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Introduction to Theological Studies Prof. Felix Just, S.J.

Introduction to Theological Studies Prof. Felix Just, S.J. What Is Theology? (revised Jan. 27, 2005). Theology < Greek Theos + Logos. Theos = “God” not a personal name, but a generic title for the divine being “God” vs. “gods” (more on this below)

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Introduction to Theological Studies Prof. Felix Just, S.J.

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  1. Introduction to Theological StudiesProf. Felix Just, S.J. What Is Theology? (revised Jan. 27, 2005)

  2. Theology < Greek Theos + Logos • Theos = “God” • not a personal name, but a generic title for the divine being • “God” vs. “gods” (more on this below) • Logos = “Word; Phrase; Speech; Reason” • Not just a single w-o-r-d, but any language-based thought • “Talking about…” ; “Study of…” • Anthropo-logy = “Study of Humans”; Bio-logy = “Study of Life” • Geo-logy = “Study of the Earth”; Zoo-logy = “Study of Animals” • Theology = “Study of God”; “Talking about God” • God’s being, essence, nature, and/or attributes • God’s relation to human beings and the whole world

  3. Philosophy < Greek Philos + Sophia • Philos = “Love; Friendship” • Four Greek words for “love”: eros, philos, agape, storge • Philadelphia = lit. “Love of Brothers” (“City of Brotherly Love”) • Philanthropy = lit. “Love of Human Beings” (i.e. Charity) • Sophia = “Wisdom” • Wisdom vs. intelligence vs. knowledge vs. understanding • Philosophy = “Love of Wisdom” • Socratic Method: asking questions! • Not just reading books, but dialogue between persons • About what? Everything! Including “God”?

  4. Love of Wisdom / Talking about GodQuest for Knowledge / Search for Truth • Ancient World: • Classical Greece: Philosophers • Ancient Israel: Prophets & Priests • Other Cultures: Magi, Physicians, Kings, etc. • No separately specialized “Theologians” • Medieval Universities: • Four Disciplines: Philosophy, Theology, Medicine, Law • Modern Universities: • Liberal Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Arts, Business, Education, Religious Studies…

  5. Types of Belief in God(s) – lots of “-isms” • Theism • Atheism • Agnosticism • Gnosticism, Polytheism • Pantheism, Deism • Henotheism, Monotheism • Paganism, etc.

  6. Types of Belief in God (I) • Theism • Belief in the existence of a God or any gods • The generic term, of which other –isms are subcategories • Atheism • The opposite: Belief that God and/or gods do “not exist” • Agnosticism • “Not knowing” whether God exists; overall non-belief • Gnosticism • A religious system that believes salvation comes through “knowledge” (Gk. gnosis) of one’s divine origin and destiny

  7. Types of Belief in God (II) • Polytheism • Belief in the existence of “many” (Gk. poly) gods • Egyptian: many gods, mostly in animal form • Greek & Roman: a large family of gods, on Mount Olympus • Pantheism • Belief that divinity resides “everywhere” (Gk. pan) • The whole universe is divine; divinity is within everything that exists • But there is no “God” separate from or external to the world • Deism • Belief that God created the world, but then abandoned it • God exists, created us, but exerts no further influence on the world • Based on 18th-century rationalism (e.g. Thomas Jefferson)

  8. Types of Belief in God (III) • Henotheism • Allegiance to “one” god over the others • All nations have their own “gods”; “Our god is better than your gods” • Monotheism • Belief in the existence of “only” one God • What others call “gods” are at most spirits, but not divine • Christians believe in one God, but Jesus & Spirit also divine • “Trinity” = one divine “nature,” three divine “persons” (not 3 diff. gods) • Paganism • Religions of “others” who don’t believe in “our” God/gods • Popular connotations negative: pagans, heathens, unbelievers • Academic meaning neutral: all non-Jewish, non-Christian religions

  9. Identifying God (Titles & Names): • Generic Titles: • God / god, Deity, Divine Power, El, Elohim, etc. • Father, Mother, Creator, Lord, King, etc. • Proper Names: • Jewish: YHWH (Yahweh? Jehovah?); Ya/Ja • Mesopotamian: Asherah, Baal; Ishtar, Marduk, Tiamat, etc. • Egyptian: Aten, Horus, Isis, Osiris, Ra, Seth, Thoth, etc. • Greco-Roman / Olympian: Zeus=Jupiter; Athena=Diana; etc. • Muslim: Allah

  10. Talking about God (Philosophically): • God is Absolute (positive & negative): • ALL: omnipotent (all powerful); omniscient (all knowing); omnipresent (everywhere); omni-benevolent (all merciful) • NOT: invisible (not seen); immutable (unchanging); immortal (not dying); infinite (not limited); etc. • Language is Limited (analogies & opposites): • God is transcendent (beyond) & immanent (internal) • So God-talk is possible, but always analogical / inadequate • Both/and Approach: via positiva & via negativa

  11. Summary / Review • Philosophy & Theology • Philosophy < Greek Philos + Sophia • Theology < Greek Theos + Logos • Types of Belief in God (“-isms”) • Theism vs. Atheism vs. Agnosticism • Deism vs. Pantheism vs. Polytheism • Henotheism vs. Monotheism (incl. Trinitarian Christianity) • Talking about God • Generic Titles vs. Proper Names • Analogical Language: absolutes & opposites

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