A Dirty Word
I am just posting a link to this article because it is fairly lengthy, but it is well worth the read if you have the time to do so.
Click here for the article.
Just to add my 2 cents to the mix on this topic - we ought to have good, solid knowledge of what is traditionally called the essential doctrines, which are:
1. The Nature of God
2. The Person of Christ
3. The Nature of Man
4. The Work of the Cross
5. The Nature of Revelation (not the book - but how God "speaks" to us)
6. The Nature of the Church
If we are good on these, then most heresies will not take hold.
Shawn
Click here for the article.
Just to add my 2 cents to the mix on this topic - we ought to have good, solid knowledge of what is traditionally called the essential doctrines, which are:
1. The Nature of God
2. The Person of Christ
3. The Nature of Man
4. The Work of the Cross
5. The Nature of Revelation (not the book - but how God "speaks" to us)
6. The Nature of the Church
If we are good on these, then most heresies will not take hold.
Shawn
posted by Shawn White | 7/06/2006 11:30:00 AM
4 Comments:
Excellent and insightful article! I quote:
“At my church, the people are extremely desirous of doctrine. I teach a systematic theology class every Sunday after my preaching, and we’ve gone up to two hours because the people want more,” Shin said.
So when do we start? :)
d
lol - that's funny you should mention that. after the "Defending the Faith" series I was thinking on starting to hit on those 6 doctrines that I posted. i'll probably run it so that we do one with a lighter class in between so it's not to weighty.
all of this stuff should carry us for at least another 12-18 months.
shawn
Shawn,
I am glad to see this post and article. Simply defined, the word doctrine means teaching. Nelson's New Christian Dictionary defines doctrine as:
Codified belief of a denomination and one of the elements of a creed.
I call the six things you mention the ologies as they are each the study of a unique part of the Christian faith. The Catholic church calls them the "tenants of the Christian faith" and categorizes them as follows:
1. God (Theology)
2. Christ (Christology)
3. Spirit (Pneumatology)
4. Humanity (Anthropology)
5. Sin and Salvation (Soteriology)
6. Church (Ecclesiology)
7. Time and Eternity (Eschatology)
8. Evil (Theodicy)
I agree with the comment from the article:
many “doctrinally sound” Christians tend to be arrogant, judgmental and unloving toward non-Christians and, even, Christians who have different doctrinal views.
It seems to me the CofC is more interested in talking about buildings, women's roles, worship styles and maybe leadership more than these eight things which should form the foundation of our faith.
Stephen - I like your comments, in particular your closing paragraph. I think it is essential to the "guarding of the Faith" to study these "ologies". Not that we will necessarily agree on all the exact details, but at least it will provide the borders by which we can rightly protect against heresies and bad philosophies that creep into the universal Church.
shawn
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