2.4 COURSE PROJECT: CALVIN ANALYSIS PAPER PREP

UNIT TWO INTRODUCTION
DOCTRINE OF REVELATION AND LANGUAGE ABOUT GOD

In Unit 2, we move on to an important part of any theological consideration: on what basis does systematic theology speak authoritatively for Christians today? If you recall Unit 1s definition of systematic theology, the foundation of the theological task has two parts (1) revelation of God in Jesus Christ, and (2) revelation of God in Scripture. If God had not chosen to tell us anything about Godself, then humans would not know it. Yet since God has chosen to reveal Godself to us, we must take care to follow the pattern of revelation. So we will consider the revelation that God has given to us and ask how systematic theology should use this revelation to begin building the house of ones theology.

A second part of this unit will engage the difficult topic of how humans should speak of God. Theologians have a short-hand way of speaking about God with our human language as God-Talk. We will examine this concept with the help of Thomas Aquinas as well as some thoughts on gender and God-Talk.

A final segment introduces the doctrine of God through a study of arguments for Gods existence.

UNIT TWO OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Analyze theological language about God.
2. Describe the various complexities of the use of gender language in reference to God.
3. Define the relation of revelation and Scripture to systematic theology.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the traditional proofs for the existence of God and assess their weaknesses.
5. Demonstrate the skills of analyzing and evaluating theological arguments.
6. Identify parts of an argument.
7. Define key terms in argumentation.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of logic as related to argumentation in theology.

UNIT TWO RESOURCES

? Textbook: Faith Seeking Understanding. (An intro to Christian Theology, 3rd edition, 2014)
? Textbook: Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. (Christopher A. Hall, 2002)
? Textbook: Christian Theology Reader. (Wiley-Blackwell, 4th edition, 2011)
? Textbook: A Rulebook for Arguments. (Anthony Weston, 4th edition, 2009)
? Media Clip: Gender and God-Talk by Terry L. Cross, PhD https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo-250-systematic-theology-1/video/104727188
? Media Clip: Argumentation 1 by T. Cross https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo- 250-systematic-theology-1/video/105272627
? Media Clip: Argumentation 2 by T. Cross https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo- 250-systematic-theology-1/video/105272629
? Media Clip: Argumentation 3 by Kevin Snider https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo-250-systematic-theology-1/video/105279392
? Media Clip: Argumentation 4 by Kevin Snider https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo-250-systematic-theology-1/video/105279393
? Media Clip: Argumentation 5 by Kevin Snider https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo-250-systematic-theology-1/video/105549088
? 2.1a PDF: Gender and God-Talk paper by Terry L. Cross, PhD
? 2.1b PowerPoint: ProlegomenaRevelation, Scripture, Task
? 2.1c PowerPoint: RevelationThe Event and Record of Gods Self-Disclosure
? 2.1d PowerPoint: Religion and Revelation
? 2.1e PowerPoint: Revelation Diagram
? 2.1f PowerPoint: God-Talk
? 2.1g PowerPoint: Does God Exist?
? 2.3a Word: Core Questions
? 2.4a PowerPoint: Argumentation
? 2.4b PDF: Analyzing Theological Arguments by Cross
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UNIT TWO ASSIGNMENTS

2.1 TEXT/MEDIA: TEXTBOOKS; MEDIA CLIP; POWERPOINTS; PDF

INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT
See Unit 2 Introduction.

Upon completion of this assignment you should be able to:
? Describe the various complexities of the use of gender language in reference to God.
? Define the relation of revelation and Scripture to systematic theology.
? Demonstrate an understanding of the traditional proofs for the existence of God and assess their weaknesses.

RESOURCES
? Textbook: Faith Seeking Understanding. (An intro to Christian Theology, 3rd edition, 2014)
? Textbook: Learning Theology with the Church Fathers. (Christopher A. Hall, 2002)
? Textbook: Christian Theology Reader. (Wiley-Blackwell, 4th edition, 2011)
? Media Clip: Gender and God-Talk by Terry L. Cross, PhD https://vimeopro.com/user13308368/theo-250-systematic-theology-1/video/104727188
? 2.1a PDF: Gender and God-Talk paper by Terry L. Cross, PhD
? 2.1b PowerPoint: ProlegomenaRevelation, Scripture, Task
? 2.1c PowerPoint: RevelationThe Event and Record of Gods Self-Disclosure
? 2.1d PowerPoint: Religion and Revelation
? 2.1e PowerPoint: Revelation Diagram
? 2.1f PowerPoint: God-Talk
? 2.1g PowerPoint: Does God Exist?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
None

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read Faith Seeing Understanding, Chapters 2 and 3.
2. Hall, Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, Chapter 9.
3. Read Christian Theology Reader 2.4; 2.8; 2.35; 2.40; 2.41; 2.42; 2.43; 2.49; 2.52 and 2.53.
4. View the media clip on Gender and God-Talk.
5. Read and study the paper by Cross, Gender and God-Talk.
6. View and study the PowerPoints.
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Media Links in Powerpoint on Gods Existence

Ontological Argument:
Anselms version

William Lane Craig intro

Plantingas version

Cosmological Argument
Kalam

Moral Argument

Teleological Argument

Argument from Desire

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2.4 COURSE PROJECT: CALVIN ANALYSIS PAPER PREP

INTRODUCTION AND ALIGNMENT
ARGUMENTATION IS NOT MEANT TO BE A NEGATIVE TERM HERE. IT IS NOT THE PETTY OR SILLY WAY HUMANS TEND TO ARGUE OVER THINGS WITH EMOTIONAL SPILLAGE LYING ON THE GROUND AFTERWARD. INSTEAD, ARGUMENTATION IS THE WAY HUMANS SHOULD DEBATE AND DISCUSS IDEAS. WHAT IS THE LEGITIMACY FOR HOLDING TO CERTAIN BELIEFS AND IDEAS? IN THE THEOLOGICAL REALM, WE USE ARGUMENTATION ON A DAILY BASIS. SINCE MOST OF THEOLOGY RESTS ON DIALOGUE AND A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS IN ORDER TO PROGRESS FURTHER IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GOD AND THE THINGS OF GOD, IT IS RATHER NATURAL THAT LEGITIMATE WAYS OF VIEWING AN ARGUMENT WOULD BE PARAMOUNT FOR OUR TASK AHEAD. THIS UNIT WILL SUBMERGE YOU IN THAT STUDY AND (HOPEFULLY) ALLOW YOU TO COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE WITH SOME IMPORTANT SKILLS OF OUR WORK.

UPON COMPLETION OF THIS ASSIGNMENT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
? ANALYZE A THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT OF A MAJOR THEOLOGIAN.
? EVALUATE A THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENT OF A MAJOR THEOLOGIAN.
? WRITE A COHERENT STATEMENT OF SUMMARY OF A THEOLOGIANS ARGUMENT.

RESOURCES
? TEXTBOOK: A RULEBOOK FOR ARGUMENTS
? MEDIA CLIP: ARGUMENTATION 1 BY T. CROSS HTTP://VIMEOPRO.COM/USER13308368/THEO- 250-SYSTEMATIC-THEOLOGY-1/VIDEO/105272627
? MEDIA CLIP: ARGUMENTATION 2 BY T. CROSS HTTP://VIMEOPRO.COM/USER13308368/THEO- 250-SYSTEMATIC-THEOLOGY-1/VIDEO/105272629
? MEDIA CLIP: ARGUMENTATION 3 BY KEVIN SNIDER HTTP://VIMEOPRO.COM/USER13308368/THEO-250-SYSTEMATIC-THEOLOGY-1/VIDEO/105279392
? MEDIA CLIP: ARGUMENTATION 4 BY KEVIN SNIDER HTTP://VIMEOPRO.COM/USER13308368/THEO-250-SYSTEMATIC-THEOLOGY-1/VIDEO/105279393
? MEDIA CLIP: ARGUMENTATION 5 BY KEVIN SNIDER HTTP://VIMEOPRO.COM/USER13308368/THEO-250-SYSTEMATIC-THEOLOGY-1/VIDEO/105549088
? 2.4A POWERPOINT: ARGUMENTATION
? 2.4B PDF: ANALYZING THEOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS BY CROSS

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
NONE

INSTRUCTIONS
1. READ AND STUDY THE MATERIAL IN WESTONS A RULEBOOK FOR ARGUMENTS.
2. VIEW THE ARGUMENTATION MEDIA CLIPS.
3. VIEW AND STUDY THE POWERPOINT ON ARGUMENTATION.
4. STUDY THE PDF, ANALYZING T