"Modern" Christian Theology

Sound Theology

Modern era

Given an understanding of the modern period beginning with the Reformation:

• What characteristics are associated with the period?
• What might characterize a "post-modern" period?

History

What does the following quote mean:

All histories, including the history of Christian theology, rest on the interplay between remembering and forgetting." (xxiv)

Denominational History

The limits to our perspective (on things) is sometimes vast:

• most of us learn church theology and church history from a denominational perspective
• we enter the study through a particular portal
• understanding will come through self-awareness of our own limitations

Limitations and warnings (p. 2)

Placher sets parameters for his text:

1. It is history of Christian theology, not general history, intellectual history, etc.
2. Theology means the systematic reflection on one's faith. (experience?) An "elite" enterprise?
3. Much ends up being ignored
4. Too favorable picture of "theology"?

Introductory issues

Biblical interpretation

• But it has changed over the centuries
• Why would the 5th c. bishop respond so (xvii)
• Need to believe what biblical authors believed? (xvii)
• Rom 1 on homosexuality (xvii)

vocabulary

• Postliberal (xiv)
• doctrine: set of beliefs, creed, etc.
• Christology (xxi) … place of suffering, identification with God
• analytic philosophy:
• meaning of faith and history
• fundamentalism
• positivism (xvi)
• transcendence (xviii) immanence (xx)
• scientific worldview (xix)

names of theologians

• Karl Barth
• Paul Tillich
• Rudolf Bultmann (xvi)
• John Calvin
• Isaac Newton
• Galileo

How talk about God (before and after modernity)

• "Thing signified" vs. "means of signifying" (xx)
• analogical
• univocal vs. equivocal

Groupwork

Some basic themes

1. Humanity and Divinity of Christ
2. Reason and revelation
3. Works and Grace
4. Spirit and Structure
5. Church and State