Divine Action in Symeon the New Theologian

Author(s):  
William J. Abraham

This chapter examines the spiritual theology of Symeon the New Theologian. It examines Symeon’s thought on the role of human agents in providing forgiveness of sins in the life of the church, ordination in priesthood, divine equipping of the laity to speak on God’s behalf to those seeking salvation, and the deeper questions these questions raise about divine action in salvation. The questions about the mediation of divine forgiveness among the laity inevitably raise questions about the nature of the action of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life, whether one can know that God is present in the personal life of the believer, and how these claims can be defended epistemologically.

Author(s):  
William J. Abraham

This chapter begins by charting the failure of Herbert Asbury’s conversion, using this as a point of departure to review two classical ways to provide a taxonomy of divine action for the Christian life, especially the experience of the Holy Spirit. The Christian tradition imparts a variety of concepts like sanctification, theosis, holiness, baptism in the Spirit, and union with Christ to speak of the experience of the Christian believer. Furthermore, the tradition speaks of the action of the church and the action of other believers on Christians. By attending to the concepts of divine and human agency, this chapter provides a way forward through this debate.


Author(s):  
William J. Abraham

The Christian vision of God is that God is three Persons in one Substance. This vision went beyond Scripture in order to do justice to Jewish monotheism, encounters with Jesus as an agent of divine action, and personal and corporate experiences of the Holy Spirit. Objections based on entanglement with Greek metaphysics and on certain feminist claims about male language fail. Loss of the Trinity involves serious impoverishment of the life and work of the church. Its continued embrace prepares the way for the exploration of the attributes of God.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-132
Author(s):  
DAVID B. GARNER

In post-Reformation dogmatics, the role of the Holy Spirit in relation to the doctrine of Scripture has often received insufficient attention. Contemporary treatments have erred in different directions, subjugating the doctrine of Scripture to communal hermeneutics or individual experience. By contrast, the magisterial Reformers offer a vital doctrine of the Holy Spirit for the doctrine of Holy Scripture in conjunction with the stewardship of that Scripture by the Spirit-birthed, confessing church. Drawing upon certain reformational insights, this paper will present a high doctrine of Scripture, in a manner that integrates the ministry of the Holy Spirit for illumination with the essential role of the Spirit within the confessing church for handling doctrine—particularly the doctrine of Scripture.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 3-16
Author(s):  
Albert I Ketut Deni Wijaya

A catechist can be called a missionary and saint. This call is very appropriate considering their role in the missionary work of the Church. This research will answer two questions: (1) What is the role of catechists in the missionary work of the Church? (2) What is the professional catechism model in the midst of the needs of the world today? This study uses a qualitative method of literature study. Through this paper, it will be explained that in the mission of the Church, the catechist acts as a spokesman for the Christian congregation, a prophet, an educator and a witness. Where as the professional catechists needed are catechists who always present the Holy Spirit as their soul and missionary spirit while equipping themselves with skills and knowledge.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredy Simanjuntak ◽  
Alexander Djuang Papay

The history of the church notes that to this day the Protestant Church is a family whose history is most often divided. Nevertheless the development is quite significant in the present. The process of developing the church resulted in various streams in the church such as Lutheran, Calvinist, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Evangelical, Adventist, until Jehovah's Witnesses, in the course of the Pentecostal & Charismatic flow so fertile in today's growth. The flow of Pentecostalism and Charismaticism, in its origin and method, has a unique and phenomenal history in Indonesia. The uniqueness of Indonesia's spiritual context is illustrated by rapid growth. The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements felt their influence in various churches around us. Phenomena such as the ability to speak in tongues, healing, and prophecy and aspects of emotional experience that are so prominent in this movement make the public wonder, is it true that all of this is the work of the Holy Spirit? The purpose of this paper is to provide an observation of facts, spiritual life background, the meaning of faith, and understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit adopted by followers of the Pentecost-Charismatic Movement in the context of the challenges of contextualization and syncretism in the relationship between Pentecostal-Charismatic and Christian spirituality in Indonesia. In light of the significant regional diversity in Indonesian religious thought and experience, the scope of this research is limited to the idea of contextualization also limited to its use in the missiological context.


Author(s):  
Martha L. Moore-Keish

This chapter on Presbyterians, religious diversity, and world religions offers a few important caveats and then describes major themes in Presbyterian engagement of religious diversity: the sovereignty and freedom of God, the significance of Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, the nature of revelation, the role of scripture, and the church. It then walks through the five centuries of Presbyterianism, noting how Presbyterians have engaged with and interpreted the changing world of many religions, drawing from philosophical, theological, and historical sources. It briefly describes Presbyterian interaction with the particular religious traditions of Judaism, Islam, African traditional religions, and Hinduism. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of contemporary challenges and theological trajectories.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-126
Author(s):  
Reni Triposa ◽  
Yonatan Alex Arifianto ◽  
Yudi Hendrilia

The state of the age and its development so rapidly influencing the world become a challenge for students and especially teachers in giving roles and tasks to education especially Christian education. But the role of the teacher in writing that uses library research with a qualitative descriptive approach is expected to improve human resources and bring students to grow in spirituality and character that can build a nation through a person who is strong in relying on God.  The Role of Teachers Christian religious education as a role model in enhancing the spirituality and character of learners must be a priority in learning as a form of implying affective values. Teachers as role models in improving the spirituality and character of students, the teacher in this study was asked to have the first responsibility in carrying out the tasks, roles and responsibilities of teachers of Christian religious education. Then the teacher must realize that the Christian Religious Education teacher is an exemplary leader. And then the Master works closely with the church and family to bring about an increase in spirituality and character. And finally the Master must be led by the Holy Spirit.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-101
Author(s):  
Constantin Prihoancă

Abstract This article is a critical engagement with D. Stăniloae’s and J. Ratzinger’s ecclesiological thought as shaped by the description of church as the body of Christ and the Trinitarian roots of this ecclesiology. Starting from practical problems of prayer and living a Christian life, the authors argue that God’s relationship to the Christian community has primacy over God’s relationship to individual believers. When one conceives of the Christian community as being the body of Christ, one can uphold the elevated Christian ideal of Eucharist Communio without making it unattainable. The authors show that the being of the church is given to the Christian community not as a possession or property, but as a task to be fulfilled through the power of Christ and of the Holy Spirit. One can discover that in becoming the church, the Christian community is elevated to the Trinitarian life in communion. Communion ecclesiology has the potential to bridge the divide between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.


1970 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 65-83
Author(s):  
Robin Margaret Jensen

This is a study of Latin inscriptions from early Roman baptisteries with attention to their particular imagery, theological assertions, and liturgical context. The themes most prominent in these documents reflect on the practice of baptism as a cleansing from sin, incorporation into the community, death to the old self, and rebirth to new life, as realized through the acts of immersion, anointing, and sealing of the newly baptized. The figure of the church as fertile mother and the consecratory power of the Holy Spirit are concretely expressed in many of these texts. The significance of baptism at the martyrs’ shrine is equally prominent, particularly in light of Rome’s preeminent shrines to Saints Peter and Paul. Additionally, the role of the bishop as shepherd is especially emphasized in Rome, where the figure of Peter is venerated not only as martyr but also as Rome’s first bishop and the apostle especially authorized to bind and lose sinners.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredy Simanjuntak

The history of the church notes that to this day the Protestant Church is a family whose history is most often divided. Nevertheless the development is quite significant in the present. The process of developing the church resulted in various streams in the church such as Lutheran, Calvinist, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Evangelical, Adventist, until Jehovah's Witnesses, in the course of the Pentecostal & Charismatic flow so fertile in today's growth. The flow of Pentecostalism and Charismaticism, in its origin and method, has a unique and phenomenal history in Indonesia. The uniqueness of Indonesia's spiritual context is illustrated by rapid growth. The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements felt their influence in various churches around us. Phenomena such as the ability to speak in tongues, healing, and prophecy and aspects of emotional experience that are so prominent in this movement make the public wonder, is it true that all of this is the work of the Holy Spirit? The purpose of this paper is to provide an observation of facts, spiritual life background, the meaning of faith, and understanding of the role of the Holy Spirit adopted by followers of the Pentecost-Charismatic Movement in the context of the challenges of contextualization and syncretism in the relationship between Pentecostal-Charismatic and Christian spirituality in Indonesia. In light of the significant regional diversity in Indonesian religious thought and experience, the scope of this research is limited to the idea of contextualization also limited to its use in the missiological context.


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