Theology Program

Writing about Session: 5 Christian Epistemology, Adam McClain shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #2: Reread the postmodernist objections to Christianity. Which objections have you heard the most? Which objections do you find the most difficult? Why? I like this question because it makes me think about the tools I need to develop and keep in order to be a good ambassador for Christ. These questions are not comfortable to think about, but they are…

Writing about Session: 4 Postmodern Epistemology, Dan Jones shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #9: Explain how was your thinking most challenged by the lesson. I will focus this blog on postmodernism as it pertains to the United States. I believe this will provide a current example of the degradation of the Church, as postmodern thinking has had a very visible effect on Christianity in the West. The best and most relevant definition of postmodern…

Writing about Session: 3 Categories of Theology, Justin Sands shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #7: It was said during the lesson that when reading the Bible “it does not matter what it means to you. It matters what it meant.” How is this true? Discuss.  I chose to discuss this question because it applied directly to our family’s search for a church home and a daycare. During our search we heard everything from “it…

Writing about Session: 2 Defining Theology, Amanda Sparks shares her thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #7: How are the issues like getting sick, choosing schooling for our children, voting, or getting married influenced by our theology? In our notes, there are examples of areas of our lives that are affected by our theology. These areas can include times when we are sick, voting, getting married, schooling for our children, sharing the gospel, or how we interpret…

Writing about Session 6a: Calling & Regeneration, Gina Beecher shares her thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #1: Read Ps. 19:1-6 and Rom 1:18-20. Give examples of how creation is the “voice of God” that goes out to all people. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. This is the first sentence in the Bible, God’s revelation to mankind. In the Bible, God reveals his plan for salvation through his Son who is the…

Writing about Session 6a: Calling & Regeneration, Gina Beecher shares her thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #1: Read Ps. 19:1-6 and Rom 1:18-20. Give examples of how creation is the “voice of God” that goes out to all people. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. This is the first sentence in the Bible, God’s revelation to mankind. In the Bible, God reveals his plan for salvation through his Son who is the…

Writing about Session 5: Atonement – Substitutionary Theory, Bob Sweeny shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #5: One objection to the Substitution Theory of the Atonement is that if Christ took our exact penalty, why isn’t He in Hell for all eternity? One objection to the Substitution Theory of the Atonement is that if Christ took our exact penalty, why isn’t He in Hell for all eternity? I have had this question cross my mind…

Writing about Session 4: Atonement – Historical Survey, Beth Warrick shares her thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #3: “Martin Luther once said that ‘Satan is God’s Satan’. How do we often live our lives as Dualists, acting as if Satan has more power than he actually does? This theology course on the subject of Soteriology (Salvation) has brought to my attention many things in my belief of Salvation and other spiritual subjects that are either incorrect…

Writing about Session 4: Atonement – Historical Survey, Bryan Carlton shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #9: How was your thinking challenged the most by the lesson? As believers, atonement is something that is very important to us. It is the work of Christ in dealing with the problem posed by the sin of man, and in bringing sinners into a right relation with God. Many of the early church fathers tried to come up…

Writing about Session 3: Conditional Election, Dan Jones shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #1: The doctrine of conditional election teaches that God’s election/predestination of people is based on His foreknowledge rather than His sovereign “secret” will. How is this understanding more palatable than the doctrine of unconditional election? Conditional election states that God elected and predestined certain individuals for salvation based upon His foreknowledge. The typical argument is this “foreknowledge” is of “who will…

Writing about Session 2: Unconditional Election, Brady Warrick shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #2: Further discuss how the doctrine of unconditional election causes distress to a person who has a family member or loved one who has not trusted in Christ. What is unconditional election? I started asking myself that after the topic was assigned to me for a blog post. According to our theology coursework, unconditional election is the belief that God predestined…

Writing about Session 9: Does God Still Speak Today?, Bob Sweeny shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #8: How was your thinking most challenged by the lesson? Well I did a little research online to help me get some discernment on this issue but I’m not sure if it helped or not. I did not realize this to be such a big issue until our class and reading about it online. Honestly, I don’t have…

Writing about Session: 7 Traditions in Christian Theology, Jesse Vonbehren shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #5: Do you think the Gospel is preserved in the Protestant Church today? Why or why not? When looking at whether I think the Gospel is preserved in the Protestant Church today I think it is important to define “preserved”. According to Google to preserve something means to: maintain (something) in its original or existing state. retain (a condition…

Writing about Session: 5 Christian Epistemology, Steve Sloan shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #8: To be perspicuous means “plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation” (Webster’s). Name some teachings of Scripture that are plain to the understanding. Before we get to the teachings let’s see if we can’t come to a wee bit better understanding of perspicuous and epistemology. So here we go. One of the biggest challenges in…

Writing about Session: 4 Postmodern Epistemology, John Feldman shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #8: In what ways would having a subjective or relative worldview cause you despair? Simply stated, a relative worldview is one in which truth is defined by some group; in a subjective worldview, the individual defines his or her own truth. My Christian worldview is that there is one God and Creator who is all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful, holy, righteous, just, and…

Writing about Session: 3 Categories of Theology, Craig Sparks shares his thoughts on one of the discussion questions. Discussion question #2: Some Christian apologists (often called Classical apologists) believe that using the Bible to convince an unbeliever of a Christian worldview is impossible because the unbeliever does not believe the Bible. Do you believe that this is true? No, not all unbelievers reject or oppose the bible. Some unbelievers have just not been exposed to the truth in the Bible.…