Describe the sources of Christian revelation.

Welcome to Week 1. This week we will study two foundational ideas for Christian Theology: the nature of God and the sources of revelation. We’ll be looking into who God is and how we can know Him. This week will set the foundation for all we will do in the rest of the course. As we work through this first week together, you will be engaging in discussion with your peers, analyzing a case study, writing a personal theological reflection, and investigating an idea that piques your interest. The goal is that in all of this you will see God more clearly as well as learn the skill of thinking theologically about everyday life as you follow Jesus. To prepare for this week’s learning, read/watch the items below: • Read from the Oden text: pp. 2-10 from “Book One The Living God” to “Part I The Living God”; • 15-21 from “Part I The Living God” Chapter 1 The Name of God to ”Whether God can be Defined”; • 23-26 from ”Whether God can be Defined” to “Whether God’s Character can be Ascertained”; • 39-54 From Chapter 2 “The Nature of God” to the end of the chapter; • 175-183 from “Revelation Requires Scripture, Tradition, Experience, & Reason” to “Scripture & Tradition.” WK1 Devotional Previous Next 3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Of all the stories in the Old Testament, the story of God calling Moses to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt is one of the most well-known. Even many non-churchgoers will have seen movies that depict this event. God. The God of the universe calls to one man from out of a burning bush. The God of the universe was not silent. Exodus 3:1-11 One thing this story makes clear: God reveals Himself. Whatever we may say about God, we cannot say that He is unknown. We can debate the best source of His self-revelation. We can discuss how He has made himself known. However, we cannot say that God is unknown. In this passage, God reveals Himself to Moses and identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; He makes it clear that He has revealed Himself before to people who were then able to walk with Him. God reveals Himself as a God who makes covenants and keeps promises. He reminds Moses that He is faithful even when His people have lost sight of Him. He makes sure Moses knows that He is the God who redeems and frees His people. The passage ends with another promise from the covenant keeping God. He tells Moses that the sign will be that the Israelites will return to this mountain and worship. And they did. In that moment, God showed up again in fire on the top of Sinai revealing who He was in great glory so that the Israelites would never forget. The fire of the burning bush seemed minute in comparison with God’s self-revelation on Sinai. God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, made Himself known and shook the mountain where Moses had once stood. This same God would later make Himself fully known in the person of Jesus, shaking the city with an earthquake as Jesus died and atonement was accomplished. God is not unknown. In this class, you will be using numerous theological terms and be discussing in depth who God is and what He is like. There can be a temptation to allow the terms and the theological reasoning to make the One God seem distant. Don’t do it. Instead, allow this course to be a burning bush moment for you. Just like Moses, may you be drawn into the presence of the God who has revealed Himself as He pulls back the curtain of His revelation for you. Moses realized that he stood in a long line of people to whom God had revealed Himself. May you, too, see how God has revealed himself through history to be all that He is; and when you, you will be compelled to worship. As you reflect on this week’s devotional topic, discuss how this might relate to you and your own spiritual journey. WK1 Nature of God Discussion Previous Next Objective: Articulate the key attributes of God’s nature and character. You will begin the week by looking at the nature of God: who He is and what He is like. There is no question more important for us because what we truly believe about God will shape our lives in profound ways. This is a vast topic so we will have to be selective in what we cover. • Read from the Oden text: pp. 2-10 from “Book One The Living God” to “Part I The Living God”; 15-21 from “Part I The Living God” to ”Whether God can be Defined”; 23-26 from ”Whether God can be Defined” to “Whether God’s Character can be Ascertained”; 39-54 “From Ch. 2 The Nature of God” to the end of the chapter; • Summarize the most important information from the reading for your initial post. Address the following: o Cite key ideas from the Oden text. o Provide support from the text showing your reasoning. WK1 Sources of Revelation Discussion Previous Next Objective: Describe the sources of Christian revelation. One key point of Christian theology, or really any theistic religion, is that the God or gods have communicated with people, expressing who they are and what they want. Christian theology has sources of revelation that definitively reveal who God is, who we are, and how we are to relate to God. Any discussion of theology, as well as any effective evangelism, must understand the reality of these sources of revelation and be able to effectively and winsomely articulate why they are definitive. • Read Oden, pp. 175-183 from “Revelation Requires Scripture, Tradition, Experience, & Reason” to “Scripture & Tradition.” • Address the following in your initial post: o Cite key ideas from the Oden text. o Express your opinion with support from the text or showing your reasoning. WK1 Sources of Revelation Discussion Previous Next Objective: Describe the sources of Christian revelation. One key point of Christian theology, or really any theistic religion, is that the God or gods have communicated with people, expressing who they are and what they want. Christian theology has sources of revelation that definitively reveal who God is, who we are, and how we are to relate to God. Any discussion of theology, as well as any effective evangelism, must understand the reality of these sources of revelation and be able to effectively and winsomely articulate why they are definitive. • Read Oden, pp. 175-183 from “Revelation Requires Scripture, Tradition, Experience, & Reason” to “Scripture & Tradition.” • Address the following in your initial post: o Cite key ideas from the Oden text. o Express your opinion with support from the text or showing your reasoning. WK1 Case Study on God Discussion Previous Next You will use a case study as a way to look theologically at common situations that happen in life and ministry. • Here is the situation. There is a new person in your church. You have been around her several times as she has prayed aloud, and each time she begins her prayer, “Mother God, we thank you.” • You realize you need to privately talk with this person about praying to God as Mother. What do you say? • Use what you have learned in your reading to provide the theological basis for your response. Do not just give your opinion. State the theological foundation that allows you to say what you say. Post the theological foundation for your response as your initial post. WK1 Doctrine of God Paper Previous Next Instructions Objective: Examine the importance of key doctrines related to the nature and character of God. Investigate a theological or doctrinal issue that has captured your attention in this unit. Choose one doctrine or aspect of the nature and character of God that you would like to probe in more depth. • At the beginning of Chapter 2 “The Nature of God” of your textbook, the author lists 11 theological terms. Choose one aspect from the list that you would like to investigate in more depth. • Write a 2 page paper explaining the meaning of your chosen doctrine or aspect of God and include the following: o Summarize the meaning of the doctrine. o Explain why it is interesting to you. o Discuss how this doctrine applies to discipleship and everyday life. • Use the Oden text and any other resource needed to help you understand and explain your chosen topic. All written assignments should be formatted using APA 6th Edition. • • Follow the guidelines below: o Be respectful. Do not engage in any type of disrespect or sarcasm in your discussion. o Use common, everyday language in your responses. Do not use Christian clichés. o Quote from the Oden text where applicable. Objective: Reflect on how the nature of God informs pastoral ministry. Take what you have learned in the Case Study Discussion and write your own one to two-page double spaced (250-500 word) theological reflection paper. Include ideas from the readings and from the forum activity with your fellow students to produce an original theological reflection on the topic, “Can God be referred to as Mother God?” • Show your reasoning as you wrestle with the Biblical and theological data. Don’t give your opinion without justifying it. • Refrain from any sarcasm or disrespect in your theological reflection.