Summary of the main points for the theological studies
(This is a summary of the main points for the Theological studies. I hope it is helpful for the theological students.)
[ Church History ]
1. The Patristic Period, c.100-451 < Important terms > The patristic period Patristics Patrology < Leading figures > Justin Martyr (c.100-c.165) Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.200) Origen (c.185-c.254) Tertullian (c.160-c.225) Athanasius (c.296-c.373) Augustine of Hippo (354-430) < Theological issues > The Extent of the New Testament Canon The Role of Tradition The Fixing of the Ecumenical Creeds The Two Natures of Jesus Christ The Doctirine of the Trinity The Doctrine of the Church The Doctrine of Grace < Key Words > Apollinarianism Arianism Augustinianism Byzantine canon canonical Cappadocian fathers Christological Christology creed Donatist Donatism ecclesiological ecumenical council extra-canonical iconoclasm incarnation Palamism patristic patrology Pelagian Pelagianism soteriology Trinity Trinitarian < Questions for study > 1. Locate the following cites or religion. - Alexandria, Antioch, Cappadocia, Constantinople, Hippo, Jerusalem, Rome. 2. Find the Latin/Greek dividing line. - Latin was the main langugage west of that line, and Greek east of it. Identifythe predominant language in each of the cities. 3. Which language would you associate with the following writers : Athanasius; Augustine of Hippo; Origen; Tertullian? 4. The following movements were of major importance during the patristic period : Arianism; Donatism; Gnosticism; Pelagianism. Associate the controversies centering on each of these movements with one of the following theologians: Athanasius; Augustine of Hippo; Irenaeus of Lyons. (Note that one of these theologians is associated with more than one controversy.) 5. Why was there relatively little interest in the doctrine of the church in this early period? 2. The Middle Ages and the Renaissance, c.1050-c.1500. < Important terms > The Middle Ages The Renaissance Scholasticism Realism and nominalism The modern way The modern Augustinian school Humanism Northern European humanism Swiss humanism French humanism English humanism < Leading figures > Anselm of Canterbury (c.1033-1109) Thomas Aquinas (c.1225-74) Duns Scotus (c.1265-1308) William of Ockham (c.1285-1347) Erasmus of Rotterdam (c.1469-1536) < Theological issues > The Consolidation of the Patristic Heritage The Exploration of the Role of Reason in Theology The Development of Theological Systems The Development of Sacramental Theology The Development of the Theology of Grace The Role of Mary in the Scheme of Salvation Returing Directly to the Sources of Christian Theology The Critique of the Vulgate Translation of Scripture < Byzantine Theology > < Key Words > ad fontes apologetics Five Ways humanism immaculate conception medieval Middle Ages ontological argument Renaissance scholasticism theories of the atonement voluntarism Vulgate < Questions for study > 1. What was the language spoken by most western theologians during this period? 2. "Humanists were people who were interested in studying classical Rome." How helpful is this definition of the term? 3. What were the major themes of scholastic theology? 4. Why was there such interest in the theology of the sacraments during the Middle Ages? 5. What is meant by the slogan ad fontes? 3. THe Reformation and Post-Reformation Periods, c.1500-c.1750 < Important terms > The Lutheran Reformation The Calvinist Reformation The Radical Reformation (Anabaptism) The Catholic Reformation < Leading figures > Martin Luther (1483-1546) John Calvin (1509-64) Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531) < Theological issues > The Sources of Theology The Doctrine of Grace The Doctrine of the Sacraments The Doctrine of the Church < Post-Reformation Movements > Protestant Orthodoxy Roman Catholicism Puritanism Pietism < Key Words > Anabaptism Calvinist Catholic Reformation confessionalism Deism evangelical Lutheran Methodism orthodoxy Pietism Protestant Reformed < Questions for study > 1. What does the term "Reformation" means? 2. Which reformer is especially associated with the doctrine of justification by faith alone? 3. How important was humanism to the origins and development of the Reformation? 4. Why did the reformers come to place such emphasis upon revising existing doctrines of the church? 5. What factors led to the development of (a) confessionalism and (b) Pietism? 6. Why did post-Tridentine (Council of Trent) Roman Catholic writers place such an emphasis on continuity with the early church? 4. The Modern Period, c.1750-the Present < The Enlightenment > The Enlightenment and Protestantism The Enlightenment Critique of Christian Theology: Specific Issues The possibility of miracles The notion of revelation The doctrine of original sin The problem of evil The status and interpretation of Scripture The identity and significance of Jesus Christ < Theological Movement since the Enlightenment > Romanticism Marxism Liberal Protestantism Modernism Neo-Orthodoxy Roman Catholicism Eastern Orthodoxy Feminism Postmodernism Liberation Theology Black Theology Postliberalism Evangelicalism Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements Theology of the Developing World India Africa < Key Words > Black theology dialectical theology Enlightenment evangelicalism feminism liberalism liberation theology modernism neo-orthodoxy postliberalism postmodernism Quest of the Historical Jesus Romanticism < Questions for study >
1. What are the main features of the Enlightenment? 2. Which areas of Christian theology were especially affected by the ideas of the Enlightenment? Why? 3. Summarize some of the features of the following movements : liberal Protestantism; neo-orthodoxy; evangelicalism; liberation theology 4. With which theological movements would you associate the following individuals : Karl Barth; Leonardo Boff; James Cone; Stanley Hauerwas; Rosemary Ruether; F.D.E. Schleiermacher? 5. The list of theologians which follows includes examples of the following schools of thought or groups of writers : the Cappadocian fathers; humanism; liberal Protestantism; medieval scholasticism; Reformed theology. Some categories include more than one theologian. Assign the following theologians to those groups : Anselm of Canterbury; Basil of Caesarea; John Calvin; Erasmus of Rotterdam; Gregory of Nazianzus; Thomas Aquinas; Paul Tillich; William of Ockham. (See further, Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction (Oxford: Blackwell, 1997/2000)
