Greek word theos

Greek word: Theos- god

Logos-word, science

Thus theology is the science of God; science of revelation

What is theology

Theology is a cognitive process through which the human mind, illuminated by faith and stimulated by

love, advances in the immense territories that divine Revelation has thrown wide open before it. (John

Paul II)

What is theology?

Material object of theology: God

Formal object: reason enlightened and supported by faith

Necessity of theology:

it is necessary for Christian life because it is a natural consequence of faith

theology is an instrument for cooperating with God in one’s own salvation

Functions of Theology

1. It delineates a list or catalogue of the truths of faith

2. It studies the content of each revealed truth and explains it through analogies and examples

3. It reflects the whole set of revealed truths in order to show their harmony and unity

4. It critically analyzes the objections against the truths of faith

5. It studies culture and life from the viewpoint of faith in order to judge them with knowledge

about creation given by revelation

Sources of Theology

1. Sacred Scripture

2. Sacred Tradition

Magisterium: interpreter of the both Scripture and Tradition

Branches of Theology

1. Dogmatic theology: studies the speculative content of revelation. Examples: Trinity, Christology,

Soteriology, Mariology, Ecclesiology

2. Moral theology: studies revelation as rule of human behaviour so that man can attain salvation

3. Spiritual theology: studies the increase of charity in Christian life

4. Pastoral or catechetical theology studies the pastoral activity of the Church

5. Fundamental theology focuses on the sapiential dimension of theology rather than its scientific

value

Revelation and Faith

Revelation and faith as fundamental theology which focuses on the Revelation of God and mans

response to it.

• HOW TO BECOME HUMAN?

We can only become human if we relate.

– Relating with one’s body, nature and the cosmos

– Relating with other persons

– Relating with community, society, institutions and structures

– Relating with culture and history

– Relating with my thinking and acting

– Relating with an Ultimate

– GOD REVEALS HIMSELF

Liturgical Signs- by means of the sacraments, moral teachings and service to the poor.

D. In Other Religions

- Thus, even the non-Christians who do not know the gospel of Christ or His Church, but who

nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do His will as

they know it through the dictates of their conscience, may achieve eternal salvation. ( LG 16)

- Filipino Catholics should acknowledge spiritual and moral truths among non-Christians.

POWERPOINT 3

Revelation is God’s manifestation to humans of truths that were concealed from them

truths: God, creatures, origin and destiny of human beings and of the world

Kinds of Revelation

1. Natural Revelation is what God communicates simply through the existence of creatures

Acquisition of the Natural Knowledge of God

a. Natural reason’s reflection on the perfections and imperfections of creatures

b. Scientific and common knowledge: knowledge of the philosophers and common people

c. Natural light of human reason (observation of reality)

Kinds of Revelation

The person receives this revelations immediately or directly from God Himself and not through

creatures

This revelation is not a discovery of reason , as in natural revelation, but man’s acceptance of a

truth that God communicates to him

2. Supernatural Revelation is God’s manifestation to mankind, no longer through the mere

existence of creatures, but through words or interventions in events and history

Content of Supernatural Revelation

Supernatural reality which cannot be revealed to a creature in natural way (divine plan or the economy

of salvation, immortality of soul, fact of creation)

Thus supernatural revelation can be defined as a divine action that manifests far beyond the natural

order that was previously hidden

What are the contents of the Supernatural revelation?

1. In creation

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork” (Ps. 19:11)

In creation, man has special place (Gen. 1:28)

How did God reveal himself to us?

2. In Scripture, through salvation history.

God revealed himself to us gradually.

Stages of Revelation:

a. God’s manifestation to our first parents

b. Promised of redemption

c. Covenant with Noah

d. God chose Abraham

e. Liberation of Israel

f. Covenant with Israel

g. Christ


3. In the Church

The Church continues to proclaim and spread the “Good News” of Christ to the ends of

the earth by the power of the Holy Spirit sent down on the Pentecost (Acts 1:8)

The Church makes God present in her teachings, celebration of the sacrament


4. In other religions

For whatever is true and holy in non-Christian cultures and religions accepted by the Catholic

Church since it often reflects a ray of that truth which enlightens all men


Jesus Christ: Agent, Content and Goal of Revelation

1. As Agent- Jesus Christ: Agent, Content and Goal of Revelation

2. As Content

Christ fully reveals man to himself and brings to light his most high calling

we are called to union with him

Jesus Christ: Agent, Content and Goal of Revelation

3. As goal-Jesus is the key, the center and the purpose of the whole of man’s history in whose

image we are all conformed

Scripture and Traditions (Deposits of Faith)

1. Sacred Scriptures (Bible) are the inspired record of how God dealt with His people and how they

responded to, remembered and interpreted that experience

they are the expression of the people’s experience of God and a response to their needs

Where do we find God’s Revelation?


Formation of the Gospel

a. The life and teaching of Jesus

b. Oral tradition

c. The written Gospels

Where do we find God’s Revelation?


2. Tradition

-as process by which divine revelation, coming from Jesus Christ through the apostles, is

communicated and unfolded in the community of the Church

-as the content of the revelation so communicated

POwerpoint 4

Etymology of Revelation

From Latin :

a) “revelare” - to unveil

b) “revelatio” - uncovering

Various Meanings of Revelation

1. The act of revealing or disclosing.

2. An astonishing disclosure.

3. God’s disclosure of Himself and His will to His creatures.

4. God relating to man His Truth and Mysteries.

5. The act of removing the mystery or “veil” covering hidden truths about God.

6. It is God ”unveiling” Himself to human beings.

What is Therefore Revelation?

It is the disclosure by God of Himself and His will to the human race by way of communication.

God is the “Communicator” while man is the either the transmitter or intermediary.

Depending on the intermediary, there are two forms of revelation commonly called natural and

supernatural.

The Two Forms of Revelation

1. Natural (General) Revelation – it is man knowing by nature and seeking by nature God since he

was created by God Himself. (Gk. “Syneidesis”)

2. Supernatural (Divine) Revelation – it is God, specifically telling man, His mysteries which cannot

be known by man naturally.

What is Christian Revelation?

It is the means by which man knows the divine truths

1. The written font of truth such as the scriptures and…

2. The unwritten tradition, which have come down to us from practices and attendant

arguments of history.

3. By this revelation then, the deepest truth about God and man’s salvation is made clear

to us in Christ, ho is the Mediator and at the same time the fullness of revelation (DV2).

4. “To see Jesus is to see the Father” (Jn. 14:19). For this reason, Jesus perfected revelation

by fulfilling it through His work of making Himself present and manifesting Himself: through His words

and deeds His signs and wonders, but especially through his death and glorious resurrection from the

dead and final sending of the Spirit of Truth (DV4)

The Two Methods of Christian Revelation

Oral Tradition Scriptural Tradition

The Three Religions Claiming Revelation

1. JUDAISM:

Monotheistic religion of the Jews (Abraham’s descendants).

Israelites relationship with Yahweh as revealed through Moses.

Based upon the Old Testament, rabbis…


Divided into the Sanhedrin, Elders, Pharisees, Scribes, Zealots, Levitical priests and other minor

factions.

At present, has a minority of ultra-orthodox Jews known as Hasidic Jews.


2. CHRISTIANITY:

Faith of both Jews and Gentiles who embraced Jesus Christ’s teachings and Himself as the

fulfillment of the OT promises.

Accepts the Triune as three distinct persons.


Beliefs based upon the Bible (both OT and NT) through Jesus and the Apostles.

United as a Church community.

Divided into three major factions: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism.


3. ISLAM:

Literally means “Submission to God’s will”.

Middle Eastern religion with Allah as the one God as founded by the Prophet Mohammed.

Faith based upon the Qur’an.

Two major factions are the Shi’ite and Sunni groups.

Follows the five Pillars of Islam.

POWERPOINT 5

Encountering God Through the Scriptures

What is the Etymology of the Word Bible?

The word Bible literally means “little books”.


…“book” or “papyrus” from the Phoenician town of Gubla, renamed Byblos by the Greeks.

Also from Greek biblia/ ta biblia…


…meaning a collection of books.

Also from Latin

biblia, meaning book.

The book that inspired three great world religions namely:

1. Judaism

2. Christianity

3. Islam

How Many Books Does the bible Contain?

Most Protestant Books contain sixty-six books (66).

Roman Catholics, most Orthodox and some Protestants accept seventy-three books (73).

Who Are the Authors and Writers of the Bible?

God – the main Author of the Bible as He inspired people of different times, culture and

background.

Man – both co-author and writer of the Bible as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Other Biblical Facts

Archbishop Stephen Langton of Canterbury (+1228) – the person who created divisions and

chapters of the Bible as used today.


Santes Pagnini (1528) –the person responsible for numbering the verses of the Old Testament

books of the Bible

Robert Etienne (Stephanus- 1555) –numbered the New Testament book verses.


Council of Hippo (393 A.D.) – The Church Council which started the Canon of the Bible.

Council of Trent (1546) – The Church Council which officially declared the final Canon of the

Bible.


Latin Vulgate (Latina Vulgata) – the official Latin Version of the Bible used by the Catholic

Church as translated by St. Jerome from the original languages in the 4th century A.D.

Biblical Authority

Bible as a source of authority for thousands of Christian sects

Source of different teachings and doctrines

Biblical Authority

Source various doctrines and interpretations

Source of both Christian unity and disunity

Powerpoint 5

• What is in a NAME?

• What is in a NAME?

• The word “testament” in Latin testamentum, is the translation of the Hebrew word meaning

COVENANT

• So the BIBLE is the collection of books which tells us about the covenant, the agreement, which

God made with Israel through Moses (the old covenant) hence, OLD TESTAMENT, and which He

fulfilled in Jesus (the new covenant) hence, NEW TESTAMENT

• Biblical Inspiration

• Inspiration is a divine and supernatural action whereby God raises the human writer above his

natural capacity in order to make him an instrument in the composition of the sacred books

• Biblical inspiration

The Bible is said to be “inspired”

Biblical inspiration means that the sacred and canonical books of the OT and NT, whole and entire, were

written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (DV 11; CCC 105-106)

Thus, God is the author and the Bible is the “Word of God”

• Canon of the Scripture

Canon- means measuring rod or ruler

• Canon or number of books of the BIBLE

• The first part of the Bible, the OLD TESTAMENT is common to both Jews and Christians, but with

some differences.

• Jews call their Bible TaNaK, which contains three sections: the Torah (Law), Nebiim (Prophets),

and Kethubim (Writings)

• The Hebrew Bible has forty or thirty nine books


• Protestants followed the Canon of the Hebrew Bible which is known as the Palestinian Canon

and accepted 39 books

• Catholics followed the Alexandrian Canon and accepted 46 books

• Both Catholics and Protestants accepted 27 books of the New Testament


• Hence, for Catholics the BIBLE has 73 (seventy-three) books while for Protestants, it has 66

(sixty-six) books

• Hebrew Bible (TaNaK) or OLD TESTAMENT for Christians was written in Hebrew Language

• OLD TESTAMENT books with additional 7 books were translated into Greek and known as the

Septuagint (seventy)


I. Old Testament (46 Books)

Bases of canonicity

a. antiquity

b. original language of composition

c. conformity with their interpretation of the Law


II. New Testament (27 books)

Stages of the Gospels

1. The life and teaching of Jesus

2. The oral Tradition

3. The written Gospels

• Biblical Inerrancy

• Biblical Inerrancy

Biblical inerrancy (free of error)

Sacred Scripture teaches the truth without error

Inerrancy “in fact”- any particular passage is free from error

Inerrancy “by nature”- since it is inspired

• Biblical Interpretation

Hermeneutics is a scientific the study and establishment of the principles by which the biblical text is to

be interpreted

Exegesis is the result of applying the rules of hermeneutics to a biblical test

POWERPOINT 7

What is Biblical Inspiration?

The special influence of the Holy Spirit on the writers of Sacred Scripture, in v irtue of which God

Himself becomes the principal author of the books written and the sacred writer is subordinate

author, making use of his nature and temperament, without violence to the free and natural

activities of his or her human faculties.

Is Divine Inspiration Divine Dictation?

Inspiration does not mean that every word in the Bible was dictated by the Holy Spirit which

would make man a mere “amanuensis” but he made room for His personal style, language and

mental individuality.

How Did God Inspire the Sacred Writers?

1. God so influenced the minds of the sacred writers that they first rightly understood all, and only,

the things that He wanted written.

2. He also influenced their wills that they determined faithfully to write down these things.

3. He influenced them that they aptly and inerrantly expressed these things in writing.

Can the Bible Contain Errors?

What is said about inerrancy of the Bible refers only to the original text of the inspired writings

and not to those which were later copied from the original texts

How do we Scientifically Study the Bible?

1) Hermeneutics (Greek: hermeneus = interpreter)

The art and science of interpreting the Sacred Scriptures and if inquiring into their true meaning.

The science of interpreting the meaning and true sense of the books and texts of Scripture in

accordance with the principles of exegesis.

2) Exegesis (exegete = translator)

It is the study whereby the investigation and exposition of Sacred Scripture is presented for

proper translation from the original texts.

In general, it seeks through tradition, archaeology, history and criticism, to expound the true

meaning of the Bible.

In particular, it concerns itself with the various senses of Scripture, the literal, spiritual senses,

and the accommodation of Scripture.

In interpreting the accuracy and exact interpretation of the Bible, the Church encourages the

study and investigation of the Scriptures with modern approach to:

Biblical Literary Forms and Criticism

h. The Welt Anschauung, the Sitz Im Leiben and the Heilige Geschichte of those times.

i. The literary genres or forms such as:

The Parables – short fictitious narrative stories where spiritual or moral truth is drawn.

The Allegories – a figurative story with a veiled meaning.

The Beast Fable – those forms found in Gen. 3:1-15, Nb. 22:1-21, etc.

Biblical Literary Forms and Criticism

The Short Story and Historical Novel – the core of these stories are historical although the writer

did not intend to write history but simply uses traditions and fashions to bring out a religious

lesson. (Gen. 37-50, etc.).

The Problem Story – racial and intermarriage issue such as found in the Book of Ruth.

The Speech as Literary Device – those of King Solomon and St. Paul as found in the Book of Kings

and Epistles showing the moral authority of the biblical person.

Revelation According to Vatican II’s Dei Verbum

1) Dei Verbum – The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation of The Second Vatican Council (Vat. II)

promulgated on November 18, 1965. Its five sections treat of:

a. Divine Revelation itself.

b. The transmission of Divine Revelation through the faith of believers and the custody of the

Church.

2) Dei Verbum on Revelation:

Essentially teaches that “In His goodness and wisdom, God chose to reveal Himself and to make

known to us the hidden purpose of His will (Eph. 1-9), by which through Christ, the Word made

flesh, man has access to the Father in the Holy Spirit and comes to share in the divine nature.”

Revelation According to Vatican II’s Dei Verbum

That this plan of revelation is realized by deeds and words having an inner unity: the deeds

wrought by God in the history the history of salvation manifest and confirm the teaching and

realities signified by the words, while the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery

contained in them.

POWERPOINT 8

Hebrew:

• Semitic (from Shem Noah’s son).

• Spoken by original inhabitants of Canaan.

• Became a dead language in 3 B.C.

2. Aramaic:

• Branch of Semitic.

• Superseded Hebrew in Palestine.

• Spoken by Jesus.

3. Greek (Koine):

• Greek dialect.

• Soread over the whole civilized world then after Alexander the Great.

• “In the Beginning…..”

• The Five Main Divisions of Genesis

1. The creation of the world and of our first parents, and the origin of sin; civilization and moral

degeneration of mankind and history of man to the time of Noah and the Deluge; Tower of

Babel, Confusion of languages and division of human race.

• Genesis…

2. The descendants of Shem, the eldest of Noah’s sons, and deals with Abraham his greatest

descendant.

3. History of Abraham’s son Isaac, of Esau’s forfeiture of his birthright and the succession of Jacob.

4. Jacob’s fortune.

5. Story of Joseph and his brothers.

• The Prophets

• The Major Prophets

• Jeremiah.

• Isaiah.

• Ezekiel.

- Major in the sense that they wrote more accounts and events in their books.

• The Minor Prophets

- Wrote lesser accounts:

- Hosea. - Zephaniah

- Amos. - Haggai

- Micah. - Zechariah

- Joel. - Malachi

- Obadiah. - Nahum

- Jonah. - Habakkuk

• The Marks of a True Prophet

• Denounces Evil

• God-centered

• Religious Zeal

• Religious Imprint

• Spirit of Poverty

• Experience of Suffering and Trials

POWERPOINT 9

• The Divisions of the New Testament Books and Their Descriptions

• The Perfection of Judaism and Fulfillment of the Old Testament

The Synoptics: Matthew, Mark and Luke.

• The Gospel of John.

• The New Testament

• A collection of 27 separate books.

• List of NT Book Categories

1. Historical:

• The 4 Gospels

• The Acts of the Apostles

2. Didactic/Doctrinal:

• The 13 Epistles of St. Paul

• The 8 Other Epistles

3. Prophetical:

• The Apocalypse

• Authors of the New Testament Books

1. Apostles:

• St. Matthew

• St. John

• St. James

• St. Peter

• St. Paul

• St. Jude

2. Disciples:

• St. Mark

• St. Luke

• The Languages of The New Testament

1. Koine:

• Hellenistic Greek

• Greek of the Merchants

• Greek of the Masses

2. Aramaic

• The dialect of Our Lord Jesus Christ

• The Evangelists and Their Symbols

Synoptists:

• }St. Matthew

• }St. Mark

• }St. Luke

• St. John

• The Formation of the Gospels

• Stage 1 = Historical Jesus

• Stage 2 = Oral Preaching of the Early Church/Eye-Witness accounts

• Stage 3 = The Written Gospels

• The Synoptic Gospels

• The Gospels of St. Matthew (260 verses, St. Mark (600 verses) and St. Luke (600 verses)

• “Seeing All Together”

• “Q” (Quelle) - the common written source

• Differences in chronological facts and emphasis

• Great similarity on events related and literary forms

• Offer the same comprehensive view of life and teachings of Christ

• St. Matthew

• Symbolized in art as a human head since his Gospel begins with Christ’s ancestry

• Former Tax Collector (Publican)

• Familiar with the Palestine Region

• A good teacher of Jewish customs, practices and Old Testament expert

• St. Mark

• Symbolized in art as a lion (eagle in the eastern art) since he begins his Gospel with the story

of St. John the Baptist in the desert the home of wild beasts

• Cypriot who toured with Sts. Peter and Paul as secretary and interpreter

• A convert to Christianity who never personally met Jesus

• Interpreter to St. Peter

• Translated Aramaic into Greek

• St. Luke

• Symbolized in art as an ox, a sacrificial animal since his Gospel begins with priest Zachary in

the temple

• Only non-Jewish Evangelist from Antioch

• Well-educated doctor convert to Christianity who joined St. Paul

• Wrote also the Acts of the Apostles as the second part of his accounts of the Christian Faith

with his Gospel as the first part

• St. John

• Symbolized as an eagle (lion in eastern art) since his opening Gospel verses carry the reader to

a flight in the Infinite

• The “Disciple Whom Jesus loved”

• Son of a rich fisherman and former disciple of St. John the Baptist

• Witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus and other events in the life of Jesus

• The Intended Audiences of the Evangelists

• St. Matthew – Jewish readers familiar with OT

• St. Mark – persecuted and suffering Christian-Gentiles in Rome

• St. Luke – Greek converts for catechetical instructions

• St. John – Christians already familiar with synoptics

THE MISSIONARY EPISTLES

TO THE GENTILES:

• To the Romans

• To the Corinthians (1 & 2)

• To the Galatians

• To the Ephesians

• To the Philippians

• To the Colossians

• To the Thessalonians (1 & 2 )

• The Epistles of St. Paul

• Letter

Catholic Epistles:

• Catholic or “universal” since they were directed to the whole Church as a whole rather than to

particular areas or groups such as the Pauline Epistles

• St. Peter

• Former fisherman

• First Pope and leader of the Apostles

• Originally named Simon but his name was changed by Jesus to Peter (Greek) or Cephas

(Aramaic)

• Very human yet given a divine mandate by Christ Himself

• Martyred in Rome by crucifixion (inverted)

• Messages of St. Peter’s Epistles

1. To encourage Christians in the face of persecutions

To persevere in the Faith

2. To await in hope for the 2nd coming of Christ

• St. John the Apostle and Evangelist

• Son of Zebedee and brother of St. James the Apostle and former fishermen

• The closest to Jesus during the last supper

• Cousin of Jesus

• Only Apostle not to be martyred

• Wrote 1 Gospel, 3 Epistles and 1 Apocalypse

• Messages of St. John’s Epistles

• 1st Epistle = emphasis on Charity or Christian love

• 2nd Epistle = Charity and Perseverance of Christians encouraged

• 3rd Epistle = again perseverance as directed to Gaius

• St. James the Lesser- Apostle

• “The Less” or “Lesser” means younger as he is differentiated from another Apostle with the

same name who is “Greater” or older

• One of the original 12 Apostles

• Messages of the Epistle of St. James

• Written in Greek but style is and language typically Jewish

• Stresses on the Moral Conduct of Christians

• Perseverance and Charity

• Respect for the Poor

• Control of One’s tongue

• Faith as practiced in Good Works

• St. Jude the Apostle

• Apostle and Martyr

• Known also as Judas Thaddeus to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot

• A relative of Jesus

• Known as the “Patron of the Hopeless Cases”

• Messages of St. Jude’s Epistle

• Defend the Faith from people who disrupt unity

• Strengthen Faith of Hebrew Converts to Christianity

• Warns against false prophets

• The Book of Revelation

“Apocalypse”

• Last book of the NT attributed to St. John the Apostle

• Written to give hope to persecuted Christians

• Foretold the Fall of Pagan Rome and final victory of Christ and of His Church

• Foretells the Victory of Christ over Satan and the Antichrist

• Full of imageries, prophecies, allegories and symbolisms

Education

Greek word theos