jasonpayton

I finished working trough the letter to Philemon a couple months ago and I thought I'd post the outline I used to teach. Perhaps someone will find it useful. Philemon Outline 1.     Introduction a.     Prison epistle – written in Rome                            i.       Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians b.     Date: around 60, with Ephesians. Mark also had written around 60 c.     Political environment                            i.       Jewish... Read Full Story

Well it's been 2 months since I last posted...very very busy. Read Full Story

Concluding Remarks        So, as I conclude I will make a summary comparison of the atonement theologies of the three men in question. We can say that Anslem approached the theory of substitutionary atonement as expressed in Reformed and Evangelical circles today: satisfaction for sins, the necessity of Christ’s death for our life, etc. The Abelardian view maintained that by God’s grace we are made lovers of God so as to prove our fellowship with him. Often loosely interpreted in our... Read Full Story

Theological Comparisons The Westminster Divines      So to put forth what may be considered the present day expression of the Reformed view of the atonement, I shall employ the words of the Westminster Confession. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the... Read Full Story

Theological Comparisons Aquinas It must first be pointed out that Thomassaw the need to conciliate God’s justice, which was quite different than the termsAnselm employed in his theory. “This is Aquinas' major difference with Anselm.Rather than seeing the debt as one of honor, he sees the debt as a moralinjustice to be righted.” [i] Nowregarding Thomas on the act of atonement itself, he first, with Anslem saw thenecessity of Christ’s incarnation. “Now a mere man could not have satisfied forthe... Read Full Story

Theological Comparisons Aquinas      So much could be said of the good Doctor Angelicus, Saint Thomas Aquinas; short life though he lived, his copious collection of theological musings warranted a more Methuselan period of time. On the particular doctrine of the atonement, Thomas has been quoted by Roman Catholic and protestant scholars both, as having held to their position. One such extreme instance of this is an article in Table Talk magazine where Dr. John Gerstner claimed... Read Full Story

Sorry folks...got a couple of the posts miss-timed. Notice the section of Anselm divided in two; the earlier post was supposed to follow the one posted on 3/29. Read Full Story

Theological Comparisons   Anselm      Anselm, being perhaps the first theologian in 800 years to say so, did not find propitious, this theory of atonement which had an exclusive emphasis on ransom, thus facilitating his proposition of another theory. Anselm’s pioneering ideas in general proved to have influenced a 1000 years of atonement theology since his death. 55 years ago one philosopher described Anselm in this way. The theology of Anselm is so full of rational speculation that... Read Full Story

Theological Comparisons Abelard His comment begins regarding Rom. 3:21 and Abelard was quick to separate the formal, covenantal Law from the natural transcendent law of God and he then went on to make a contrast between the age prior to Christ when that formal Law ruled, and his present age, ruled, as he said, by grace, the age in which Christ has been manifest through the teaching of the gospel. And when we read further we see that Abelard made an additional contrast between... Read Full Story

Theological Comparisons Abelard Peter Abelard’s view of the atonement is quite less obvious from a simple reading of his writings on logic and on the interaction of the Christian with unbelievers as in Dialogue Between a Philosopher, a Jew and a Christian . One must make more interpretation and speculate on his doctrine than when engaging Anselm or Thomas on the same topic, although, in his commentary on Romans there are a couple of revealing statements. In large part, the... Read Full Story