R.E. Slater - Some Important Theological Terms Then and Now under Process Theology, Part 1

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Wikipedia - biblical critique

Amazon Link - Whitehead & Cobb's Process Thought Reference Titles

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Some Important Theological Terms

Then and Now under Process Theology,

Part One

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by Curt Daniel, Faith Bible Church, Springfield, Illinois

abridged by R.E. Slater - my words in red

Here, I will endeavor to speak briefly to each term by applying process philosophy and/or process theology to each description. This will necessarily be a lengthy, but important read. I'll next create a follow-up post-or-two on (1) biblical criticism and (2) critiquing God's people in the prophetic tradition of the bible re contemporary forthtelling (as versus the more popular, but famously unbiblical idea of prophecy as a future telling of things to be). - re slater

 

Biblia: Bible. Book. Biblia Sacra: Holy Bible. Vulgata: Vulgate (official Latin Bible). Vetus Testamentum: Old Testament. Novum Testamentum: New Testament.

Process Response: The bible is a collection of ancient neolithic+ thoughts on God, religion, purpose, destiny, death, life and salvation. As God communicates at all times past, present, or future... and in all manners, forms, and expressions... a contemporary process theology of God and the church must entertain an expansion of Holy Spirit communiques at the hands and deeds of God's people both then, now, and always. After two centuries of Christian thinking one must assume the words and deeds of God have not closed the bible as a one-time revelatory dispensation but as an ongoing and contemporaneous dispensation of divine will and way. Which is a proper definition of prophecy, not as future-telling, but forthtelling... sic, as disseminating the divine Word breathed upon us via his emissaries. - res

Sola Scriptura: Scripture Alone. This was the fundamental point in dispute in the Protestant Reformation. It is taught in 2 Tim. 3:16-17; I Cor.4:6; Acts 17:11; Isa.8:20, etc.

Process Response: Yes and No. In contemporary biblical criticism we wish to enhance God's words without minimizing those same words. As example, in Calvinism, God is presented as a wrathful, judging kind of force which comes-and-goes at will. Whereas in Panentheistic (NOT pan-theistic) process theology, God never leaves; always stays; upholds and sustains all creation in every way imaginable; and, at all times, speaks to us and creation in loving terms of endearment, help, aids, healing, and etc. Further this manner of "divine speech and/or activity" comes via atoning, redemptive, and salvific forms of divine intersection with the world. Hence, sola scriptura per Jesus Christ, but also via every age's leading prophetic lights at odds with the church or in helps and aids to the living church of God. Which makes it highly important we speak the best kind of theology, faith, and religion as possible. - re slater

Analogia Scripturae: The Analogy of Scripture. This is explained in the formula: “Scripturam ex Scriptura explicandam esse“, or “Scripture is to be explained by Scripture.” Related to this principle is the principle of Analogia Fide, or “Analogy of Faith.” That is, Biblical doctrines are to be interpreted in relation to the basic message of the Bible, the Gospel, the content of faith, often called The Faith. Cf.1 Cor.2:13, 15:1-4.

Process Response: All well and good. Process theologians will re-apply to the church's Westernized/Greek and Hellenic interpretations of theology with processual forms, methods, logic, and biblical exposition, interpretation, extrapolation, etc. - re slater

Testimonium Internum Spiritu Sanctu: The Internal Testimony of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who inspired Scripture also authenticates and proves its divine origin through the Scripture itself. This is especially emphasized by Calvinists. Cf.Heb.10:15; I John 5:7-8

Process Response: This was previously discussed in a limited expression under the section "Biblia" above. - re slater

Textus Receptus: Received Text. The Greek text first published by Erasmus, then with slight modifications by Stephanus, Beza and Elzivir, upon which the King James Version is based. It follows the vast majority of the Greek manuscripts, is much the same as the more recent Majority Text, as opposed to the editions based on a minority of manuscripts.

Process Response: The history of the bible's translation, transcription, and travel has been answer in textual criticism, redactive criticism, and historical/literary genre criticism. Other resources include evolutionary paleontology, psychological/societal analysis, and so forth. But has was initially stated, process theology also regards the history of the church's words and deeds in reflection to its own process-based philosophic-theology which chooses not to limit God to previous eras two to four thousand years ago. It is an important function of the Holy Spirit that God's Word stays relevant, meaningful, and corrective via its many forms of prophetic speech, thought, and activities. As illustration, I am taking my own Baptist heritage and have updated it from Christian fundamentalism to conservative evangelicalism to Christian forms of social justice (Christian humanism) via evangelical emergentism (see recent post) to currently a post-modified evangelical-Reformed-Baptistic expression utilizing my own background with Whiteheadian (and John Cobb) forms of process expression. - re slater

Deus: God. Corresponds to the Greek word THEOS. Deus est: God is. Deus Absconditus: The Hidden God. Deus Revelatus: The Revealed God.Verbum Dei: Word of God. Lux Dei: Light of God. Vox Dei: Voice of God. Imago Dei: Image of God. The word “deity” comes from Deus.

Process Response: All well-and-good. The Hidden v Revealed God was written of in the immediately preceding post from a process perspective. - re slater

Trinitas: Trinity. Probably coined by Tertullian by combining the Latin words for three and one. The word is not found in Scripture, but the doctrine is (Matt. 28:19).

Process Response: Trinity is find. Triunity is better when referring to (1) the ontological arrangement of God's Self with God's several covenantal modes of operative revelation; or to the (2) economic = functional aspects of Father, Son, and Spirit within God's triunie relationship to God's Self and to creation. A big part of process theology states that the  concept of relationality is a fundamental and organic structure inherent within God's Self and God's creational Imago Dei when birthing material forces and substances. Process theology speaks to an elemental and essential forms of organic panrelationalism, panexperientialism, and panpsychism... meaning, all things relate to all things in all manners of ways; that all things experience (and react) to one another including the concrescent event which nominally and procedurally must occur upon meeting one another; and third, as God is everywhere and inherent in creation as it's majeure force vitae (that which is the greater force of life) then a universal and creational panpsychic presence of a dynamically living God testifies to this aspect of God's Imago Dei creation.

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~ UNDER CONSTRUCTION ~

Process Response: T - I will stop here and continue growing these paragraphs out over the day's to come... res/1.14.2024

Actus Purus: Pure Actuality. Refers to God as to His perfect self-existence. Creation is potential or derivative in being, or growing in being once created. God is perfect being.

Process Response: T

Sensus Divinitas: The sense of divinity. All men know that God exists (Rom. 1:18-21). Thus, there are no real atheists. Especially emphasized by Calvinists, particularly those of the Presuppositionalist school of apologetics, such as Cornelius Van Til.

Process Response: T

Theologica: Theology. Based on the Greek words for God and science. Summa Theologica: Sum of Theology. This was the title of the famous systematic theology by Thomas Aquinas.

Process Response: T

Loci Communes: Common Places. This was the usual term for systematic theology by the Lutherans, such as the important one by Philip Melanchthon. It refers to the collection of Scripture texts according to subject. Locus Classicus: Classic Place. The major Bible text on a subject.

Process Response: T

Institutio Christianae Religionis: Institutes of the Christian Religion. Calvin’s main work.

Process Response: T

Summum Bonum: Chief Good. God is the first cause of all, and the final goal. And so, the chief end for which all things were created is the glory of God.

Process Response: T

Analogia Entis: Analogy of Being. The error that says that God and Man both share the same kind of being, differing in quantity but not in quality. Basically pantheistic.

Process Response: T

Protoevangelium: The First Gospel. The first revelation of the Gospel was Gen. 3:15.

Process Response: T

Foedus: Covenant. Federal Theology (or Federalism) is Covenant Theology.

Process Response: T

Lex: Law. Lex Dei: Law of God. Lex Naturalis: Natural Law, revealed in Creation (Rom.1:18-23, 2:14-15). Lex Mosaica: Law of Moses. Lex Ceremonialis: Ceremonial Law. The temporary and symbolic laws of Moses, replaced by baptism and communion (Col. 2:16-17). Lex Moralis: Moral Law, God’s fundamental, unchangeable Law, in force in both testaments. Lex Talionis: Law of Retribution (or retaliation). An eye for an eye, the punishment fits the crime, you reap what you sow. Lex Rex: Law and the King, or Law of the King. Title of important book by Samuel Rutherford on the use of Biblical civil law today.

Process Response: T

Creatio ex Nihilo: Creation out of nothing. God created merely by speaking it into existence.

Process Response: T

Infralapsus: Infralapsarian. God first ordained the Fall and then elected men in the logical order of the eternal decrees. Supralapsus: Supralapsarian. God first elected some and rejected others before He ordained the Fall. Lapsus: Fall.

Process Response: T

Ordo Salutis: Order of Salvation. Reformed theologians coined the term. Armilla Aurea, or Golden Chain, to relate the elements and stages of salvation according to Rom.8:29-30, etc.

Process Response: T

Sola Gratia: Grace alone. Grace-faith-justification-works, not grace-faith-works-justification.

Process Response: T

Sola Fide: Faith alone. Bona fide: Good faith. Credo: I believe. Notitia: Knowledge, the first element of saving faith. Assensus: Assent, the second element of faith. Fiducia: Trust, the third element of faith.

Process Response: T

Simul lustus et Peccator: Simultaneously just and sinful. When we are justified, we are still sinful of ourselves. Even though our natures are changed in regeneration, there is still indwelling sin within us. The basis of our acceptance with God is not our changed nature, but rather the righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is thus Iustia Alienum, an alien righteousness – it is inherent in Christ, but not in us. In justification, God imputes or accounts this to us. It is then Iustia Imputata, imputed righteousness.

Process Response: T

Articulus Stantis et Cadentis Ecclesiae: The article by which the Church stands and falls. Luther’s statement concerning justification of the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith alone, rejected by Roman Catholicism.

Process Response: T

Solo Christo: Christ alone. Not Christ and priests, pastors, parents, or anyone else.

Process Response: T

Extra Calvinisticum: The Calvinistic Extra. The Lutherans believed in the ubiquity (omnipresence) of Christ’s human body and nature, whereas the Calvinists have believed the historic view that Christ’s human body-and-soul is not infinite or omnipresent, but is only now at the right hand of the Father. Calvinists hold to the principle Finitum non Capax Infiniti, or the finite is not capable of the infinite (the finite human nature of Christ is not capable of containing His infinite divine nature in its entirety).Thus, ever since the Incarnation, there is still infinite deity beyond Christ’s human nature. The beyond is “extra” or outside, infinite.

Process Response: T

Corpus Christi: The Body of Christ. Hoc est Corpus Meum: This is My Body.

Process Response: T

Sacramentum: Sacrament. Catholicism believes the sacraments are magical instruments which actually and physically confer grace. Their principle is Ex Opere Operato, or out of the work worked. Do something or receive a physical sacrament, and grace is automatically given. True Protestants, however, rightly reject this and take the word sacramentum to mean mystery, a symbolic ordinance in which grace is given through the Word of God.

Process Response: T

Papa: Pope, father. Catholicism says he is infallible when he pronounces a truth as dogma when he speaks Ex Cathedra, from the chair (of Peter). This contradicts Sola Scriptura.

Process Response: T

Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus: Outside the Church there is no salvation. The Catholic heresy that there is no salvation outside Catholicism. Protestants believe rather that salvation is not given through a Church but through Christ. There are true believers in many churches, but not outside Biblical Christianity or out of the Body of Christ.

Process Response: T

Reformata sed Semper Reformanda: Reformed and always reforming. The Protestant principle that the Church should always be striving to conform to Scripture. So should Christians.

Process Response: T

Posse non Peccare: Able not to sin. Adam’s state before the Fall, and in another way also ours after we are saved. Non Posse non Peccare: Not able not to sin. Total inability to obey God or resist sinning. Unregenerate Man. Non Posse Peccare: Not able to sin. In one sense, God alone is unable to sin, being intrinsically holy. In another sense, the elect will be unable to sin when they are perfected in Heaven (Heb. 12:23; Eph. 1:4).

*For full definitions of these and many more, see Richard A. Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1985):

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(2017 Publish date) This indispensable companion to key post-Reformation theological texts provides clear and concise definitions of Latin and Greek terms for students at a variety of levels. Written by a leading scholar of the Reformation and post-Reformation eras, this volume offers definitions that bear the mark of expert judgment and precision. The second edition includes new material and has been updated and revised throughout.

Teaching Resources: James McGrath, "The A to Z of the New Testament"

Today's post relates to a very recent discussion I had with a well-churched Christian friend after receiving too many insulting jibe's directed at me. They were not meant to be funny but to be taken personally. At which point, a fun evening became a full-on private discussion between myself and my accuser.

The matter at hand - that of process theology using the newest and latest philosophic and redactive tools at hand - had been brewing for years requiring some form of frank, but well-meaning, discussion.

Unfortunately our venue that night very quickly became the time and place for me to share my personal journey. A journey I had kept private knowing full well the kind of response I would receive.

It began when asking my friend about his trip to an international pro-life religious-political conference which we talked about without getting too deep. But then the remarks started coming when I mentioned a few appointments I had taken this past month.

As I briefly mentioned these my friend began to goad the discussion onwards with accusations towards my community so that it became readily apparently he was unwilling to engage in any meaningful or positive way but fully readily to enact accusatory judgments.

If only his commentary was directed towards myself I would have laughed it off and moved on as I had done over the years but when accusations started landing upon fellow assemblies and friends then it had gone too far.

And so, there we were as I tried to share where I was personally as he pretended to listen while innocently blinking his eyes indicating he had stopped listening and was, instead, looking to argue and accuse in defense of his brand of Christianity.

I found it all particularly sad and a bit frustrating if I am to be honest. And the outcome a complete bust. Nothing was gained. And I became road-kill once again.

It also reinforced the thought I had asked myself on too many occasions that if anyone wished to find Christian enlightenment they should not come to the area I live in.

Once known as the New Jerusalem, my hometown refuses to update its old theologies; rather, it obsequiously monitors all new ideas by it's self-appointed Scribes and Pharisees as overseers of all church polities and policies. Not Jesus. Not love. And certainly not enlightenment.

The apologetic walls here are on high alert and at all times. People come here to leave. Not stay. Any new seed dies on it's hard grounds. And any new wine is expected to be poured into old wine sacks which predictably will burst and be lost. We are expected to stay to the old ways and imagine the rugged past as better than any promised future.

Which is also why I have felt Spirit-driven over the years to write out my personal journey so that readers may benefit by my examination of traditional church beliefs and teachings and how they may be more appropriately applied for today's present times.

Which is also why I am posting Tripp and James' discussion today finding similar souls on similar journeys as my own. That our testimony may aide fellow travellers and local church assemblies exploring the meaning of their Christian faith against all which would make it hollow and empty.

To find a Jesus-gospel which reclaims and redeems; renews and repents; heals and will not harm; as versus another kind of gospel meant to prevent doubt or inquiry; any meaningful self-examination; or force all who come to Jesus to assimilate under a specific brand of socio-political doctrinnaire.

Tripp, by background, comes from a North Carolina Baptist setting in his youth - while James, at present, teaches at Butler University in Indiana. I respect them both. Each have their strengths in Christian witness and testimony. Whether James is a process theologian I do not know. However, he's hanging around the right people who are even as I am trying to find similar fellowship in my area if it is possible.

Moreover, Tripp, like myself, are "all-in on Process-everything" and have been actively fleshing it out since becoming acquainted with Whitehead's organic cosmo-philosophy and metaphysics.

Enjoy,

R.E. Slater

December 14, 2023

Source and Redaction Criticism

by Jeremy Duncan

There are a lot of critical tools we use when studying the Bible. These ways of thinking about the text help us understand where it came from and how it has been used by the authors. The passage we looked at on Sunday leads into a really neat example of both source and redaction criticism.

Source criticism tries to uncover the original source of a story or document and looks to understand what that original source was trying to say. Redaction criticism sees the author of the text as it comes to us as the primary source and tries to understand what the author was trying to say as they edited (or redacted) that original source.

Well, in Matthew 25:14–30 (the parable of the talents) and in Luke 19:11-27 (the parable of the minas) these two authors tell a very similar story with almost diametrically opposed meanings. and this brings up some really interesting questions.

From a source-critical perspective, we can ask where this parable originated. One of the most common assumptions in the study of the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) is what is known as the two source hypothesis. Mark is assumed to be the oldest of the Gospels and Matthew and Luke appear to take much of their material from this pre-existing text. However, as in the case of the talents/minas parable, Matthew and Luke share some stories that Mark does not. From this, we surmise that there may have existed another older Gospel containing stories of Jesus that Mathew and Luke also borrowed from. We call this hypothetical document Q from the German for source. (I know now very creative.)

Perhaps even more intriguing though, is the fact that Matthew and Luke seem to think this parable means something very different from each other. In Matthew’s version the servant who brings back the most to his master is the hero of the story, while in Luke’s version it’s the servant who is willing to bring back the least that is the example we should follow. If the source is indeed Q, then this means the two Gospel writers/redactors have interpreted the parable in two different ways based not their understanding of Jesus. And in the end, this is a pretty fascinating window into how each of us encounters Jesus through the text of the Gospels.

Jesus, Zacchaeus, and Source Criticism

by the Commons Church

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James McGrath: The A to Z of the New Testament

Homebrewed Christianity w/ Dr. Tripp Fuller

Streamed live on Dec 1, 2023  |  1:04:05

One of the ongoing tensions for Biblical scholars is the gap between the shared knowledge within the academy and the need for more awareness among the larger public. Most ministers are aware of the tension this creates in the congregation, but the public square is no better. A friend and New Testament scholar, Dr. James McGrath, is back on the podcast to discuss his new book to tackle this problem. Here's the book: https://amzn.to/46Wjqv6

The A to Z of the New Testament:

Things Experts Know That Everyone Else Should Too

by James F. McGrath (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

So you think you know the New Testament?  Did you know that Jesus made puns? Did you know that Paul never calls himself or the churches he writes to “Christian”? Did you know that we don’t know who wrote the Letter to the Hebrews, or if it’s even really a letter? 

 

James F. McGrath sheds light on these and many other surprising facts in The A to Z of the New Testament. Cutting through common myths and misunderstandings of problematic Bible passages, McGrath opens up expert knowledge to laypeople in his friendly introduction to New Testament studies. Each chapter in this fresh, accessible volume begins with a provocative anecdote or fact and then pulls back the curtain to inform curious readers about how scholars approach the issue. Along the way, McGrath explains unfamiliar terminology and methodology to non-specialists with humor and clarity.  

Index - How to Read & Understand the Bible

Index - How to Read & Understand the Bible

This Index is one of two Indexes I've put together. The structure here will follow a chronological date-order from newest to oldest. The other, uses its own subtopical lists as I weed out duplicate articles. Here, I will not as each article will have some kind of relevancy to the category at hand.

When I began developing this site I had hoped to lend as many voices as I could to mine own so that more than one perspective might be gained. And if reading from topic to topic I do not believe any article will be found unhelpful or out-of-date. If anything, as I have moved from positionally from traditional Christianity to a Process-based Christian Faith the older readings will be useful as I build on my past theology to my understandings of my faith.

Lastly, my decidedly fundament/conservative evangelical protestant M.Div. degree held 125 graduate credit hours - mostly in expository and biblical studies from the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. So I feel quite comfortable in doing what I am doing, which is rewriting my faith so that it is contemporaneous with the world today and not built upon safer, more acceptable or popular Christian beliefs. Should you continue to read the posts here I hope it will challenge, enlighten, and spur your ideas of God, salvation, the church, and people in a better light than has recently been done over these past several decades.

Blessings,

R.E. Slater

Reading the Bible from a New Perspective

• Understanding the Bible, Part 1 - Special Revelation

• Understanding the Bible, Part 2 - Divine Inspiration

• Understanding the Bible, Part 3 - Let's Talk About Trans, Gays...

• Understanding the Bible, Part 4 - Jesus' Renewed Command

Bible Study

• Process Theology: Inspiration

• How to Interpret the Bible

• How to Read the Bible & It's Violence (eg, "Reading the Heart of Jesus")

• Reflections on Christianity - 14 Topics that Intrigue Me

• The Gift of Reading the Bible Dynamically

• What Brand of Philosophical Theism Do You Carry In Your Bible?

• The God of Brokenness: Etherlyn Q. Naiah - Asking for "A New Day of Worship" (a Liberian Gospel Song)

• How Might We Interpret the OT for Today?

• How Narrow or Broad is Your View of Jesus and Scripture?

• Thinking Biblically - Its Misuses and Abuses

• Allowing Biblical Narrative to Rise Above Bibliolatry

• Suggested Bible Reading & Study Plans for the New Year

• The Value of Intellectural Humility when Studying the Bible and Listening to God

• 5 Approaches to Biblical Theology (Barr, Carson, Wright, Childs, Watson)

• St. John's Video Timeline Project - Interviews with Scholars on the Bible, Church, and Historical Eras

• Recommended Christian Bible Studies: Thru the Bible Radio with Dr. J. Vernon McGee

• The Value of Asking Difficult Questions & Disturbing the Comfortable to Wrestle Afresh

• Honesty in the Journey (or On the Raising of Young Heretics)

• Deconstructing Our Faith

• N.T. Wright - Called to Study and Teach (video missing)

~ Unfinished Section ~

Bible - Archaeology (11)

Bible - Authority and Interpretation (55)
Bible - Christian Biblicism (36)
Bible - Common Questions of God (6)
Bible - Development and Canon (21)
Bible - Historical Criticism (16)
Bible - Historical Timelines (3)
Bible - How to Read the Bible (56)
Bible - Interpreting the NT (5)
Bible - Interpreting the OT (11)
Bible - Literary Types (7)
Bible - Maps and Charts (1)
Bible - NT Book Outlines (2)
Bible - Texts and Translations (10)
Bible - Textual Criticism (4)
Bible - the Jewish Torah (2)
Bible and Religion (4)
Bible Stories - Jonah and the Whale (1)
Bible Stories - Noah and the Flood (5)
Bible Stories from a Child's Perspective (2)