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Hope in a Material World: Exploring Christianity Through Lutheran Eyes

In this book, we examine the world we live in today, filled with material abundance but spiritual hunger, and explore the mission of the church in this context. Drawing from "Lutheran" theology, we delve into the formal and material principles that shape our faith, emphasizing the importance of scripture and justification. We also discuss the role of the confessions and the theological terms of grace and faith. Furthermore, we explore how God helps us understand His existence through natural and specific revelation, as well as the contemporary denials of Jesus as God's Son. We then turn our focus to the significance of creation and our stewardship of it, discussing the rejection of certain ideologies and keeping faith in the face of suffering.

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Hope in a Material World: Exploring Christianity Through Lutheran Eyes

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  1. Introduction

  2. The World in Which We Live Today

  3. The World • Material abundance vs. spiritual hunger • A new missionary time for the church • The World in which we live today

  4. The World • The Quest • HELP • HOME • HOPE

  5. Looking at Christianity through “Lutheran” eyes

  6. Formal and Material Principles • Formal Principle • That which "forms" your theology.

  7. Formal and Material Principles • Material Principle • That which matters most in your theology.

  8. Formal and Material Principles • The Formal Principle for Lutherans: • Scripture Alone

  9. Formal and Material Principles • The Material Principle for Lutherans • Justification

  10. Scripture and the Confessions • Scripture is the "Norma Normas" • The norm that norms

  11. Scripture and the Confessions • The Confessions are the "Norma Normata" • The norm that is normed

  12. Augsburg Confession IV • Furthermore, it is taught that we cannot obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness before God through our merit, work, or satisfactions,

  13. Augsburg Confession IV • but that we receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God out of grace for Christ's sake through faith when we believe that Christ has suffered for us and that his our sake our sin is forgiven and righteousness and eternal life are given to us.

  14. Augsburg Confession IV • For God will regard and reckon this faith as righteousness in his sight as Paul says in Romans 3 and 4.

  15. Two Kinds of Theology • Theology of the cross • Starts and ends with what God has done for me.

  16. Two Kinds of Theology • Theology of glory • Starts and ends with how I work my way towards God.

  17. The God Who Wants to HELP Us

  18. Theological terms • Grace: God’s unconditional acceptance

  19. Theological terms • Faith: Two definitions • My personal faith in Christ • The doctrine that the church teaches (the content)

  20. Theological terms • Doctrine • Many people don’t like doctrine

  21. Theological terms • Doctrine • Doctrine is loving. • Doctrine is important. • Doctrine is all of one piece.

  22. Theological terms • Doctrine • Doctrine can be divided into • Fundamental doctrines • Non-Fundamental doctrines

  23. God HELPS Us to Know Who He Is

  24. How Can I Know God Exists?

  25. Natural Revelation • Cosmological Argument: • You know God exists from the creation of the world

  26. Natural Revelation • Historical argument: • You can see God directing human history

  27. Natural Revelation • Conscience: • The Law is written in the hearts of all people

  28. Natural Revelation • Ontological argument: • God's existence just makes sense!

  29. Natural Revelation • Various understandings of God(s) • Polytheism: • There are lots of different gods. • Take your pick.

  30. Natural Revelation • Various understandings of God(s) • Pantheism • Everything is god.

  31. Natural Revelation • Various understandings of God(s) • Monotheism • There is only one God.

  32. Natural Revelation • Various understandings of God(s) • Deism • God is a Ford foreman.

  33. Specific revelation • Trinity • God is one God in three persons

  34. Contemporary Denials of Jesus as God’s Son

  35. Contemporary Denials of Jesus as God’s Son • Modalistic Monarchialism • "Jesus Only" Pentecostals (the United Pentecostal Church)

  36. Contemporary Denials of Jesus as God’s Son • Subordinationists • Jehovah's Witnesses • Adoptionists

  37. God the Creator’s HELPING Hand

  38. Creation • Creation is absolutely foundational to our faith.

  39. Creation • Why two creation accounts? • There are two different purposes • Chapter 1 focuses on the glory of God • Chapter 2 focuses on God’s personal relationship with his creation and prepares us for Chapter 3.

  40. Creation • Humanity created in the image of God • Holy like God • Perfect relationship with God • Image still exists

  41. Creation • Divine Providence • Human communities • Family • Church • Neighborhood • Nation

  42. Creation • Angels • Psalm 91:11-12 • Psalm 103:20 • Daniel 7:10 • Mt. 18:10 • Isaiah 6:3

  43. Creation • Evil Angels

  44. Our Response to Creation

  45. Stewardship • Stewardship of creation • Stewardship of the body

  46. Stewardship • Stewardship of possessions • Stewardship of money

  47. Stewardship • Stewardship of abilities • Stewardship of volunteers and leaders • Stewardship of time

  48. What Faith in God as Our Creator Must Reject • New-age pantheism • Gnosticism (old and new)

  49. What Faith in God as Our Creator Must Reject • Evolutionary dogma • Materialism • Individualism

  50. Keeping Faith In the Midst Of Suffering • Forms of human suffering • Why do people suffer?

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