February 8, 2010
[sen’-sus plen’-ee-or]
Latin, “fuller sense” or “fuller meaning”
The principle of interpretation which seeks the fuller meaning of the text that was not necessarily understood by the biblical author. There is much debate among exegetes as to whether a text can have a fuller meaning and if this fuller meaning can be distinct in nature from the meaning of the human author. This concept is especially applied with reference to when a New Testament author quotes from the Old Testament.
Posted in Latin Terms, S 
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February 7, 2010
[sep-too’-uh-jint]
(Latin septuaginta, “seventy”)
Commonly, “LXX.” The Greek translation of the Old Testament produced around 200B.C. for the Hellenized Jews. By the New Testament times, the LXX was in common use. While the quality of the translation varies depending on the book, it serves as a valuable witness to the text of the Old Testament. The earliest complete extant version of the LXX dates to the 4th century.
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February 6, 2010
[pan-en’-thee-iz-um]
(Greek pan-, “all” + Greek en-, “in” + Greek theos, “God”)
A view of God which combines pantheism with theism. The panentheist believes that all of creation is in God, but does not make up the sum total of what God is. Like cells in a body, the universe is part of God. Important panentheists include Charles Hartshorne and Alfred North Whitehead.
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February 5, 2010
(1703-1758)
Often called the greatest theologian that America has ever produced, Jonathan Edwards was a Calvinistic theologian and philosopher who is best known for his treatise on religious affections. During his years as a Congregational minister Edwards managed to produce an impressive and comprehensive body of theological writing as well as lead America through the revival known as the First Great Awakening.
Most popular work: Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (also available online)
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February 4, 2010
The epistemological position believing that many beliefs are properly basic or foundational to humanity without the need of an outside source of information. An example of a properly basic belief would be the law of non-contradiction (i.e., a belief cannot be true and false at the same time and in the same relationship).
Posted in F Comments Off
February 3, 2010
Originally fundamentalism referred to the early 20th century movement that opposed liberalism and took a decisive stand for the essentials or “fundamentals” of the Christian faith (e.g. virgin birth, miracles, deity of Christ, etc.). Later the term “fundamentalism” became associated with Christian legalism and radical conservatism. In this sense, it has become a derogatory term with implications of anti-intellectualism. Also, in this later sense, it is to be distinguished from Evangelicalism.
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February 2, 2010
[uh-say’-ih-tee]
(Latin a-, “from” + se, “itself”)
Attribute or property of God describing his self-existence and non-contingency. In other words, God is the only absolutely independent being. His existence and well-being are not dependent upon any being or circumstance. He is the final and primary cause of all things, therefore, there is no cause that precedes him. He is in need of nothing.
Scripture Reference: Ps. 50:10–12; Acts 17:23–26, Ex. 3:14
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February 1, 2010
[ev’-ih-den‘-shul-iz-um]
The form of Christian apologetics that believes that the Holy Spirit often uses evidences to help people overcome obstacles to Christianity so that true faith can be exercised on the basis of epistemic justification. Evidentialists are opposed to fideists who believe that evidence is contrary to faith. Important evidentialists include J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, Robert Bowman, and John Warwick Montgomery.
Posted in E Comments Off
January 31, 2010
[ad’-ih-af‘-or-uh]
(Greek, “things indifferent”)
Issues of theology and morals upon which the Scriptures do not speak, positively or negatively, in precept or principle. Examples might be styles of worship in church, the use of a clerical collar, or the use of birth control as a means to prevent pregnancy. Philipp Melanchthon popularized this term in Protestant theology during the Reformation.
Scripture Reference: 1 Cor. 8:8-9; Rom. 14:1-19.
Posted in A No Comments »
January 30, 2010
[cat-uh-fat’-ik thee-aw’-luh-jee]
(Greek kata- <as an affirmative> + Greek phanai, “speak” = kataphasis, “affirmation”)
Often called “positive theology,” cataphatic theology describes the theological methodology of those who focus on God’s self-revelation as a coherent avenue of God’s communication. While finite men cannot understand an infinite God completely, they can understand him truly.
Posted in T, C No Comments »
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