvation of stood the test of time provide insight into the content of the be1iefs of the
humankind. Theologians facilitate this enterprise by appeal to the faith of the church. They are valuable, however, only as we understand them within their
early community as found in the Bible.
historical and philosophical contexts. The intent of a creed, not its specific
.The n~rratives and assertions of the early community as inscripturated in wording, is significant for contemporary theology. As Richard Mul1er notes,
the Bible enjoy what we may cal1 a "regulative" function.v The ancient be1iev-
ing community provides a cultural and linguistic framework, a consteBation of The history of Christian doctrine ... ought not to be reduced to a list of for-
symbols and concepts, by means of which contemporary members understand mulae to be memorized for the sake of avoiding heresy. The issue in studying
their lives and within which they experience their world.I? Theologians ex- the formulae is to understand their interpretive relationship to the Christian
plore, order, and systematize these symbols and concepts into a unified whole message and the way in which they have served in particular historical con-
- a conceptual framework - for the sake of the community of faith which texts to convey that message and, in addition, to preserve it into the future.t!
they ~erve. By appeal to the biblical documents they investigate the central
questions concerning faith in the contemporary world: What do es it mean to (3) Theology's tertiary source lies in the thought-forms of contemporary
be the community of those who confess faith in the God revealed in Iesus of culture. Theologians have repeatedly looked to the categories of society for the
Nazareth? And how are we to verbalize and embody that confession in the con- concepts in which to express their understanding of the Christian faith com-
temporary context? mitment.V This task continues today.
(2) Of secondary importance to the theological task is the flow of church Theology entails reflecting on Christian faith commitment in the world
history as it describes the conclusions of past theological discussions. The in which the church is called to live as the people of God. To fulfill this mandate
chur~h ha.s continuaBy sought to express its faith in the God revealed in Iesus in - to speak in a manner understandable to contemporary society - theolo-
the historical and cultural situations in which it found itse1f. This tradition re- gians have an ongoing task of listening to culture.P Only by so doing are we
mains significant for theologians today. .
. . Past theological statements remain important insofar as they are instruc- 40. Among evangelicals, Baptists have been an important voice in struggling with
trve m our quest for a relevant theology. By reminding us of previous attempts the problems surrounding creedalism. This denomination has generally stood against ele-
to fulfil1 thetheologícal mandate, they alert us to some of the pitfalls to avoid, vating any creed to binding authority.
and they pomt out some of the directions that might hold promise for our at- 41. Muller, The Study of Theology, 114-15.
tempts to engage in the theological caBing in the presento 42. For example, theological explanations concerning the work of Christ have
drawn from sociological and political realities of the surrounding culture. Hence, as
. Certain past formulations carry special significance, in that they have
Anselm so keenly noticed, the new feudalism of the early Middle Ages demanded a re-
withstood the test of time. As "classic" statements of theological truth _ mile- placement of the older ransom theory of atonement (Christ was our ransom from the
ston~s in the history of the theology of the church - these expressions have a devil) to the newer satisfaction theory (Christ's death was a satisfaction offered for the
special relevance for every age. We engage in the second-order task known as honor of God offended by our sin). Later, when feudal society flowed into the era of na-
theology as members of a community of faith that spans the centuries. Because tional governments, the satisfaction theory gave place to the penal-substitution under-
we desire to participate in the one church of Iesus Christ - that is, to retain standing (which views Christ as paying the penalty at God's bar of justice due us as offend-
ers of the divine law). See Robert S. Paul, The Atonement and the Sacraments (New York:
Abingdon, 1960),66-72,91-109.
38. Lindbeck, The Nature of Doctrine, 18.
39. Ibid., 33. 43. For a discussion of theological use and study of culture, see Robert J. Schreiter,
Constructing Local Theologies (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1985),39-74.

18 19
 ahlc to construct theologics which can assist thc church in .xprcssing its world "int ·gr'ltivl''' in that it 1'0 'uses thc issucs dis .usscd and illurnincs the formula-
view in currcnt thought-forms and in addressing current problems and out- t ions 01' thc responsos to thcsc issues. in short, the integrative motif is the
looks. Likewise, if theology is to be truly systematic and meaningful, theolo- central idea that provides the thematic perspective in light of which all other
gians must take into consideration the discoveries and insights of the various theological concepts are understood and given their relative meaning or
disciplines of human learning and seek to show the relevance of Christian faith value.f>
for the human quest for truth.
Above all, however, the historical-cultural context of the faith community Representative Alternatives Theological history has witnessed the devising
performs a crucial function for theology, especially in the matter that lies at the of many integrative motifs. The great systematizer of the medieval church,
heart of theological reflection, identity formation.s+ The social community in Thomas Aquinas, for example, constructed his theology around the concept of
which the people of God participate contains its own cognitive tools - lan- the vis ion of God as the telas of the human persono Martin Luther's thinking re-
guage, symbols, myths, and outlooks toward the world - that facilitate identity volved around justification by faith: The fundamental human quest for right
formation and the experience of reality. The message of the action of God in standing before God finds its answer in the divine declaration of righteousness
Christ is concerned with the creation of a new identity, namely, the redeemed bestowed by grace on the sinner who receives God's provision by faith. The
person participating in the reconciled society, enjoying fellowship with all cre- other great seminal theologian of the Reformation, Iohn Calvin, focused his
ation and with the Creator. theological work on the glory of God: All of history and even our future eter-
In order to facilitate the church in addressing this gospel message to the nity itself are the outworking of the decision God made before the creation of
perceived aspirations of people, theologians must understand the identity-form- the world which in turn directs all events to the glorification of God. We could
ing and experience-facilitating concepts of contemporary society. We must pay cite additional examples. Iohn Wesley was captivated by the idea of responsible
attention to the forces that shape identity in culture. We must listen intently to the grace.46 Friedrich Schleiermacher reflected on human religious experience.
ways in which our culture seeks to express the human drive toward identity-in- And Karl Barth centered on the nature of revelation, the self-disclosure of the
community. Thereby we can more capably reflect on the Christian faith commit- triune God to the human persono
ment in order to sharpen its relevancy for the contemporary setting. In the 1900s, thinkers proposed several possibilities. Certain fundamen-
In summary, then, enroute toward the fulfillment of our mandate we talists and evangelicals looked to the dispensations of salvation history+? or to
must keep in proper balance the norms of kerygma, heritage, and culture. Al- the doctrine of Scripture as their unifying theological theme." In mainline
though we can discuss them in isolation from each other, within the context of theological circles, the idea of process as derived from the philosophy of Alfred
the theological enterprise the three are interrelated. As theologians we express North Whitehead became highly influential.t? Among the most widely em-
the faith of the people of God by looking to the kerygma, the heritage of the ployed themes in the 1970s and 1980s was that of liberation. Originally
church, and the contemporary cultural situation of the faith community. Our sounded within black theology in the United States>? and in Latin American
task is to articulate the biblical faith in continuity with the theological heritage liberation theology.t! its use quickly spread to thinkers in other groups. A re-
of the church and through various cultural or philosophic forms in such a way lated movement, feminist theology, utilizes the experience of women as the or-
that the message of the Bible and the faith of the one people of God comes to
understanding in the presento
45. Gerhard Sauter and Alex Stock, Arbeitswesen Systematischer Theologie: Eine
Anleitung (Munich: Kaiser, 1976), 18-19.
The Integrative Motif of Theology 46. This theme is proposed by Randy 1. Maddox, "Responsible Grace: The System-
atic Perspective ofWesleyan Theology," Wesleyan Theological Journal19/2 (Fall1984): 12-
In addition to working from specific sources, systematic theologians often or- 18.
der their presentation of the Christian faith around what we may call an "in- 47. Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology, eight volumes (Dalias: Dalias Semi-
tegrative motif." This concept serves as a systematic theology's central organi- nary Press, 1947-48).
zational feature, the theme around which it is structured. Such a motif is 48. Hence, Erickson, Christian Theology.
49. Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki, God, Christ, Church (New York: Crossroad, 1984).
See also Iohn Cobb, Ir., A Christian Natural Theology (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1965).
44. For one evangelical attempt to take seriously the contribution of culture, see 50. Iames H. Cone, A Black Theology of Liberation (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott,
Richard J. Gehman, "Guidelines in Contextualization," East Africa [ournal of Evangelical 1970).
Theology 2/1 (1983): 29-30.
51. Gustavo Gutiérrez, A Theology of Liberation (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis, 1980).

20 21
ganizing prin iplc lor ihcological reflection.V Mor' re .cntly, narrativc thcol- 1 ion, we will cmploy 1 he conccpt 01 ihc es .hutologi al kingdorn, understood as
ogy, which emphasizes personal histories and the Bible as story, has gained God's ultirnatc goal for crcation which is both the future of the world and is
auention even among conservatives.P pa rt ially presen t now.

The Kingdom of God No theme has been as widely employed since the The Community of God Despite the appropriateness of the kingdom con-
I 800s, however, as the concept of the kingdom of God. 54Its broad acceptance is cept, alone it is insufficient to provide the integrative motif for theology. The
understandable, because the concept is readily visible in theology's founda- focus on the kingdom raises a foundational question which it cannot answer:
tional sources. The kingdom of God is a central theme in the synoptic Gospels, What is the divine reign that is coming and is already present among us? What
which characterize Iesus' ministry as arising out of the expectations that devel- is the world like when it is transformed by the in-breaking of the kingdom? Be-
oped during the Old Testament era of a coming divine reign. Throughout its cause the concept does not embody a complete and satisfactory answer to these
history the church has employed the kingdom concept to express its under- questions, contemporary kingdom theologies have readily been seduced by the
standing of the significance of Christian faith. And the theme has been used radical individualism of the modern era.
widely in contemporary theology.t> for it offers important points of contact The modern Western fascination with individualism, however, is waning,
with the hopes of modernity. especially within the human sciences. Many thinkers are realizing that our un-
Although a full delineation of the concept must wait until the ecclesi- derstanding of the human phenomenon must reflect a more adequate balance
ology section, a short definition is helpful here. The kingdom of God is that or- between its individual and social dimensions.V This awareness has led to the
der of perfect peace, righteousness, justice, and love that God gives to the world. development of a new model of the relationship between the individual and so-
This gift is eschatological, for it comes in an ultimate way only at the renewal of ciety called "cornmunalism,' "communitarianism," or "culturalism."58
the world consummated at [esus' return. But the power of the kingdom is al- Communalists emphasize the importance of the social unit - the com-
ready at work, for it breaks into the present from the future. Therefore, we can munity - for crucial aspects of human living. Community is integral to episte-
experience the kingdom in a partial yet vital manner en route to the great fu- mology, for example. Central to the knowing process is a cognitive framework
ture day. mediated to the individual by the community in which one participates. Simi-
The most important contribution of kingdom theology is its orientation larly, community is crucial to identity formation. Our sense of personal iden-
toward the future.Y The concept of the kingdom of God reminds us that ulti- tity develops through the telling of a personal narrative, which, communalists
mately we engage in the theological task - we address theological questions - declare, is always embedded in the story of the communities in which we live.>?
from the vantage point of the consummation of God's activity in establishing Traditions mediated by communities, and not individuals, they argue, are the
his will and program for the world. In the chapters that follow we will seek to carriers of rationality. The community media te s to us the transcending story by
explore theology from this eschatological perspective. In our theological reflec- means of which our personal narrative makes sense.
The larger community story also transmits traditions of virtue, common
52. See, for example, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Sexism and God-Talk (Boston: good, and ultimate meaning.s? In this way, the community is crucial to the sus-
Beacon,1983). taining of character, virtue, and values. And it provides the necessary founda-
53. George W. Stroup, The Promise of Narrative Theology (Atlanta: Iohn Knox, tion for involvement in public discourse concerning matters of world view.
1973). See also Michael Goldberg, Theology and Narrative (Nashville: Abingdon, 1982);
Thereby the community of meaning contributes to the well-being of the
Gabriel Fackre, The Christian Story (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984).
54. As an example of the widespread influence of this concept, see the dissertation broader society.
of the general secretary of the World Council of Churches, Emilio Castro, Freedom in Mis- "Community" is important as an integrative motif for theology not only
sion: The Perspectives of the Kingdom of God - An Ecumenical Inquiry (Geneva: World
Council of Churches Publications, 1985). 57. Daniel A. Helminiak, "Human Solidarity and Collective Union in Christ," Angli-
55. The use ofthe concept of the kingdom has come under attack as being unrecon- can Theological Review 70/1 (January 1988): 37.
cilable with the concerns of feminist theology. For a response, see Mortimer Arias, An- 58. "Culturalism" is the term preferred by critic of the movement Robert J. McShea,
nouncing the Reign of God (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), xvi. Morality and Human Nature: A New Route to Ethical Theory (Philadelphia: Temple Univer-
56. In recent years Moltmann and Pannenberg have been influential in focusing at- sity Press, 1990),89-148.
tention on the eschatological orientation of the kingdom. See Jürgen Moltmann, Theology 59. See, for example, Alasdair MacIntyre, After Virtue, second edition (Notre Dame:
of Hope (New York: Harper and Row, 1965); Wolfhart Pannenberg, Theology and the King- University of Notre Dame Press, 1984),221.
dom of God (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1969). 60. E.g., Lindbeck, The Nature of Doctrine, 495.

22 23
 be .ausc il fll~ with onrcmporary lhinking, but more importantly be 'llllSl' I i~ In part 4 (pncumatology) thc third pcrson of the 'Irinity, the Holy Spirit,
central to the rncssagc of the Bible. From the narratives ofthe primordial ga!' comes into our purview, We explore the person of the Spirit followed by his
den which open the curtain on the biblical story to the vision of white-robed work in Scripture and his role in effecting personal salvation understood in
multitudes inhabiting the new earth with which it concludes, the drama of the terms of community with God and others. Parts 5 (ecclesiology) and 6 (escha-
Scriptures speaks of community. Taken as a whole the Bible asserts that God's tology) view the Spirit's corporate and consummative work. In these chapters,
program is directed to the bringing into being of community in the highest we explore the activity of the Holy Spirit as God at work establishing commu-
sense - a reconciled people, living within a renewed creation, and enjoying the nity in history and ultimately in eternity, which is the divine goal for creation.
presence of their Redeemer.

Theology and Ethics

The Eschatological Cornrnunity In the folIowing chapters we will add to the
older motif of the kingdom of God the newer concern for community, Putting The central task of the theologian is that of employing the theological sources
these two themes together yields as the integrative motif for our systematic the- in order to set forth a systematic reflection on, or articulation of Christian faith.
ology the concept of "the eschatological comrnunity," But a systematic delineation of Christian doctrine is not the ultimate goal of
The kingdom dimension reminds us of the biblical assumption that the theologian's activities. To construction we must add application. Theologi-
history is meaningfuL History is directed toward a goal - the kingdom of cal commitment must be applied to life - to the theologian's own Christian
God or the presence of the will of God throughout the earth (Matt. 6:10). The walk and to the life of the church - in order that faith can issue forth in disci-
concept of community fills the idea of the kingdom of God with its proper pleship.
contento When God's rule is present - when God's will is done - commu- The application of Christian commitment to life situations, therefore,
nity emerges. Or viewed from the opposite direction, in the emergence of likewise belongs to our activity as Christian theologians. At the same time,
community, God's rule is present and God's will is accornplished. We will ex- however, this application is the specific task of Christian ethics, which is an ex-
plore this dialectic of kingdom and community as brought together by the tension of the theological discipline. For this reason, the complete systematic
concept of the eschatological community of God. This concept - the escha- discussion of the application of the Christian belief system to individual, cor-
tological community - will function as the organizing principle governing porate, and public life lies beyond the confines of this volume.
our outline of Christian theology.

The Structure o[ the Theological System

In keeping with the classical confessional statements such as the Apostles'
Creed, our systematic theology will follow a trinitarian structure. This ap-
proach is appropriate. As we have noted, because theology presupposes the
presence of faith the theological enterprise develops from within the context of
belief and the believing comrnunity, The faith presupposed by Christian theol-
ogy is inherently trinitarian.
Our discussion, therefore, opens with the central doctrine of the Christian
faith - God as the Trinity (theology proper). Here we explore the nature of the
God whose goal is the establishment of the eschatological community. Standing
in relationship with the sovereign, community-building God are God's moral
creatures. The discussion of who we are as those God has designed and destined
for community forms the subject of the second part (anthropology),
Part 3 focuses on the second person of the Trinity, Iesus the Christ (Chris-
tology). In this section we reflect on what it means to confess that this man Je-
sus is the eternal Son whose earthly vocation was to initiate community be-
Iween God and sinful humans.

24 25
 PART 1

THEOLOGY
The Doctrine of God

The fírst major affírmation of the Christian faith is our acknowledgment of

God. Therefore the fírst focus of our systematic theology is the doctrine of God,
the exploration of the reality of the God whom we have come to know in Iesus
Christ. The delineation of the doctrine of God most suitably carries the title
"theology," for this term connotes "the word concerning" or "the study of God"
(lagos + theos). For this reason, the doctrine of God is sometimes referred to as
"theology proper."
Our construction of the doctrine begins with the foundational questions
as to whether there is indeed a reality that corresponds to our word "God" and
whether we can know this God (chapter 1). We examine the Christian testi-
mony that we have come to know the true God, in that this God has given him-
self to be known. And we explore the Christian assertion that our acknowledg-
ment of God illumines our experience of reality.
After setting forth the credibility of the Christian claim that we can know
the God who is, we turn our attention to the major task of our doctrine of God.
Our goal is to describe the one whom we have come to know in Iesus, We seek to
declare what this God is like and how God relates to the world. Our description
begins with the triune life of the God revealed in Christ (chapter 2). We conclude
that the God we know is none other than the Triune One, the eternal community
of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and consequently the God who is love.
Our study then moves to the character of the triune God (chapter 3). Be-
cause he is three-in-one, the God we know is internally and externally rela-
tional. On this basis we seek to understand God as the incomprehensible, self-
determining, and free person; the living Spirit who is the so urce of life; and the
faithful "1 Am," "the one who will be:'

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