Introducing Christian Doctrine

by Erickson, Millard J.

• ISBN13: 9780801032158
• ISBN10: 0801032156
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1992-08-01
• Publisher: Baker Pub Group
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

The philosophy behind 'Introducing Christian Doctrine, ' which is an abridged version of Millard Erickson's Christian Theology, remains that of its large parent.

Author Biography

Millard J. Erickson is Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary L. Arnold Hustad is professor of theology and philosophy at Crown College, St. Bonifacius, Minnesota

Table of Contents

Preface	11	(4)
Part One. The Doing of Theology
The Study of God	15	(8)
The Nature of Theology	15	(4)
The Method of Theology	19	(4)
Contemporizing the Christian Message	23	(10)
The Contemporary Context of Theology	23	(2)
Approaches to Contemporizing the Christian Message	25	(1)
The Permanent Element in Christianity	26	(1)
The Nature of Contemporization	27	(1)
The Criteria of Permanence in Doctrine	27	(6)
Part Two. God's Revelation
God's Universal Revelation	33	(10)
The Nature of Revelation	33	(1)
The Modes of General Revelation	34	(1)
The Reality and Efficacy of General Revelation	35	(5)
General Revelation and Human Responsibility	40	(1)
Implications of General Revelation	41	(2)
God's Particular Revelation	43	(9)
The Definition and Necessity of Special Revelation	43	(2)
The Style of Special Revelation	45	(2)
The Modes of Special Revelation	47	(2)
Special Revelation: Propositional or Personal?	49	(1)
Scripture as Revelation	50	(2)
The Preservation of the Revelation: Inspiration	52	(8)
Definition of Inspiration	52	(1)
The Fact of Inspiration	53	(2)
Theories of Inspiration	55	(1)
The Extent of Inspiration	56	(1)
The Intensiveness of Inspiration	56	(1)
A Model of Inspiration	57	(3)
The Dependability of God's Word: Inerrancy	60	(7)
Various Conceptions of Inerrancy	60	(1)
The Importance of Inerrancy	61	(1)
Inerrancy and Phenomena	62	(1)
Defining Inerrancy	63	(3)
Ancillary Issues	66	(1)
The Power of God's Word: Authority	67	(8)
Religious Authority	67	(1)
The Internal Working of the Holy Spirit	68	(2)
Objective and Subjective Components of Authority	70	(1)
The Bible and Reason	71	(1)
Historical and Normative Authoritativeness	71	(4)
Part Three. The Nature of God
The Doctrine of God	75	(6)
The Immanence and Transcendence of God	76	(3)
The Nature of Attributes	79	(1)
Classifications of Attributes	80	(1)
The Greatness of God	81	(7)
Spirituality	81	(1)
Life	82	(1)
Personality	83	(1)
Infinity	84	(2)
Constancy	86	(2)
The Goodness of God	88	(8)
Moral Qualities	88	(6)
God's Love and Justice---A Point of Tension?	94	(2)
God's Three-in-Oneness: The Trinity	96	(13)
The Biblical Teaching	97	(4)
Historical Constructions	101	(2)
Essential Elements of a Doctrine of the Trinity	103	(1)
The Search for Analogies	104	(5)
Part Four. The Work of God
God's Plan	109	(11)
Key Definitions	109	(1)
The Biblical Teaching	110	(1)
The Nature of the Divine Plan	111	(2)
Logical Priority: God's Plan or Human Action?	113	(1)
A Moderately Calvinistic Model	114	(4)
Various Understandings of History	118	(2)
God's Originating Work: Creation	120	(8)
Reasons for Studying the Doctrine of Creation	120	(1)
Elements of the Biblical Teaching on Creation	121	(2)
The Theological Meaning of the Doctrine	123	(2)
The Creation Doctrine and Its Relation to Science	125	(2)
Implications of the Doctrine of Creation	127	(1)
God's Continuing Work: Providence	128	(10)
Providence as Preservation	129	(2)
Providence as Government	131	(3)
Providence and Prayer	134	(1)
Providence and Miracles	135	(3)
Evil and God's World: A Special Problem	138	(7)
The Nature of the Problem	138	(1)
Types of Solutions	139	(1)
Themes for Dealing with the Problem of Evil	140	(5)
God's Special Agents: Angles	145	(10)
Good Angles	146	(2)
Evil Angels	148	(2)
The Role of the Doctrine of Angels	150	(5)
Part Five. Humanity
Introduction to the Doctrine of Humanity	155	(7)
Images of Humanking	155	(2)
The Christian View of Humanity	157	(1)
The Biblical Account of Human Creation	157	(2)
The Theological Meaning of Human Creation	159	(3)
The Image of God in the Human	162	(9)
The Relevant Scripture Passages	163	(1)
Views of the Images	164	(2)
Evaluation of the Views	166	(1)
Conclusions Regarding the Nature of the Image	167	(1)
Implications of the Doctrine	168	(3)
The Constitutional Nature of the Human	171	(8)
Basic Views of the Human Constitution	171	(3)
Biblical Considerations	174	(1)
An Alternative Model: Conditional Unity	174	(1)
Implications of Conditional Unity	175	(4)
Part Six. Sin
The Nature and Source of Sin	179	(6)
The Difficulty of Discussing Sin	179	(1)
Biblical Perspectives on the Nature of Sin	180	(1)
The Source of Sin	181	(4)
The Results of Sin	185	(9)
Results Affecting the Relationship with God	186	(6)
Effects on the Sinner	192	(1)
Effects on the Relationship to Other Humans	193	(1)
The Magnitude of Sin	194	(13)
The Extent of Sin	194	(2)
The Intensiveness of Sin	196	(2)
Theories of Original Sin	198	(2)
Original Sin: A Biblical and Contemporary Model	200	(7)
Part Seven. The Person of Christ
The Deity of Christ	207	(7)
The Biblical Teaching	208	(4)
Historical Departures from Belief in the Full Deity of Christ	212	(1)
Functional Christology	213	(1)
Implications of the Diety of Christ	213	(1)
The Humanity of Christ	214	(10)
The Importance of the Humanity of Christ	215	(1)
The Biblical Evidence	215	(3)
Early Heresies Regarding the Humanity of Jesus	218	(1)
The Virgin Birth	219	(2)
The Sinlessness of Jesus	221	(1)
Implications of the Humanity of Jesus	222	(2)
The Unity of the Person of Christ	224	(11)
The Importance and Difficulty of the Issue	224	(1)
The Biblical Material	225	(1)
Early Misunderstandings	226	(1)
Other Attempts to Solve the Problem	227	(1)
Basic Tenets of the Doctrine of Two Natures in One Person	228	(7)
Part Eight. The Work of Christ
Introduction to the Work of Christ	235	(11)
The Stages of Christ's Work	236	(3)
The Functions of Christ	239	(2)
The Manifold Theories of the Atonement	241	(5)
The Central Theme of Atonement	246	(13)
Background Factors	246	(2)
The New Testament Teaching	248	(3)
The Basic Meaning of Atonement	251	(2)
Objections to the Penal-Substitution Theory	253	(1)
The Implications of Substitutionary Atonement	254	(5)
Part Nine. The Holy Spirit
The Person of the Holy Spirit	259	(6)
The importance of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit	260	(1)
Difficulties in Understanding the Holy Spirit	260	(1)
The Nature of the Holy Spirit	261	(3)
Implications of the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit	264	(1)
The Work of the Holy Spirit	265	(14)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testment	265	(2)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus	267	(1)
The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian	268	(3)
The Miraculous Gifts Today	271	(4)
Implications of the Work of the Spirit	275	(4)
Part Ten. Salvation
Conceptions of Salvation	279	(8)
Details on Which Conceptions of Salvation Differ	280	(1)
Current Conceptions of Salvation	281	(6)
The Antecedent to Salvation: Predestination	287	(7)
Differing Views of Predestination	288	(3)
A Suggested Solution	291	(2)
Implications of Predestination	293	(1)
The Beginning of Salvation: Subjective Aspects	294	(9)
Effectual Calling	295	(1)
Conversion	296	(3)
Regeneration	299	(3)
Implications of Effectual Calling, Conversion, and Regeneration	302	(1)
The Beginning of Salvation: Objective Aspects	303	(10)
Union with Christ	303	(3)
Justification	306	(4)
Adoption	310	(3)
The Continuation and Completion of Salvation	313	(16)
Sanctification	313	(4)
Perseverance	317	(5)
Glorification	322	(7)
Part Eleven. The Church
The Nature of the Church	329	(7)
The Basic Meaning of the Term ``Church''	329	(1)
The Unity of the Church	330	(1)
Biblical Images of the Church	331	(3)
Implications	334	(2)
The Role and Government of the Church	336	(10)
The Functions of the Church	337	(3)
The Heart of the Ministry of the Church: The Gospel	340	(2)
Forms of Church Government	342	(2)
A System of Church Government for Today	344	(2)
The Ordinances of the Church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper	346	(15)
Baptism: The Initiatory Rite of the Church	346	(6)
The Lord's Supper: The Continuing Rite of the Church	352	(9)
Part Twelve. The Last Things
Introductory Matters and Individual Eschatology	361	(11)
Introduction to Eschatology	361	(3)
Death	364	(2)
The Intermediate State	366	(5)
Implications of the Doctrines of Death and the Intermediate State	371	(1)
The Second Coming and Its Consequents	372	(10)
The Second Coming	373	(4)
Resurrection	377	(3)
The Final Judgment	380	(1)
Implications of the Second Coming and Its Consequents	381	(1)
Millennial and Tribulational Views	382	(13)
Millennial Views	383	(6)
Tribulational Views	389	(6)
Final States	395	(10)
Final State of the Righteous	395	(5)
Final State of the Wicked	400	(3)
Implications of the Doctrine of the Final States	403	(2)
Conclusion	405	(2)
Sccripture Index	407	(8)
Name and Subject Index	415