Truly, theology always begins and ends with God.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com
Theology
EVERYONE studies God, whether they admit it or not.
Even the avowed atheist must create an anti–theos atheology AGAINST God – θεός (theos).
So what do YOU think about YOUR relationship to GOD?
- Has mortal man evolved a doctrine from dust and ashes theorizing a theology tolerant of common evil tailored for a Common Era?
IS GOD not immutable and Truth unchanging?
YES, of course; even IF humankind has evolved by definition and theory.
Yet some commonly deny both God and Truth.
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“WHAT IS DOCTRINE?”
Doctrine of God – θεός
FACT: #God appears as a tag in 300+ posts on TalkofJESUS.com
Who does God instruct to teach others about God?
- IF YOU teach others anything about God, then you might also like to reexamine the QUESTIONS of other ‘theologians‘ about our relationship with God.
- Our theology will most likely remain ‘on course’ and true by consideration of God by others.
A true doctrine of God will lead the humble created to the One truth revealed to living souls, mere mortal men blazing brief narrow paths from dust to the eternal.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com
Basic Questions About God
One of the most time-tested ways to approach theology is for the teacher to ASK a question of students (disciples, followers..) and have the class (family, church, etc.) memorize STANDARD doctrinally sound ANSWERS.
TODAY in this Common Era characterized by brevity of thinking and attention span, let’s look ONLY at QUESTIONS of GOD.
I'll do my best to link to original sources for further study from previous doctrinal posts on TalkofJESUS.com - RH
Doctrines A.D. – definitions
- A Creed – Your stated faith, basically brief enough to reaffirm in a worship service (whether weekly or occasionally)
- Confession of Faith – A longer extension of a creed more suited for the study of the Doctrines behind our foundational Christian beliefs stated in a creed.
- So what is a Catechism?
- Think of it as a class (really, classes – like going to school) covering what we ought to know about our beliefs.
*Baltimore Catechism
Who is God?
Why did God make you?
What is God?
Had God a beginning?
Where is God?
Does God see us?
Does God know all things?
Can God do all things?
Is God just, holy, and merciful?
Is there but one God?
Why can there be but one God?
How many Persons are there in God?
* source: Baltimore Catechism – link to site with ANSWERS
*READ disclaimer below.
* Source: Wikipedia - A Catechism of Christian Doctrine.. or simply the Baltimore Catechism, was the national Catholic catechism for children in the United States, based on Robert Bellarmine's 1614 Small Catechism.. it was the standard Catholic school text in the country from [A.D.] 1885 to the late 1960s..
* officially replaced by the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults in 2004 C.E.
- DISCLAIMER About Sacred-Texts
This site is .. about religion, mythology, legends and folklore, and occult and esoteric topics. [*note this aTheist approach] ‘This site has no particular agenda other than promoting religious tolerance and scholarship.’
Doctrines C.E.
Many Creeds, Confessions and catechisms clarifying the faith of Christians for centuries have succumbed to pluralities of culture, exchanging worship of God in Truth for multi-philosophic theory.
our secularly-redefined COMMON ERA
Acceptable Doctrines of the Common Era include a PAN-THEON poised in aTheist theory, pagan myth and stone-cold idols of every egregious god and any false prophet.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com
from What does your church teach? – Catechism
Heidelberg Catechism of 1563
Question 1. ‘What is thy only comfort in life and death?‘
Now BEFORE you answer (even if you happen to have some form of it memorized), THINK about it. AND
– Where does GOD fit into YOUR answer?
The teaching of this early Protestant Catechism contains a LONG and thought-provoking ANSWER.
Do Christians of the Common Era ever take time for an important thought-provoking answer to ANY theological question?
Here it is (in part). (Complete answer linked in post above.)
That I with body and soul, both in life and death am not my own.. that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head..
He also assures me of eternal life and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.
abridged answer to Question #1 of the Heidelberg Catechism
As Christian doctrine ought, this teaching points first to Christ [God the Son]
Westminster Shorter Catechism – A.D. 1647
Quest. 1. What is the chief end of man?
Quest. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?
Quest. 4. What is God?
The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Book of Common Prayer A.D. 1662
* The 1662 Book of Common Prayer (still the official Prayer Book of the Church of England).. including many updates (A.D. 1928)
and 2019 of the Common Era.
- W H A T is your Name?
- Who gave you this Name?
- Answer: My Godfathers and Godmothers in my Baptism; wherein I was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven.
- What did your Godfathers and Godmothers then for you?
ANSWER
- They did promise and vow three things in my Name.
- First, that I should renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps [ostentatious] and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh:
- Secondly, that I should believe all the articles of the Christian faith:
- And thirdly, that I should keep God’s holy Will and Commandments, and walk in the same all the days of my life.
- Dost thou not think that thou art bound to believe, and to do, as they have promised for thee?
- Yes verily; and by God’s help So I will. And I heartily thank our heavenly Father, that he hath called me to this state of salvation, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. And I pray unto God to give me his grace, that I may continue in the same unto my life’s end.
Common Era READERS must note the seriousness of these VOWS made by baptized Christians and their continuing public confession and confirmation of same. - RH
New City Catechism – 2012 C.E.
Source: TGC – 9 Things You Should Know About Catechisms
- “Almost every denomination and tradition in church history has used some form of catechesis for the religious education of Christian children and adults:
- In 2012, The Gospel Coalition and Redeemer Presbyterian Church released the New City Catechism.
What is God?
How Many Persons Are There in God?
How and Why Did God Create Us?
What Else Did God Create?
How Can We Glorify God?
ANSWERS TO THESE AND MANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD AND JESUS CHRIST in The New City Catechism {see link}
PART 1 God, Creation, The Fall, Law
DOCTRINE of the LORD GOD? or aTheology in the Common Error of humankind?
Although a remnant of Christ-followers and minority of churches continue in True Biblical Doctrine, the enemy of this world has divided and conquered (for now) an indecisive church, non-committal ‘christians‘ and sometime worshippers indifferent to Truth.
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
What do you believe AND what must you do?
NEXT: DOCTRINE - WHO SAYS?
Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
