The Importance of Jesus

1
The Importance of Jesus

• Why Study Jesus Teachings?
• What makes him unique?
• Birth
• Life
• Teachings
• Death
• Resurrection
• Influence

2
Kingdom of God Definition

• Kingdom (basileia, Greek)
• rule, reign, authority
• realm, territory, location
• Kingdom referenced in 19/27 NT books
• Kingdom of God // Kingdom of Heaven Matt v. Mk
  Lk
• Kingdom of God to eternal life in John (see
  3.3-5, 15-16 Jesus as King 1.49 12.13)

3
Kingdom of God

• Jesus called basileus king 36 times in NT (24x
  negative epithet)
• The Kingdom in Jesus teaching ministry
• Central (Mt 4.23 Lk 4.43 Acts 1.3)
• Evident Power (Exorcisms)
• Crisis demanding a response
• a) must decide (Mt 7.24-27 10.28 18.8 22.2
  Lk 12.8-9)
• b) related to discipleship/ethics (especially Mt
  5-7)
• See James D. G. Dunn, Jesus Call to Discipleship
  (Cambridge Univ. Press, 1992)

4
Kingdom of God Images

• Images of the Kingdom
• Present Coming at hand (Mk 1.15) coming
  (Lk 11.2) come upon (Lk 11.20) within you
  (Lk 17.20-21)
• Place enter the kingdom (Matt 18.3 Mk 9.47)
  sitting down (Matt 8.11, 20.21)
• Growth seeds growing (Mt. 13.31-32 Mk
  4.26-29)
• leaven in a lump (Mt 13.33 Lk 13.20)
• Value unexpected value (Matt 13.44-46)
• Reject or Accept soils (Mk 4.26-29 Mt 13.1-23)

5
Kingdom of God Enactments

• 2 Enactments of the Kingdom
• 1) Exorcisms 2) Table-fellowship
• Exorcisms
• a) the immediate power of God
• (Matt 12.27 Mk 9.38)
• b) Satans rule already broken
• (Matt 12.28 Mk 3.27)
• c) Prophesied in the last days (Is. 24.21-22
  see also Matt 11.5 Is. 29.18, 35.5-6, 61.1)

6
Kingdom of God Enactments (contd)

• Table-fellowship
• a) character of the festal banquet of the new
  age (Mk 2.18-19 Lk 14.12-24)
• b) previously related only to the hoped-for
  future (Is. 25.6-9)
• c) Future is now (Matt 13.16-17)

7
Kingdom of God Miracles

• Miracles
• Nature miracles (calming the storm feed 4000, Mk
  8.1-10 walks on water, Mk 6.45-52)
• Exorcism (Legion Mk 5.1-20)
• Healings (Mk 10.46-52)
• Resuscitation
• (Lazarus Jn 11.11-27 Jairus daughter Mk
  5.21-24, 35-43)

8
Kingdom of God Models

• Biblical Tensions re the kingdom
• Present v. Future
• Individual v. Social (Lk 17.20-21)
• Spirit v. Matter (1 Cor. 15.50)
• Gradual v. Climactic
• Divine action v. Human action
• Church and Kingdom (see Acts Matt 8.11)
• essentially the same v. different
• See Howard Snyder, Models of the Kingdom
  (Abingdon, 1991)

9
Kingdom of God Parables

• The kingdom is like ... (see Matt 13)
• The soils (Mk 4.3-8, 14-20)
• The seed (Mk 4.26-29)
• Mustard seed (Mk 4.30-32)
• Kingdom can be entered/received
• Receiving life (Mk 9.43-47)
• Children (Mk 10.14-15)
• Kingdom is future-oriented
• Messianic banquet at the end of the age
• (Mk 14.25)

10
Kingdom of Heaven

• Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7)
• Focus on the kingdom (Matt 5.3, 10, 19-20 6.33
  7.21)
• Multiple reinterpretations of Old Testament law
• Present v. future? Application for today?
• An ethic for losers too demanding?
• Focus on discipleship literal, symbolic?
• Relationship between kingdom in heaven on earth
  (Matt 6.10) gt Realized eschatology

11
The abandonment of Jesus

• 1)
• 2)
• 3)
• 4)

12
Ethical Imperative of the Kingdom

• 2 Loves
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul,
  mind strength.
• Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22.37-40)
• The Law of Love (1 Cor. 13 Rom 13.8)
• Love of neighbor royal law (James 2.8)

13
Interpreting Communion

• Lords Supper, Holy Communion, Eucharist
• Mt 26.26-29 Lk 22.19 Acts 2.42 20.7 1 Cor
  10.16 11.20, 27-32
• Communion (Latin, Co with unio union),
  denotes union with Christ
• Frequency
• Participants (open v. closed)
• Elements (leaven v. unleaven)
• Meaning this is my body (Matthew 26.26-29)
• Transubstantiation
• Consubstantiation (Real presence)
• Spiritual (true) Presence
• Memorialism, symbolic

14
Interpreting Baptism

• Jesus commissioned baptism (Mt 28.17-20 Mk
  16.15-16) Baptism is accompanied by the
  trinitarian formula I baptize you in the name of
  the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
• Methods
• Immersion full body immersed in water, head to
  toe
• Aspersion sprinkle water on the forehead
• Infusion pouring water over the head
• Adult v. infant
• Parallel to circumcision (Col. 2.11-12)
• Households (Acts 16.15, 33 1 Cor 1.16)
• Signifies remission of sin (Acts 2.38)
• Jesus baptism (Mt 3.13-15 Lk 3.21)
• Relationship to conversion
• Tied to confession (Mt 3.6)
• Tied to faith (Acts 8.37)

15
A Brief History of the Christian Church
16
Christian Churches

• 1 Tree, 3 Branches
• Roman Catholic
• Eastern Orthodox
• Protestantism

17
Key Terms

• Ecclesia, Ecclesiology
• Orthodoxy
• Heresy
• Ecumenical Council
• Creed
• Confession
• Reformation

• Schism
• Protestant
• Denomination
• Mainline
• Synod
• Diocese
• Evangelical
• Charismatic

18
Key Figures

• Augustine (354-430) The Confessions City of
  God On the Trinity
• Jerome (340-42) translated Bible into Latin
  (Vulgate)
• Constantine
• Displaced immortal gods with God of the Bible
• Religious freedom to Christians (Edict of Milan,
  313)

19
Orthodoxy v. Heresy

• Simultaneous development
• Orthodoxy right thinking
• Determined by councils
• Enforced through creeds, confessions
• Persecution
• Heresy false teaching
• Primary focus
• the person of Christ

20
Ecumenical Councils

• Nicaea (325) Trinity
• Athanasius v. Arius
• Constantinople (381) Trinity
• Chalcedon (451) Christology
• Leos Tome One person, two natures fully God
  fully man
• Produced church doctrine
• 2 Images fence feed

21
Creeds

• Purposes
• 1. Public statements of faith teaching
  defense
• 2. Personal confessions of faith at baptism
• Apostles Creed (present form 8th C)
• 12 apostles, 12 lines
• Nicene Creed (post-Nicaea) fuller treatment of
  Christology

22
Roman Catholicism

• Catholic universal (Apostles creed)
• Authority Bible, Tradition, Church
• Scripture Creeds, Reason, Tradition
• (Canon law, Councils, Papal decisions)
• Reason v. Revelation
• Hierarchy Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, Priest

23
Catholic Distinctives

• Centrality of Romanism (outside church, no
  salvation) firm on interpretation (Council of
  Trent)
• Sacramental Theology
• Pope
• Rome, Vatican City
• Strongly liturgical
• Monasticism
• Saints intercession veneration of Virgin Mary
• Upon Death heaven hell limbo purgatory

24
Sacramental Theology

• Sacrament (Latin) military oath Tertullian (3rd
  C) allegiance
• Catechism of the Catholic Church efficacious
  signs of grace, instituted by Christ and
  entrusted to the church, by which divine life is
  dispensed to us.
• Baptism
• Holy Eucharist (Gr. eucharistein) meaning
  thanksgiving
• (at the age of discretion, approx age 7)
• (first penance must precede first communion)
• Confirmation (7-16 yrs old, in the US typically
  around 14)
• Penance (reconciliation)
• Anointing of the sick (unction, last rites)
• Matrimony
• Holy Orders (celibate clergy)
• Subsets Initiation (1-3) Mercy (4-5) Community
  (6-7)

25
Importance of the Pope

• Contributing Factors
• Emergence of the church in Rome
• Importance of Bishop
• Papal Succession Peter (Matt 16.18-19)
• Papal infallibility
• papal bulls encyclicals

26
4th Lateran Council (1215)

• Established
• 7 sacraments
• Transubstantiation
• Bishops confirmation, ordination
• Mandated annual penance and communion for
  Catholics

27
Vatican II (1962-1965)

• Largest council in RCC history
• Renewed liturgy congregation participation
  Language
• Strengthened college of bishops
• Papal office service, rather than rule
• Ecumenism

28
RCC Eastern Orthodox

• Official Split (schism) 1054
• Language Greek v. Latin
• Theology role of the Spirit (Filioque)
• Basis 2nd Ecumenical Council (Constantinople
  381)
• Spirit proceeds from the Father
• Role of the Pope (25 popes from 955-1057)
• Both believe they are the true heirs of the
  apostles

29
Eastern Orthodoxy

• Orthodox Church in America
• Started in Kodiak, AK in 1794 as the Russian
  Orthodox Church (name changed in 1970)
• Based in NY, NY
• Numbers
• 300m worldwide Greek Russian
• Approx 5m in US

30
E. Orthodox Theology

• Sacramental Theology (Same as RCC, with 2
  exceptions)
• 3 Crismation (similar to confirmation)
• 7 clergy can be married, prior to ordination
• Strong sense of continuity with early church
• Accepts only first 7 councils as authoritative
• Trinity importance of the Spirit
• Salvation results in deification
• Icons 2 dimensional (7th Council approved them)
• windows of perception gt as important as the
  crucifix and Gospels (statues forbidden)

31
E. Orthodox worship

• Visible Invisible all visible elements
  (sacraments, priests, icons, worship) point to
  the invisible aspect of divine reality
• Worship
• Iconostasis screen separates clergy altar from
  congregation
• Sensory Experiences Icons Paintings, mosaics,
  frescoes ornate crosses candles incense
  bright, embroidered robes
• Congregation stands throughout

32
The Protestant Reformation

• Reformation Era 1517-1555
• Begins Oct 31, 1517 (95 theses)
• 2nd Reformation Confessionalism (Ends 1648)
• 2 Major Groups Lutherans Reformed
• Stressed doctrine
• Protestant Groups opposed both RCC and each other
• 30 Years War (1618-48)
• Peace of Westphalia (1648)

33
Reformation Factors Results

• Contributing Factors
• State of the Church
• Renaissance began 14th C, Italy (ad fontes)
• Martin Luther
• The Printing Press
• Result Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Reformed,
  Anglicans, Anabaptists, Spiritualists

34
Reform Groups Countries

• Groups
• Magisterial Reformers
• Radical Reformers
• Counter-reformers
• Countries
• Lutheran Germany Scandinavia
• Calvinism Switzerland (initially)
• Presbyterianism Scotland Netherlands
• Anglicanism England (anglophone)

35
Reformation Emphases

• Rejected Papal authority
• Questioned purgatory veneration of Mary
• Ad fontes Priority of the Bible
• Reconsidered biblical canon
• Martin Luther
• sola scriptura, sola gratias, sola fides

36
Protestant Distinctives

• Authority/Role of Scripture
• Priesthood of all believers
• (Priests/Ministers lessened importance
• Rejected papal authority Purgatory, praying
  for the dead veneration of Mary intercession
  via saints)
• Worship in common language
• Sacraments/Ordinances (2)
• Baptism
• Communion (laity both bread wine)

37
Protestant Worship

• Priority eucharist, preaching
• Architecture
• High church v. Low church
• Frequency
• Trends contemporary worship
• seeker-sensitive cell groups

38
Denominations

• 350m Protestants worldwide
• Major Groups
• Anglicans
• Lutherans
• Presbyterians
• Methodists
• Baptists
• Pentecostal/Charismatic Groups

39
U.S. Christianity

• 40 of Americans attend church weekly
• (2002 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life)
• 3 Major groups in the U.S.
• Roman Catholic
• Evangelical
• Mainline
• Subsets of each group
• 1. Traditionalists 3. Centrists
• 2. Modernists 4. Charismatics

40
Protestant Differences

• Mainline Denominations
• History Philadelphia mainline (ca. 1970)
• Liturgical worship
• Ecumenism (World Council of Churches)
• Understanding of the Gospel
• Social social structures larger context
• Evangelicals Understanding of the Gospel
  personal conversion experience salvation from
  sin

41
Anglicans Highlights

• Separated from RCC in 1530s
• Led by English Monarch spread via British
  Empire
• Red Door
• Spiritual Leader Archbishop of Canterbury
• Anglican Communion (83m worldwide)
• Lambeth Conference (every 10yrs)
• Key Features
• Bishops (1978 women allowed)
• Book of Common Prayer
• (unites Anglicans with RCC Orthodox
  Protestants)

42
Anglicans Structure

• Structure Top-down
• Led by Archbishop of Canterbury
• Diocese 12 churches (led by a bishop)
• US variants Episcopalians (1789 2-4million)
• No Archbishop
• Triennial Convention
• House of Bishops Deputies
• change policy gt both Houses must approve

43
Anglicans Worship Theology

• Worship
• Traditionally highly Liturgical (high church)
• Veneration of Saints
• Documents Book of Common Prayer (1662)
  (Apostles Nicene Creed) 39 Articles
  (Elizabeth I)
• Theology via Media (middle way)
• Evangelicals liberals catholic pentecostal
• Current issue homosexuality (East v. West)
• 1998 Lambeth Conference opposed ordination
• 2003 Gay Bishop elected (N.H.)

44
Lutherans

• 23m worldwide (5-6m US)
• Martin Luther formerly devout Catholic
• Excommunicated by RCC Married a former nun
• 2 Kingdoms
• 3 solas gratias, scriptura, fides
• Key Result Priesthood of all believers
• Main U.S. Groups ELCA, LCMS
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (largest)
• Result of many mergers doctrinally flexible
  ecumenical
• Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

45
Lutherans

• Strongly Liturgical allows variations
• Worship centerpiece proclamation
• Sacramental baptism as causative
• Book of Concord doctrinal unity
• Ancient Creeds Formula of Concord (1580)
• Augsburg Confession (1530, by Philip Melancthon)
• Highlights (dis)agreements w/ RCC
• rejects priestly celibacy compulsory
  confession withholding the cup from the laity

46
Reformed

• History Figures
• John Calvin (chief theologian)
• Institutes of the Christian Religion
• Gallic Confession (1559) for French Protestants
• John Knox, Scotland
• English Calvinists Puritans (John Owen)

47
Reformed Theology

• TULIP 5-point Calvinism Gods sovereignty
• Total depravity
• Unconditional election
• Limited atonement
• Irresistible grace
• Perseverance of the saints
• Covenant theology
• Westminster Confession of Faith (1643-1648)

48
Reformed Distinctives

• Bottom-top General Assembly (PCUSA Natl
  Meeting)
• Synod (regional)
• Presbytery (district)
• Session (church)
• elders
• Lords Supper Spiritual Presence
• Groups
• Presbyterian Reformed Dutch Reformed Church of
  Scotland PCUSA (progressive) PCA (conservative)

49
Methodists

• History Figures Began in 1730s
• John Wesley (1703-1791) preaching
• Charles Wesley music
• Holy Club at Oxford Univ in 1720s-30s
• disciplined methods sought reform of
  Anglicanism
• Francis Asbury, Father of American Methodism
• organized American for circuit preachers,
  revivalism
• Holiness denominations left Methodism (19thC)
• Church of Nazarene Church of God

50
Methodists Theology

• Theology Arminianism v. Calvinism
• Social gospel
• Optimism of Grace Salvation in 3 stages
• Prevenient grace
• Justification
• Sanctification (leads to Perfection Matt 5.48)
  personal holiness

51
Methodists Structure

• Bishops lead regions appoint clergy
• Bishops elected by district clergy
• Annual Conference clergy and non-clergy
  represent disctricts
• General Conference every 4-yrs
• Congregations follow Book of Discipline
• Current Issues Conservative v. Progressives
• Homosexuality

52
Holiness Groups

• Groups left Methodism (19thC)
• Anti-slavery revivalist pro-women feared
  Methodists were compromising
• Wesleyan Church (1843) Free Methodist Church of
  Nazarene Church of God
• Est. example of reforming a Protestant Group in
  U.S.

53
Holiness Theology

• Sought to restore (alter?) John Wesleys notion
  of Christian perfection
• Ex. Wesleyan Church 3 stages
• Initial Sanctification
• Progressive Sanctification
• Entire Sanctification
• Call for personal holiness to attain entire
  sanctification
• Avoid alcohol, smoking, gambling, movies,
  cards, dancing (formerly avoided Coca-Cola,
  lipstick, attending sport functions)

54
Pentecostal History Influence

• History 1-1-1901 student of Charles Parham,
  spoke in tongues (Bethel Bible College Topeka,
  KS)
• Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (1907)
• Assemblies of God (1917)
• Varied degrees of influence (and reactions) in
  virtually every denomination RCC
• Generally teach that Theology and biblical
  studies do not require education like other
  disciplines
• Separatists created to avoid denominational
  structure

55
Pentecostal Theology

• Further extension of Holiness Theology
• Full Gospel
• Baptism of the Holy Spirit follows sanctification
• Gift of Glossalalia tongue, language (Acts .1-4)
• 2-stage conversion baptism in/by the Spirit
  (Acts 2)
• Healings (James 5.14-15) Prophecy
• Experiential, informal worship prophecy,
  healings, exorcisms
• Stresses direct, immediate power of God

56
Baptists

• History
• Anabaptists (17th C) English Calvinism
• Particular General Landmark
• 4 National Baptist Convention(s) African
  American
• S. Baptists (1845) 2nd largest group of
  Christians in US

57
Baptists Distinctives

• Distinctive Beliefs
• 1) Membership voluntary converted
• 2) Believers baptism
• 3) Communion symbolic
• 4) Separation of Church State
• Lesser distinctives
• Autonomy of the local church
• gt bottom-up structure
• worship central proclamation
• non-liturgical no images no ministerial robes
• simplistic architecture

58
Future

• East v. West growth, trends
• Role of Women
• Future of denominations
• Name association