The New Testament does not contain the word trinity, and yet the writers of the New Testament bear witness to a God who revealed Himself to be Triune in the birth of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. The New Testament leaves no doubt that Jesus is divine and the same God who had revealed himself to Israel. How do you explain that reality? The New Testament authors struggle for language to describe what they experienced, and the reality of God they witnessed with their own eyes. Their writings formed the basis of the church’s most accurate understanding of what it means that God is Triune. • Read pp. 105-122: Part II The Reality of God, Chapter 5 “Whether God is Triune” in your textbook. • Summarize the most important information for your initial post. • Address the following: o Cite key ideas from the Oden text. o Don’t express your opinion without support from the text or without showing your reasoning.
WK4 Case Study Incarnation Discussion Previous Next Objective: Reflect on how the theology of the incarnation informs pastoral ministry. You will use a case study as a way to look theologically at common situations that happen in life and ministry. • Here is the situation. You have a dear friend who has just found a new church. His old church situation was bad and you are glad to hear how excited he is at what looks likes a good, life-giving community. He tells you he has learned something there he never knew before: the Trinity is not in the Bible. There is no real Trinity, it’s just Jesus. God is Father and Son and Spirit: one person with different roles. What do you say? How do you graciously explain what you see as the Biblical vision of the Incarnation of Jesus, and as such, the Biblical reality of the Triune God? • Use what you have learned in your reading to provide the theological basis for your response. Do not just give your opinion. State the theological foundation that allows you to say what you say. • Post the theological foundation for your response as your initial post and follow the guidelines below: o Be respectful. Do not engage in any type of disrespect or sarcasm in your discussion. o Use common, everyday language in your responses. Do not use Christian clichés.
WK4 Case Study Incarnation Reflection Instructions Objective: Reflect on how the theology of the incarnation informs pastoral ministry. • Take what you have learned in the Case Study Discussion and write your own 1-2 page double spaced (250-500 word) theological reflection paper. Use material from the readings and ideas from the forum to produce an original theological reflection on the topic, “How do I theologically understand and define the reality of the Incarnation?” • As a part of your reflection, discuss the ethical imperatives that flow from your theological position. • Show your reasoning as you wrestle with the Biblical and theological data. Don’t give your opinion without justifying it. o Refrain from any sarcasm or disrespect in your theological reflection. o Avoid clichés and Christian jargon.