Reformation Theology as the Source of Religious Faith Report

What are the three major teachings from Martin Luther?

Martin Luther is well known when it comes to the concept of reformation. He believed that salvation was gained through faith and that the bible was the sole source of religious faith. He also emphasized that all people/ Christians were equal and none possessed special powers and that the clergy were also permitted to marry.

The three major teachings from Martin Luther regarding reforming the church include the fact that faith in God’s gift of forgiveness is very essential and is the only way through which individuals could win salvation as opposed to the good works that the church taught. He also taught that the Pope’s and church traditions were not to be followed and that the religious teachings should purely be based on the bible. The last major teaching was the fact that faith made all people equal and therefore there was no need for the priests and other leaders to interpret the bible for the people.

What are the three major teachings from John Calvin?

John Calvin is a church reformist who is well known for his teaching on the doctrine of predestination. Other teachings touch on aspects like indulgences, adult baptism as well as humanism. Predestination entails the belief that people’s fate is already decided by God upon birth regarding whether they are good or evil (those to be saved and those to be damned) and one is therefore either good or evil but nothing in between. He also emphasized that it was through God’s mercy that people were saved and therefore people ought to do according to His will to be saved. Faith, grace, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the scripture formed John Calvin’s foundation. This is one scripture example;

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved” ( Ephesians 1:3-6)

What are the three major teachings from Menno Simons?

Menno Simons is linked (founding leader) with the Mennonites who are Anabaptists and oppose infant baptism. His teachings entail aspects of pacifism, non-resistance, and non-violence. Menno Simons’ teachings mainly revolved on 1^st Corinthians 3: 11 which states that; “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” He emphasized that Christianity should only be founded on believing in Jesus Christ and the Bible.

He opposed infant baptism on the ground that no scripture in the Bible supported it. Another major controversial concern was that of the ban which involved the ex-communication of Christians who committed any form of sin hence not living as expected. Other teachings that can be drawn from Menno Simons are voluntary church membership, the importance of peace among Christians, freedom of conscience, the need for a distinction between the church and the state as well as democracy in the church.

What are three major teachings on the Holy Spirit from Calvin’s Institutes?

The aspect of the Holy Spirit is of great concern when it comes to John Calvin’s teachings. Calvin understood that people are usually corrupt due to sin and that they needed divine guidance and revelation to understand the scriptures. “No man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). According to Calvin’s institutes, one has to have the revelation of the Holy Spirit for him or her to fully believe in Jesus Christ. It also emphasizes that everything good comes from the Holy Spirit and that the Spirit.is given by God to allow people to distinguish between good and evil. It is also because of the Holy Spirit that believers are united with Christ. The Holy Spirit is also the basis of spiritual life as it brings about regeneration and hence increases in faith.

What are the three leading characteristics of Christian theology?

Christian theology entails the teachings of the Christian churches. There are various characteristics or what make up Christian theology but the leading ones include the views and perceptions on the nature of the atonement, the concept of the Holy Trinity as well as an incarnation. Given atonement, Christians believe that sin act as a block between people and God but the concept of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has brought about reconciliation hence the reunion between God and mankind.

The Holy Trinity on the other hand entails the Christian’s belief that there is one God in whom three persons are present; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Incarnation is the belief that Jesus Christ was able to present himself as divine and as a human being and that he was God and truly man (Grenz and Placher 110).

What are the three key characteristics of Reformed Theology?

Reformed Theology is also termed as Calvinism and is a system followed by Christians as a result of reformation. Reformed Theology is mainly based on three major foundations which are; the authority of scriptures in theology, the concept of theocentric theology, and the theology of a full and integrated worldview. These are the key characteristics that are very interdependent although there are others. Regarding the authority of scriptures in theology, the bible should be the basis of a Christian’s life since God is the author and hence the only source of authority.

Theocentric theology emphasizes the majesty and the glory of God (sovereignty of God) unlike other aspects like Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit which are only seen due to God. Theology of a full and integrated worldview focuses on the fact that theocentric theology should be understood in a broad way (Kingdom theology) as opposed to an individual’s destiny (Dryness, Kärkkäinen, and Martinez 737).

What is the distinction between general and special revelation?

General revelation is the knowledge of God and the distinction between right and wrong. It can be attained through nature and one does not have to be taught (Romans 1:18-20). Special revelation, on the other hand, entails the revelation of God through learning for example from the bible or experiencing and believing aspects like miracles, incarnation, and direct communication.

The most notable distinction between these two revelations can be seen even from the definitions. General revelation does to give adequate information regarding the gospel or the bible for example salvation, sin, hell, Trinity, heaven, and death whereas special revelation does. Special revelation should therefore be made available to all those who possess general revelation through the teachings of the Holy Bible.

What are the divine attributes and how do they function in theology?

The divine attributes in theology include omnipresence (present everywhere), omniscience (knowing every truth), omnipotence (all-powerful having universal authority), immutability (not susceptible to change), and impassibility (incapable of experiencing pain) among others. All these divine attributes try to emphasize the divinity of God. They enable Christians to be more careful in their undertakings and more so to grant God the respect and honor that He deserves.

What are the key features of the Trinitarian doctrine of God?

The Trinitarian doctrine of God entails the fact that there exist three persons in one God. These are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The doctrine emphasizes God as one being existing simultaneously and in an eternal manner in three persons, the father, the son who is all human and divine, and the Holy Ghost. God manifests himself differently in all three forms which are distinct but interdependent. These persons are considered to be coequal about each other although God the father is the overall Supreme Being.

What is the distinction between evil and sin?

Evil and sin are two distinct but related aspects although they are in most cases used as synonyms. Sin is relatively broad and may include aspects of evil though not all evil is sin. Evil is usually intentional and seeks to harm although it doesn’t have to aim at a target. It is the wrong usually done to others. Sin entails missing a mark or acting in a wrong manner that violates a moral rule. It could also involve the aspect of omitting or not doing the right thing, for instance, going to church, this is a sin but is not evil since it has no element of harm.

What are the key features of a Christian view of culture and civilization?

There has been a controversy on the issue of how Christians view the concept of culture and civilization with people having different views. Culture and civilizations are associated with a lot of emerging issues that seem to be contradicting with Christianity views and perceptions bringing in confusion on what should be adopted and that which should be left out.

Some of the issues that are deemed to be of modern culture and influence righteous living negatively include engaging in homosexuality or association with homosexual people, dressing in the latest fashion that could not be in line with the Christianity views, and listening and practicing modern-day pop music among others. All these are contentious issues that leave Christians confused as they try to incorporate both cultural and Christianity values.

Who is Jesus Christ according to his pre-existence and Incarnation?

Jesus Christ is the son of God who has existed and will always exist. He was also able to present himself as both God and a human being hence incarnation. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

The pre-existence of Jesus Christ comes before His incarnation when he took fleshly and bodily form and had not yet adopted the known roles and responsibilities of Jesus Christ. He was present even during the creation process. This helps to prove His deity. The pre-existence can be understood even from Jesus Christ himself as He stated that He came from the father and he had glory with Him before the world existed( John 17: 5). Jesus Christ in incarnation entails his unison with humanity through flesh, as divine and human especially during his birth and death.

Who is Jesus Christ according to his words and works?

Jesus Christ has been known on different perspectives for instance how the believers took him, the perception of the nonbelievers as well as according to himself through his words and his works. According to his words, Jesus Christ stated that he was the son of God and it was through him that people would go to heaven for instance he said that he was the way, the truth, and the life no one comes to the Father but through Me ( John 14: 6). He also stated that he had been sent by the father to fulfill his wishes.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Isaiah 61:1-2)

Jesus Christ is a powerful person of the Trinity and his power can be seen through his works for instance the miracles that he performed and even the many temptations that he was able to overcome.

Who is Jesus Christ according to his death, resurrection, and mediation?

Jesus Christ according to his death is a savior for mankind as he allowed for the forgiveness of sins through his suffering and death. His death shows God’s graciousness through the condemnation of sin that He had to give the only begotten son to do away with sins. Jesus Christ’s resurrection shows that there was God’s victory over death and evil as he did not stay long before he brought light into the world through his resurrection which can be seen as a form of reconciliation that brought salvation to all who accepts him. ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16).

Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and mankind where he acts as the way through which people can reach heaven. “For there are one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1st Timothy 2: 5).

What is predestination?

Predestination is a religious belief that entails the relationship that exists between God and mankind. It states that even before creation, God had predetermined the fate of all his creation, whether they were to be saved or else to perish. It is a doctrine that emphasizes the fact that God is in control of his creation of mankind and it is not because of the good deeds of people that they are saved nor is it for their sins that they are condemned, but rather by his will.

This can be linked to His sovereign nature in which he has total power and authority over His creation. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate… Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30). It is a concept that has been received differently with some people saying that there is no need of doing God’s will if their fate is predestined.

What are conversion, justification, and sanctification?

Conversion, justification, and sanctification are all aspects that are related to the salvation of Christians in one way or the other. Conversion is the process of attaining holy righteous character which is achieved through obedience to God that is in return made possible by the intervention of the Holy Spirit. It entails the installation of the Holy Spirit in a sinner’s mind and heart and is the result of salvation.

Justification can be defined as the state in which an individual is declared to be righteous or else without sin and is usually perceived to be the beginning of the salvation process. The combination of conversion and justification results in sanctification which entails holiness. It is a continuous process that has no end. Obedience makes people righteous; righteousness leads to sanctification which then leads to eternal life (Moore 83).

What is the work of the Holy Scripture in perseverance?

The Holy Scripture is associated with perseverance among those who believe in it or else in God. Various verses and quotes in the holy scripture have been deemed to be the source of encouragement to most Christians and hence they can persevere despite the pains and suffering they go through in life.

The Holy Scripture also acts as a source of hope through providing real examples through which earlier people including Jesus Christ went through but finally, they were able to overcome them through the power of God and the Holy Spirit hence the urge to hang on and wait upon the Lord. “We rejoice in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4. Through the Holy Scripture, Christians believe that everything that has been written was supposed to teach them and be able to endure through the encouragement of the scriptures.

What is the nature and mission of the church?

Just like other institutions the church has its mission. Theologically, the church is considered to be one but there has increased divisions based on various issues that have in a way affected the effectiveness and credibility of the church’s mission due to the diversity. The church is perceived as the place where the presence of God can be fully revealed since it is a gathering of people who believe in God and His promises. The main mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ through the various teachings which are disseminated through various means. Nature is considered much not on a building but rather a congregation or gathering of people who have a common believe and seek the kingdom of God in truth and righteousness despite the problems they face.

What are baptism and the Lord’s Supper?

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are concepts that are practiced by all Christian churches as part of the believers’ faith. Although these practices have some outward symbols they inwards spiritual grace associated with them are considered more important. Baptism is taken as an initiation rite which is taken as a mark of commitment through cleansing and the implantation of the Holy Spirit who is responsible for empowering people to live a new life.

There are various ways through which baptism can take place for instance infant versus adult baptism and immersion versus sprinkling. The Lord’s Supper also known as the Holy Communion/ the Eucharist / Breaking of Bread is an ordinance of the church. It is an aspect that is associated with the love of Jesus Christ upon mankind that he gave his life, bread/flesh, and wine/blood for our salvation. To partake of the Lord’s Supper, one is expected to be cleansed through baptism.

What are the key doctrines of Christian eschatology?

Christian eschatology is an aspect that is concerned with major things towards the end of the Christian life. It focuses on aspects like death, the existence of heaven and hell, rapture, the last judgment, the return of Jesus Christ among other things that are termed to be of the last days mostly found in the book of Revelation. It can also be perceived as the doctrine of the Christian hope where people can have faith and hope that they will have eternal life if they live by God’s will just like Jesus Christ himself.

It acts as a hope element is present as well as future times and helps people to polish their ways through the teaching of the life of Jesus Christ. Christian eschatology focuses on hope and serves as an encouragement for people to live righteous lives as opposed to having the fear that is associated with the end times which is supposed to be embraced as the will of God. “We wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Works Cited

Dryness William, Kärkkäinen Veli-Matti, and Martinez Juan Francisco. Global Dictionary of Theology: A Resource for the Worldwide Church. USA: Intervarsity Press, 2008.

Grenz James Stanley and Placher, Carl William. Essentials of Christian Theology. USA: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003.

Moore, Marvin. Forever His: How to Have a Joyful and Unbroken Relationship with Jesus: Practical Advice from the Book of Romans. USA: Pacific Press Publishing, 2004.