Transcript THST 110: Intro to the New Testament Prof. Felix Just, S.J.

Introduction to Theological Studies
Prof. Felix Just, S.J.
What Is Theology?
(revised Jan. 27, 2005)
Theology < Greek Theos + Logos
 Theos = “God”
– not a personal name, but a generic title for the divine being
– “God” vs. “gods” (more on this below)
 Logos = “Word; Phrase; Speech; Reason”
– Not just a single w-o-r-d, but any language-based thought
– “Talking about…” ; “Study of…”
• Anthropo-logy = “Study of Humans”; Bio-logy = “Study of Life”
• Geo-logy = “Study of the Earth”; Zoo-logy = “Study of Animals”
 Theology = “Study of God”; “Talking about God”
– God’s being, essence, nature, and/or attributes
– God’s relation to human beings and the whole world
Philosophy < Greek Philos + Sophia
 Philos = “Love; Friendship”
– Four Greek words for “love”: eros, philos, agape, storge
– Philadelphia = lit. “Love of Brothers” (“City of Brotherly Love”)
– Philanthropy = lit. “Love of Human Beings” (i.e. Charity)
 Sophia = “Wisdom”
– Wisdom vs. intelligence vs. knowledge vs. understanding
 Philosophy = “Love of Wisdom”
– Socratic Method: asking questions!
– Not just reading books, but dialogue between persons
– About what? Everything! Including “God”?
Love of Wisdom / Talking about God
Quest for Knowledge / Search for Truth
 Ancient World:
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Classical Greece: Philosophers
Ancient Israel: Prophets & Priests
Other Cultures: Magi, Physicians, Kings, etc.
No separately specialized “Theologians”
 Medieval Universities:
– Four Disciplines: Philosophy, Theology, Medicine, Law
 Modern Universities:
– Liberal Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences,
Engineering, Arts, Business, Education, Religious Studies…
Types of Belief in God(s)
– lots of “-isms”
 Theism
 Atheism
 Agnosticism
 Gnosticism, Polytheism
 Pantheism, Deism
 Henotheism, Monotheism
 Paganism, etc.
Types of Belief in God (I)
 Theism
– Belief in the existence of a God or any gods
– The generic term, of which other –isms are subcategories
 Atheism
– The opposite: Belief that God and/or gods do “not exist”
 Agnosticism
– “Not knowing” whether God exists; overall non-belief
 Gnosticism
– A religious system that believes salvation comes through
“knowledge” (Gk. gnosis) of one’s divine origin and destiny
Types of Belief in God (II)
 Polytheism
– Belief in the existence of “many” (Gk. poly) gods
• Egyptian: many gods, mostly in animal form
• Greek & Roman: a large family of gods, on Mount Olympus
 Pantheism
– Belief that divinity resides “everywhere” (Gk. pan)
• The whole universe is divine; divinity is within everything that exists
• But there is no “God” separate from or external to the world
 Deism
– Belief that God created the world, but then abandoned it
• God exists, created us, but exerts no further influence on the world
• Based on 18th-century rationalism (e.g. Thomas Jefferson)
Types of Belief in God (III)
 Henotheism
– Allegiance to “one” god over the others
• All nations have their own “gods”; “Our god is better than your gods”
 Monotheism
– Belief in the existence of “only” one God
• What others call “gods” are at most spirits, but not divine
– Christians believe in one God, but Jesus & Spirit also divine
• “Trinity” = one divine “nature,” three divine “persons” (not 3 diff. gods)
 Paganism
– Religions of “others” who don’t believe in “our” God/gods
• Popular connotations negative: pagans, heathens, unbelievers
• Academic meaning neutral: all non-Jewish, non-Christian religions
Identifying God (Titles & Names):
 Generic Titles:
– God / god, Deity, Divine Power, El, Elohim, etc.
– Father, Mother, Creator, Lord, King, etc.
 Proper Names:
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Jewish: YHWH (Yahweh? Jehovah?); Ya/Ja
Mesopotamian: Asherah, Baal; Ishtar, Marduk, Tiamat, etc.
Egyptian: Aten, Horus, Isis, Osiris, Ra, Seth, Thoth, etc.
Greco-Roman / Olympian: Zeus=Jupiter; Athena=Diana; etc.
Muslim: Allah
Talking about God (Philosophically):
 God is Absolute (positive & negative):
– ALL: omnipotent (all powerful); omniscient (all knowing);
omnipresent (everywhere); omni-benevolent (all merciful)
– NOT: invisible (not seen); immutable (unchanging);
immortal (not dying); infinite (not limited); etc.
 Language is Limited (analogies & opposites):
– God is transcendent (beyond) & immanent (internal)
– So God-talk is possible, but always analogical / inadequate
– Both/and Approach: via positiva & via negativa
Summary / Review
 Philosophy & Theology
– Philosophy < Greek Philos + Sophia
– Theology < Greek Theos + Logos
 Types of Belief in God (“-isms”)
– Theism vs. Atheism vs. Agnosticism
– Deism vs. Pantheism vs. Polytheism
– Henotheism vs. Monotheism (incl. Trinitarian Christianity)
 Talking about God
– Generic Titles vs. Proper Names
– Analogical Language: absolutes & opposites