Systematic Theology: Prolegomena
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From the Inside Flap What is the foundation of theology? In this monumental work--the "first things" of a multi-volume, comprehensive theological system--Norman R. Gulley argues pervasively and persuasively that Scripture, and Scripture alone, must be the sole foundation of authentic evangelical Christian faith. According to Gulley, theology should not depend on philosophy, science, reason, tradition or experience but on Scripture alone. His argument stands in contrast to recent influential evangelical theologians who consider Scripture only a witness to revelation, and not revelation itself. According to Gulley, God is thus removed from His Word in the same way others have removed Him from His world. He argues that this emptying of Scripture of its propositional, cognitive revelation deconstructs the basis of the evangelical movement. Gulleys view of sola scriptura drives his detailed, sweeping and balanced critique of the major underlying themes, issues and philosophies that have informed some other theological systems. From Parmenides and the timeless view of God in ancient Greece to a detailed analysis of 21st-century dispensational theology, Gulley ranges easily over millennia, showing how different concepts and philosophies have affected the premise of sola scriptura for good or ill. Aptly subtitled Prolegomena, this ambitious work functions as an excellent introduction to theological thought. It is designed for general use and for the serious student of theology who will appreciate the opening summary of each chapters contents, and the concluding study questions. It also serves as an introduction to the next volume which unfolds Gulleys system within the biblical cosmic controversy worldview. Read more About the Author Norman R. Gulley is Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee and holds a Ph.D. degree in Systematic Theology from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has worked in the Far East and in the United States during a long career of pastoring, teaching, academic administration, professional society involvement, writing and extensive worldwide travel as a visiting lecturer. He has authored several books including Is the majority moral?, Christ Our Substitute, and Christ Is Coming! as well as more than 150 professional papers and popular articles on a wide range of issues in theology and practical religion. He is an active member of the Evangelical Theological Society and is a past president of the Adventist Theological Society. He lives with his wife Leona near Red Clay State Park in Tennessee. Read more Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Most Christians believe in John 3:16--God sent His Son into the world to save humankind. This was the Word of God who became flesh, lived among humans (John 1:1, 14), and died for humankind on Calvary. Here is a historical Christ. Yet, paradoxically, some theologians have believed God to be timeless, cut off from His creation, wholly other. They have believed that He does not interact with humans in their space-time sphere and does not enter into cognitive relationship with them. This idea affected the understanding of revelation and inspiration. God was perceived as being unable to bring His mind down to the historical-temporal level of human cognition and, at that level, impart divine knowledge to humans through their categories of thought, logic, and expression. On the other hand, God as timeless being was viewed as dictating Scripture to the biblical writers. God remained in the timeless zone, but sent words into the time zone. Biblical writers acted like computers recording the messages received. In an impersonal way God sent His words to humankind. The timeless God affected the way Scripture is viewed in two opposite ways: (1) If the human writers were unable to reach up into the timeless mind of God, then all they could do was to write their own words; hence, Scripture became a human product. (2) If the human writers were used like a computer, then the word came from God; hence, the Bible became a divine product. Measured over and against the biblical attestation of God in Christ interacting with humans where they were, and humans relating and communicating with God when He was in their historical-temporal sphere, the above two theories are questioned. In both theories, God is removed from the writers. As a timeless God He does not meet humans in their time. He is, in both theories, an impersonal God. But if Scripture shows God in Christ coming to the human level in space-time and communicating cognitively with human writers, in their human way of communicating, then He is a God up close. In the Old Testament, God entered into human history at creation (Genesis 12), at the Red Sea (Exod. 13:21; 14:19; 23:20; Acts 7:30, 32; Deut. 4:3738; 1 Cor. 10:14), and on Mt. Sinai (Exod. 19:1620; 20:1), just to mention a few examples. He is portrayed as meeting humans within their history, even from the beginning. He is the God who dwelt among His people in His sanctuary on Earth (Exod. 25:8). He communicated with them. He said to Moses, "There above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites" (Exod. 25:22). He promised to answer "yes" and "no" through the Urim and Thummin on the priests breastplate (Num. 27:21). So where did the idea arise that God is timeless, far removed from humans, an unmoved Mover? It came from philosophy--human wisdom. Read more See more
From the Inside Flap What is the foundation of theology? In this monumental work--the "first things" of a multi-volume, comprehensive theological system--Norman R. Gulley argues pervasively and persuasively that Scripture, and Scripture alone, must be the sole foundation of authentic evangelical Christian faith. According to Gulley, theology should not depend on philosophy, science, reason, tradition or experience but on Scripture alone. His argument stands in contrast to recent influential evangelical theologians who consider Scripture only a witness to revelation, and not revelation itself. According to Gulley, God is thus removed from His Word in the same way others have removed Him from His world. He argues that this emptying of Scripture of its propositional, cognitive revelation deconstructs the basis of the evangelical movement. Gulleys view of sola scriptura drives his detailed, sweeping and balanced critique of the major underlying themes, issues and philosophies that have informed some other theological systems. From Parmenides and the timeless view of God in ancient Greece to a detailed analysis of 21st-century dispensational theology, Gulley ranges easily over millennia, showing how different concepts and philosophies have affected the premise of sola scriptura for good or ill. Aptly subtitled Prolegomena, this ambitious work functions as an excellent introduction to theological thought. It is designed for general use and for the serious student of theology who will appreciate the opening summary of each chapters contents, and the concluding study questions. It also serves as an introduction to the next volume which unfolds Gulleys system within the biblical cosmic controversy worldview. Read more About the Author Norman R. Gulley is Research Professor of Systematic Theology at Southern Adventist University in Tennessee and holds a Ph.D. degree in Systematic Theology from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has worked in the Far East and in the United States during a long career of pastoring, teaching, academic administration, professional society involvement, writing and extensive worldwide travel as a visiting lecturer. He has authored several books including Is the majority moral?, Christ Our Substitute, and Christ Is Coming! as well as more than 150 professional papers and popular articles on a wide range of issues in theology and practical religion. He is an active member of the Evangelical Theological Society and is a past president of the Adventist Theological Society. He lives with his wife Leona near Red Clay State Park in Tennessee. Read more Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Most Christians believe in John 3:16--God sent His Son into the world to save humankind. This was the Word of God who became flesh, lived among humans (John 1:1, 14), and died for humankind on Calvary. Here is a historical Christ. Yet, paradoxically, some theologians have believed God to be timeless, cut off from His creation, wholly other. They have believed that He does not interact with humans in their space-time sphere and does not enter into cognitive relationship with them. This idea affected the understanding of revelation and inspiration. God was perceived as being unable to bring His mind down to the historical-temporal level of human cognition and, at that level, impart divine knowledge to humans through their categories of thought, logic, and expression. On the other hand, God as timeless being was viewed as dictating Scripture to the biblical writers. God remained in the timeless zone, but sent words into the time zone. Biblical writers acted like computers recording the messages received. In an impersonal way God sent His words to humankind. The timeless God affected the way Scripture is viewed in two opposite ways: (1) If the human writers were unable to reach up into the timeless mind of God, then all they could do was to write their own words; hence, Scripture became a human product. (2) If the human writers were used like a computer, then the word came from God; hence, the Bible became a divine product. Measured over and against the biblical attestation of God in Christ interacting with humans where they were, and humans relating and communicating with God when He was in their historical-temporal sphere, the above two theories are questioned. In both theories, God is removed from the writers. As a timeless God He does not meet humans in their time. He is, in both theories, an impersonal God. But if Scripture shows God in Christ coming to the human level in space-time and communicating cognitively with human writers, in their human way of communicating, then He is a God up close. In the Old Testament, God entered into human history at creation (Genesis 12), at the Red Sea (Exod. 13:21; 14:19; 23:20; Acts 7:30, 32; Deut. 4:3738; 1 Cor. 10:14), and on Mt. Sinai (Exod. 19:1620; 20:1), just to mention a few examples. He is portrayed as meeting humans within their history, even from the beginning. He is the God who dwelt among His people in His sanctuary on Earth (Exod. 25:8). He communicated with them. He said to Moses, "There above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites" (Exod. 25:22). He promised to answer "yes" and "no" through the Urim and Thummin on the priests breastplate (Num. 27:21). So where did the idea arise that God is timeless, far removed from humans, an unmoved Mover? It came from philosophy--human wisdom. Read more See more
2020-04-10 16:38:20
