theology as discipleship by keith l. johnson - excerpt

8202019 Theology As Discipleship By Keith L Johnson - EXCERPT

httpslidepdfcomreaderfulltheology-as-discipleship-by-keith-l-johnson-excerpt 126

T H E O L O G Y A S

D I S C I P L E S H I P

K E I T H L J O H N S O N





T H E O L O G Y A S



Copyrighted Material wwwivpresscompermissions



InterVarsity Press

PO Box 104862598309210486241048624 Downers Grove IL 104863010486249830931048625983093-104862598309210486261048630

ivpresscom

emailivpresscom

copy104862610486241048625983093 by Keith L Johnson

All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from

InterVarsity Press

InterVarsity Pressreg is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian FellowshipUSAreg a movement of

students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities colleges and schools of nursing in the United

States of America and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students For

information about local and regional activities visit intervarsityorg

Scripture quotations unless otherwise noted are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible copyright

104862510486339830961048633 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA Used by

permission All rights reservedWhile any stories in this book are true some names and identifying information may have been changed to protect

the privacy of individuals

Cover design Cindy Kiple

Interior design Beth McGill

Images Washing Feet by Laura JamesLaura James Fine Arts laurajamesartcom

ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309210486241048627983092-1048626 (print)

ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309610486241048625983095-1048625 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

As a member of the Green Press Initiative InterVarsity Press is committed to protectingthe environment and to the responsible use of natural resources o learn more visit greenpressinitiativeorg

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Johnson Keith L

Teology as discipleship Keith L Johnson

pages cm

Includes index

ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309210486241048627983092-1048626 (pbk alk paper)

1048625 Teology Practical 1048626 Christian life I itle

BV983092J1048630983092 104862610486241048625983093

104862610486271048624mdashdc10486261048627104862610486241048625983093104862410486271048627104863310486261048630

P 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 1048625983096 1048625983095 10486251048630 1048625983093 1048625983092 10486251048627 10486251048626 10486251048625 10486251048624 1048633 983096 983095 1048630 983093 983092 1048627 1048626 1048625

Y 1048627983092 10486271048627 10486271048626 10486271048625 10486271048624 10486261048633 1048626983096 1048626983095 10486261048630 1048626983093 1048626983092 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 1048625983096 1048625983095 10486251048630 1048625983093




CONTENTS

Acknowledgments 983097

Preface 983089983089

983089 Recovering Theology 9830891048631

Concerns with heology 983090983088

What Went Wrong 9830901048628

Rebuilding the Discipline 10486271048627

983090 Being in Christ 10486271048631Reraming Reality 10486271048632

Godrsquos Eternal Plan 10486281048629

heology by Participation 1048629983090

983091 Partnership with Christ 1048630983089

he Pattern o Partnership 1048630983090

Lie with Christ 1048631983088

heology with Christ 10486311048631983092 The Word of God 10486321048629

God and Human Words 10486321048630

God and Written Words 983097983089

Christ and Scripture 9830971048629

est Case Jesus and the Pharisees 9830971048632

Reading with Christ 9830899830881048627

983093 Hearing the Word of God 983089983088983097

Reading in Love 983089983089983089

Hearing with the Church 9830899830891048630

est Case Circumcision 983089983090983090

heology o the Word 9830899830901048632

983094 The Mind of Christ 98308910486271048627

he Pattern o Christrsquos Mind 98308910486271048629

Imitating Christ 9830891048628983090

hinking Ater Christ 9830891048628983097

983095 Theology in Christ 98308910486291048629

Subject Index 98308910486321048632

Scripture Index 9830891048632983097




- one -

RECOVERING THEOLOGY

The word theology comes rom the Greek terms logos ofen trans-

lated as ldquoreasonrdquo or ldquowordrdquo and theos which means ldquoGodrdquo We

practice theology whenever we think or speak about God We are doing

theology when we pray worship read Scripture teach others about the

aith and make decisions about how to live in a right relationship to God

In this sense every Christian practices theology every day

o illustrate consider the claim ldquoGod is goodrdquo We can imagine using

this claim in a wide variety o contexts It could be turned into a decla-

ration and applied to God during prayer or worship as a orm o praise

We might run across it while reading Scripture and use it to inorm our

understanding o Godrsquos being and character It could be offered as an

explanation or why God acted in a particular way in the past or it might

be employed as an argument or why we should act in a certain way in

the present Te list o possible uses could go on Every one o these uses

requires that we practice theology Afer all who is this ldquoGodrdquo we are

talking about Te word God does not sit as an empty concept in our

minds It has a meaning that has been acquired over the course o our

lives some o it by way o our personal experience with God and some

through the instruction o others Tis meaning is working in the back-

ground whenever we say the word God Te same thing is happening

with our use o ldquogoodrdquo We use this word all the time such as when we

say ldquoTe weather is goodrdquo or ldquoHe is a good personrdquo Tis everyday usage




1048625983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

orms the background o our use o this word to describe God Tis

makes things complicated We might say ldquoGood dogrdquo to our puppy and

then say ldquoGod is goodrdquo a ew minutes later Certainly we do not meanexactly the same thing by the word good in both sentences What is the

difference between our use o the word good when we apply it to God as

opposed to our puppy Te task o answering this questionmdasheven im-

plicitly and instinctivelymdashrequires the practice o theology

Tis illustration shows however that even i a Christian has never

engaged in ormal theological study he or she already operates with a

unctional theology at every moment o his or her lie Our unctionaltheology consists o our deault assumptions about who God is what

God is like and how God relates to us983089 Tese assumptions work in the

background o all our thinking and speaking about God Tey affect

every claim we make about God because we filter every word we apply

to God through them So when we read in the Psalms that ldquoGod is goodrdquo

(Ps 9830959830911048625) our unctional theology determines how we understand the

meaning o the words in this sentence In act we have never read orinterpreted any word o Scripture apart rom this kind o preunder-

standing Such is the case or every other claim we have heard or said

about God Teology has been a part o our lives at every moment

Te problem is that our unctional theology can be wrong God is

good but his goodness is not the same as that o the weather a person

or a puppy Figuring out the nature o the similarities and differences

between Godrsquos goodness and these creaturely examples o goodness can

be difficult In our everyday lie or instance we might think that a good

person would not permit innocent people to suffer i he could prevent it

On this basis we might say that because God is good he also would

never allow the innocent to suffer unjustly Yet this is precisely what God

does he sometimes permits the innocent to suffer as he did in the case

o Jesus Christ and believers in the early church (1048626 Tess 1048625983092-983093) It can be

challenging to figure out why we say ldquoGod is goodrdquo even though he will-

1Te term ldquounctional theologyrdquo comes rom J odd Billings Te Word of God for the People of God

An Entryway into the Teological Interpretation of Scripture (Grand Rapids Eerdmans 983090983088983089983088) 983089983089-

9830891048631




Recovering heology 10486251048633

ingly permits suffering while a human who does the same thing nor-

mally would not be considered good Tis challenge is so great in act

that sometimes people draw incorrect conclusions about God based ontheir assumptions about what he must be like ldquoA good God would never

allow the innocent to sufferrdquo Multiply this potential or error by every

single word we use or God and it becomes possible i not likely that we

will apply words to God incorrectly by drawing mistaken conclusions

based on our aulty assumptions o what God must be like As a result

we ofen end up with an incorrect picture o God and say untrue things

about himOur potential or error explains why we need the kind o ormal theo-

logical instruction that makes up the discipline o theology Te disci-

pline o theology is the name or the organized practice o theological

reasoning that directs our thoughts and speech about God so that they

correspond to who God is and what God is like Tis discipline came into

existence in response to the act that our unctional theology does not

always match the reality o God Its goal is to shape our ideas and wordsabout God so that that our unctional theology corresponds to the truth

about his divine being and character As a discipline theology developed

over the centuries as prominent thinkers and leaders in the church re-

sponded to theological problems and questions by offering guidelines or

how to speak and think about God correctly Tese guidelines were

drawn rom the churchrsquos reading o Scripture and took orm in the

churchrsquos creeds which serve as summary statements o right thinking

and speaking about core matters o the Christian aith Te church con-

siders thinking and speech about God to be orthodox when it corre-

sponds to this creedal tradition and heretical when it does not

In the present the discipline o theology takes place as theologians

write books articles and biblical commentaries offering insights about

how to think and speak about God correctly Tey teach others by in-

structing them about errors the church has allen into in the past so that

we do not repeat them in the present Tey also offer practical guidance

or addressing the challenging questions Christians ace today such as

those prompted by the existence o suffering cultural changes brought




10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

about by new technology and the complicated interaction between ad-

herents o different religions that shapes the modern world

C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161

Given its noble purpose its prominent place in church history and the

real contributions it makes to the churchrsquos contemporary lie one would

think that the discipline o theology has a positive reputation among

Christiansmdashbut it does not Every Christian has a unctional theology

but not every Christian has a positive view o the discipline o theology

In act many smart and aithul Christians cringe when they hear theword theology due to the negative connotations the discipline carries

Some even reject the very idea o theology and insist that they can live

aithully without it simply by trusting God and believing the words o

Scripture Tere are at least three reasons why this negative view o the-

ology has developed over time

First many Christians believe that the ormal study o theology dis-

tracts us rom the most important activities o the Christian lie EveryChristian wants to think and speak about God correctly But does the

ormal and organized study o theology help or hinder us in doing so

Tis is a matter o debate Even though much sincere effort has been put

into the discipline o theology over the centuries many Christians be-

lieve it brings ew benefits and many dangers or the church as a whole

Most o us know people who live aithul lives even though they have

never ormally studied theology and at the same time many o us alsoknow or have heard about people who know a lot o theology but live

hypocritically or without aith Such examples prompt the warnings

many students receive about theology proessors who lead students

astray or students who have lost their aith as a result o advanced theo-

logical study

Behind many o these warnings is the worry that the discipline o

theology unnecessarily complicates the aith by making it more complex

and conusing than it needs to be Paul warned that we should ldquoavoid

stupid controversiesrdquo about doctrinal matters because they are ldquounpro-

itable and worthlessrdquo (it 9830911048633) Instead o spending time and energy de-





bating complex details shouldnrsquot we ocus on the central and most clearly

understood commandments o the Christian lie such as the task o

loving God and neighbor (Lk 104862510486241048626983095) Afer all i one can live aithullywithout theological studymdashand i such study sometimes leads believers

down the wrong path by unnecessarily complicating the aithmdashthen it

makes sense to invest our time and resources elsewhere Doesnrsquot the

discipline o theology distract us rom the real work o the church such

as praying worshiping sharing the gospel and serving others

Second many Christians believe the study o theology inhibits rather

than helps our discipleship to Jesus One way it does so is by under-mining our confidence in the content o the Christian aith Because the

process o engaging new material inevitably challenges long-held as-

sumptions exposes aulty patterns o thinking and prompts new and

difficult questions beginning students o theology ofen find themselves

intellectually shaken by their study Even though their new theological

insights may help students begin to think and speak about God better

than they could beore the process also ofen leaves them eeling ig-norant ldquoHow could I have been a Christian my whole lie and not have

known any o this beorerdquo Instead o becoming stronger in the aith and

better equipped to work and serve within the church the new theologian

ofen is embarrassed by all that he or she does not know and paralyzed

by the prospect o looking oolish when he or she speaks Teology in

this case operates more like law than grace and the theologian retreats

rom doing anything at all lest his or her ignorance be displayed or all

to see Te result as Helmut Tielicke puts it is that a ldquolively young

Christian is horribly squeezed to death in the ormal armor o abstract

ideasrdquo983090 Teological study that should be reeing and enriching instead

becomes restrictive and debilitating

Te mirror image o this problem is that theological study sometimes

leaves people overconfident in their abilities At some point nearly

everyone has been in a Bible study or church meeting with someone who

not only thinks he or she has all the right answers but who also seems

2Helmut Tielicke A Little Exercise for Young Teologians (Grand Rapids Eerdmans 10486259830979830941048626) 983096




10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

intent on showing that everyone elsersquos answers are wrong Paul warns

about these tendencies when he says that ldquoknowledge puffs uprdquo (1048625 Cor

9830961048625) Some people he tells imothy have ldquoa morbid craving or controversy and or disputes about wordsrdquo which causes ldquoenvy dissension

slander base suspicions and wranglingrdquo within the church (1048625 im 983094983092-983093)

Tey seem to enjoy arguing with their ellow Christians about doctrinal

matters because doing so gives them a sense o purpose and identity

Tis identity ofen involves a sense o entitlement and elitism as i their

learning places them above the unenlightened masses who make up the

large part o the church Worse still theologians sometimes use theirskills to manipulate the content o the aith so that it conorms to their

own ideas and goals Paul talks about this tendency when he said that

some peoplersquos ldquoitching earsrdquo lead them ldquoto accumulate or themselves

teachers to suit their own desiresrdquo Teir theological learning leaves them

worse off than beore because it enables them to ldquoturn away rom lis-

tening to the truth and wander away to mythsrdquo they have devised or

themselves (1048626 im 983092983091-983092)Tird many people think the ormal study o theology produces un-

necessary divisions in the church Even though reading the texts o the

great theologians can bring great benefits it also can produce a sense o

disillusionment Many o the theologians widely considered to be

among the best thinkers in church history starkly disagree with one

another about core matters o doctrine Not all o them can be right and

in act many o them think the others are gravely wrong Ofen these

great theologians have entire schools o thought centered around their

views which stand in opposition to other schools o thought based on

the work o other theologians Te existence o these divergent schools

o thought puts us in a situation where the label ldquoChristianrdquo is not

enough We also have to figure out which kind o Christian we aremdash

whether it is Tomist Lutheran Calvinist Arminian or so on While

such labels can help us recognize important differences between various

approaches to theology they also can divide Christians rom one an-

other and hurt the churchrsquos witness

Paul makes this point when he criticizes the Corinthians or engaging





in ldquojealousy and quarrelingrdquo between those who held to the teachings o

Apollos and those who identified with Paul himsel Instead o starting

with their immature ldquohuman inclinationsrdquo Paul says the Corinthiansshould view all their various teachers as ldquoGodrsquos servants working to-

getherrdquo or a ldquocommon purposerdquo (1048625 Cor 9830911048626-1048633) Paulrsquos point is clear our

theological distinctions are not irrelevant but even so they must be rela-

tivized by our common bond in Christ and commitment to the churchrsquos

mission Any theological distinction that unnecessarily causes us to lose

sight o this unity and purpose undermines the integrity o the church

and the gospel it proclaims Te problem as many Christians point outis that Paulrsquos instructions have rarely been ollowed by the churchrsquos theo-

logians In act more ofen than not theological debates proceed just like

contemporary political debates with each side deending its views at all

costs while assuming that their opponents are not only wrong but also

morally and intellectual deficient in some way Tis leads to a type o

theological partisanship where adherents o a certain view repeat their

party line without charitably considering other arguments or striving orreconciliation with their opponents In this case the goal o theological

study becomes less about knowing God or enriching the church than

about building up onersquos side and bringing down onersquos enemies

Such activities prompt some Christians to conclude that the study o

theology while noble in and o itsel almost inevitably become a means

by which the theologian serves his or her own interests James makes this

point when he says that conflicts and disputes ofen stem rom our desire

o things we want but do not have (Jas 9830921048625-1048626) Just like the disciples argued

among themselves about ldquowhich one o them was the greatestrdquo (Lk 1048633983092983094)

Christians ofen seek a position o authority over their ellow Christians

Teology ofen is employed as a tool to achieve this goal I a theologian

can prove that his or her opponents are wrong about important matters

o doctrine then he or she can justiy having a position o influence and

power over them Paul encountered this problem when he was chal-

lenged by teachers in Philippi who worked against him out o ldquoenvy and

rivalryrdquo in line with their own ldquoselfish ambitionrdquo (Phil 10486251048625983093-1048625983095) Ten as

today such an approach hurts the church because as James notes ldquowhere




1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

there is envy and selfish ambition there will also be disorder and

wickedness o every kindrdquo (Jas 9830911048625983094)

Tese are the sorts o consequences that prompt aithul Christians tohave a negative view o theology I theological learning can and ofen

does produce unnecessary and sinul divisions in the churchmdashand i

these divisions are ofen about the desire o some to gain positions o

power and influence over others or their own benefitmdashthen does the

discipline o theology truly benefit the church

W983144983137983156 W983141983150983156 W983154983151983150983143983103One explanation or why and how the ormal practice o theology

became suspect in the eyes o many Christians involves the shifing

occupations o theologians983091 For much o Christian history theology

was practiced almost exclusively rom within the church Most early

theologians or example were bishops and priests responsible or

leading the church in its worship teaching and ministry Teir ormal

theological study ofen stemmed rom their desire to help their con-gregants avoid errors understand Scripture and grow in their de-

votion to God Even when they argued against other theologians they

did so not or themselves but or the sake o the churchrsquos members For

example the theological orations o Gregory Nazianzus against the

Eunomian heresy were delivered as sermons to help his congregation

ldquoavoid being swept wayrdquo by this alse teaching983092 Likewise Cyril o Al-

exandria composed public letters to Nestorius not only to challengeNestoriusrsquos questionable claims about Jesus but also to inorm other

church leaders about his errors so they could instruct their congrega-

tions about Christological matters983093 In these sorts o ways the bishops

and priests used the discipline o theology to urther their pastoral

1048627For this insight see Jaroslav Pelikan Te Christian radition A History of the Development of

Doctrine 983089 Te Emergence of the Catholic radition (983089983088983088ndash983094983088983088) (Chicago University of Chicago

Press 10486259830979830951048629) 10486294Gregory Nazianzus Oration 10486279830881048625 from On God and Christ Te Five Teological Orations and wo

Letters to Cledonius trans Fredrick Williams and Lionel Wickham (Crestwood NY St Vladi-

mirrsquos Seminary Press 10486269830889830881048626) 98309710486275See John McGuckin Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy (Crestwood NY

St Vladimirrsquos Seminary Press 10486269830889830881048628)





aims and to promote the doctrinal integrity o the church as a whole

Te same could be said o the theologians who lived and worked rom

within the monasteries Although they were never totally separated romthe lie and work o the institutional church the distinct rhythms o the

monastic lie ofen led these monks to bring their theological insights

together with spiritual practices related to purification o the mind and

body Teir isolation also gave them the time to think careully about

difficult theological topics such as Godrsquos triune being or the nature o

Godrsquos relationship to created lie Tis work supplemented the theology

o the bishops and priests in important ways Augustinersquos conversionstands as a case in point Even though he greatly admired his bishop

Ambrose Augustine recalls that Ambrose did not know about Augus-

tinersquos ldquospiritual turmoilrdquo because he was too busy meeting the needs o

his congregation ldquoTe crowds o people who came to him on business

impeded merdquo he recalls ldquoallowing me little opportunity either to talk or

to listen to himrdquo1048630 A turning point came when Augustine read Te Life of

Antony a book describing the amous monkrsquos spiritual lie and practicesAntonyrsquos example challenged Augustinersquos view o the world and prompted

a line o thinking that eventually led to his conversion1048631 Tis influence

lingered even afer Augustine became a bishop as the monastic style o

theology and the example o monks like Antony continued to shape his

writings and ministry

A common actor uniting the work o the bishops priests and monks

was their assumption that theological study should be integrally related

to a lie o discipleship Persons who wanted to study theology needed to

ldquopuriy themselvesrdquo in the pattern o Christ (1048625 Jn 983091983091) Tis meant that

ormal theological study was not something that just anyone could do

For instance Gregory Nazianzus argues that theology should be pursued

only by ldquothose who have been tested and have ound a sound ooting in

study and more importantly have undergone or at the very least are

6Augustine Te Confessions 98309410486271048627 trans Maria Boulding OSB (Hyde Park NY New City Press

1048625983097983097983095) 9830979830977Augustine Te Confessions 98309610486251048629 9830961048626983097 (trans Boulding) 10486251048629983095 1048625983094983096




1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

undergoing purification o body and soulrdquo1048632 I the mind and body are

integrally related to one another then the theological ormation o the

mind must go hand in hand with acts o bodily obedience in the patterno Christ ldquoDo we commend hospitalityrdquo Gregory asks ldquoDo we admire

brotherly love wiely affection virginity eeding the poor singing

psalms night-long vigils penitence Do we mortiy the body with

asting Do we through prayer take up our abode with God Do we

establish our mastery over our passions mindul o the nobility o our

second birthrdquo Gregory insists that the answer to all these questions must

be yes because such actions work to ldquosmooth the theologian in us likea statue into beautyrdquo1048633 Teological learning is pursued rightly when it

occurs within the context o a lie o discipleship because the practices

o discipleship enable and enrich our pursuit o theological knowledge

Tis presupposed connection between theology and discipleship

slowly began to change during the medieval period when the discipline

o theology became part o the curriculum o the university Teologians

began to pursue their work primarily rom the role o proessor and thisshif carried several benefits Te university provided theologians a space

akin to the monastery reeing them rom administrative burdens and

giving them the chance to study and write or extended periods At the

same time theologians were able to remain more connected to the insti-

tutional church than the monks had been because they could participate

in local church services and live in direct contact with the churchrsquos

members and leaders Teir teaching duties also put them into conver-

sation with a wide variety o people rom across the culture including

scholars rom other academic disciplines Now more than ever theolo-

gians had the opportunity to learn rom external sources and incorporate

new ways o thinking into their doctrinal work Teologians became

portals through which the church received an influx o resh ideas and

insights that enriched its internal thinking and practice Tis presented

theologians with exciting opportunities From their vantage point in the

university theologians could draw connections between the churchrsquos

8Gregory Nazianzus Oration 10486269830951048627 from On God and Christ 10486269830959Gregory Nazianzus Oration 1048626983095983095 from On God and Christ 1048627983088





theology the practical lives o everyday believers and the questions

central to the culture at large Tese new connections became the starting

point rom which they were able to make innovative and lasting contri-butions to the church to help it pursue its mission in the world

Tis ideal was challenged however as the universities changed rom

their medieval to their modern orm Tese shifs stemmed rom changes

in the way the universities determined what counted as true academic

learning As Nicholas Wolterstorff explains a universityrsquos standard o

scholarship teaching and learning tends to be drawn rom disciplines

that are considered ldquoparadigmaticrdquo within the wider culture9830891048624 Inmedieval universities this position had been held by theology which had

been regarded as the most noble discipline and the one by which the

others were measured983089983089 By the time o the Enlightenment however the

natural and social sciences began to replace theology in this central role

Tese disciplines brought with them a slate o new assumptions about

the nature o God and his relationship with creation For example many

scientists at the time were influenced by Deism which meant they be-lieved that God had created the world and then lef it to operate ac-

cording to its own natural laws On this basis they assumed that the

content o Godrsquos wisdom is embedded in and can be known rom the

structure o the universe itsel Tey also held that because humans have

rational minds that reflect Godrsquos own image every human must be natu-

rally capable o discovering the truth about God simply by acquiring an

understanding o the natural order o the universe and then conorming

his or her thinking to it983089983090

Tese new assumptions changed what counted as proper learning

10Nicholas Wolterstorff ldquoTe ravail of Teology in the Modern Academyrdquo in Te Future of Te-

ology Essays in Honor of Juumlrgen Moltmann ed Miroslav Volf Carmen Kreig and Tomas Kucharz

(Grand Rapids Eerdmans 1048625983097983097983094) 1048627983097 Also see John Webster ldquoTeological Teologyrdquo in Confess-

ing God Essays in Christian Dogmatics II (London amp Clark 10486269830889830881048629) 10486251048627-1048625983095 My analysis of

theologyrsquos place in the modern university is indebted to the arguments presented in these two

essays11See for example the remarks of Tomas Aquinas in Summa Teologica I q 1048625 a 1048629 All quotations

from the Summa Teologica in this volume are drawn from Basic Writings of Saint Tomas Aqui-

nas ed Anton C Pegis 1048626 vols (New York Random House 104862598309710486281048629)12On this point see Charles aylor Sources of the Self Te Making of Modern Identity (Cambridge

MA Harvard University Press 1048625983097983096983097) 10486269830951048625-9830951048628




1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

within the university No longer did scholars assume that they must turn

to Scripture or the church to know the truth about God instead they

needed to turn to the order o nature and then observe its processes ra-tionally and objectively983089983091 Tey argued that we see things rationally and

objectively when we are ree o biases that distort our ability to sort

through the evidence we encounter A discipline is truly ldquoscientificrdquo when

it can account or the way it filters out any biases present within it so that

the scholar can observe and assess her subject matter in an objective way

Biases enter into our thinking in two key ways First we become biased

when we assume that our approach is the only way something can bedone rather than merely one approach that reflects our own particular

time place or culture For example even though we may have strong

convictions about certain ethical or moral matters these sorts o convic-

tions differ widely between cultures and periods o history I we are to

approach ethical issues scientifically we must set aside our personal

commitments and proceed according to universal maxims applicable to

every person in all times and places While we are ree to maintain ourpersonal views in our private lie only those commitments that are uni-

versally applicable should shape our academic research and its conclu-

sions Second biases also tend to come rom a misplaced reliance on

sources o authority o proceed scientifically we cannot assume that any

particular source inherently carries authority such that it can be trusted

without question Rather we must evaluate every so-called authoritative

source in order to determine what i anything within this source cor-

responds to the objective standard o critical reason Only claims that

correspond to this standard can be used as the basis or knowledge983089983092

As theologians aced these new criteria or their academic work within

the university they ound themselves pulled in two different directions

On the one hand they still had the task o contributing to the doctrinal

and spiritual lie o the church Because the church operated rom the

13See Michael Allen Gillespie Te Teological Origins of Modernity (Chicago University of Chi-

cago Press 1048626983088983088983096) 1048625983094-104862598309514For an exploration of this point see Jeffrey Stout Te Flight from Authority Religion Morality

and the Quest for Autonomy (Notre Dame IN University of Notre Dame Press 10486259830979830961048625) 10486251048628983097-1048629983088





starting point o aith assumed the accuracy o authoritative sources like

the Bible and believed that right thinking must go together with par-

ticular moral actions many theologians within the university still soughtto explain the contribution o theology in these terms On the other hand

theologians elt pressure to justiy their conclusions according to the

academic criteria that governed the university Tis meant that rather

than starting with aithmdashwhich might distort their ability to assess evi-

dence rationallymdashthey had to begin with universally accepted premises

and employ the methods o critical reason No longer could they appeal

to the authority o the Bible or the churchrsquos tradition to deend theirclaims Instead they had to determine which claims rom these sources

could be objectively verified as a reliable guide to rational thinking or

every human being

o deal with this tension many theologians tried to mediate between

the church and the university by perorming theological work that both

contributed to the church and met the standards o the academy One o

the most impressive attempts o this sort was put orth by FriedrichSchleiermacher a pastor and theologian in Berlin at the beginning o the

nineteenth century He begins with the premise that the discipline o

theology must include both ldquoscientific inormation and practical in-

structionrdquo and that each element must be maintained in its ull integrity983089983093

He insists that any academic study o theology that has no relation to the

churchrsquos practical lie ldquoceases to be theologicalrdquo At the same time he

argues that a church that ails to explain its belies and practices ac-

cording to the standards o critical reason undermines its own ldquohistorical

importancerdquo by exercising ldquoa mere muddle o attempted influencerdquo in

society9830891048630 Te way orward is or church leaders to become academics

who help the church adhere to the standards o critical reason while also

showing those outside the church that anyone thinking rationally should

turn to the church to find reason in its highest orm

o this end Schleiermacher argues that academic theologians should

15Friedrich Schleiermacher Brief Outline of Teology as a Field of Study 1048627rd ed ed and trans

errence N ice (Louisville KY Westminster John Knox 104862698308810486251048625) 1048627 (paragraph 1048629)16Ibid 983094 1048626 983095 (paragraphs 983094 1048626 and 10486251048626)




9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

engage in two central tasks First they should demonstrate that the

churchrsquos practices are ldquoa necessary element or the development o the

human spiritrdquo rather than the product o their own specific commit-ments9830891048631 o do this theologians have to assess the churchrsquos practices with

ldquocomplete impartialityrdquo according to the standards o critical reason and

then show how these practices relate to every person no matter his or her

specific cultural or religious background9830891048632 Second they should employ

a ldquogenuinely deliberative characterrdquo as they direct the churchrsquos thought

worship and ministry9830891048633 Teir goal will be to refine the churchrsquos belies

and practices by exposing its untested presuppositions critically as-sessing authoritative sources like the Bible and aligning its doctrine and

activities with the universal standards o critical reason Although this

process o refinement may be difficult and painul it ultimately will

strengthen the church by transposing its traditional ormulations into

terms that can be accepted and understood by any rational person Tis

will enable the church to ulfill its mission more successully because

now the church will be able to explain and deend its aith by the stan-dards o rationality that govern society as a whole

Tis twoold vision or relationship between theology and the church

shaped the way Schleiermacher approached theological education In his

view the primary goal o theological learning is to transorm a student

rom a ldquomere carrier o traditionrdquo into a thinker who is capable o en-

gaging the best insights o the age rom across every discipline9830901048624 Every

theologian not only must be a saint thereore but a scholar as well Tis

means that theological training should occur primarily within the uni-

versity and proceed in line with the standards o critical scholarship

Academic training would not lead theologians away rom but into the

church because the university should have a vested interest in the church

as the place where the highest ideals o human reason are ulfilled

Tis vision or theological education was deeply influential and

17Ibid 1048625983088-10486251048625 (paragraphs 10486261048625-10486261048626)18Ibid 9830951048625 (paragraph 10486259830971048627)19Ibid 983097983095 (paragraph 10486261048629983097)20Ibid 983097 (paragraphs 1048625983096-1048625983097)





widely adopted even among those who disagreed with the content o

Schleiermacherrsquos theology Te result was a broad shif in the way Chris-

tians practiced the discipline Whereas theologians once had been ac-countable strictly to the standards o the church and its mission now

they were accountable to the standards o both the church and the uni-

versity Tis dual accountability changed the way they interacted with

non-theological disciplines Te best theologians had always engaged

the insights o other disciplines including the sciences Tey always had

done so however with the goal o drawing these disciplines into theol-

ogyrsquos intellectual rameworkmdasha ramework built on the presuppositionsthat ollow rom the conession o aith in Jesus Christ Now the di-

rection o movement reversed Teologians interacted with these same

disciplines not in order to rerame them in light o their aith but to

secure theologyrsquos place in the academy alongside every other discipline

Te result was that along with the need to establish their claims ac-

cording to Scripture and the churchrsquos tradition theologians now also elt

pressure to justiy their claims according to the academic criteria gov-erning the university

Tis pressure created several problems Te most critical problem was

that the standards governing the university had been derived rom dis-

ciplines which proceeded on the basis o presuppositions about the

nature o reality and history that were markedly different rom those that

traditionally governed the practice o theology As a result as John

Webster notes theology now had to be practiced in ldquoalienation rom its

own subject matter and proceduresrdquo i it was to remain legitimately aca-

demic983090983089 Formerly theologians had pursued theological training in order

to acquire knowledge habits and skills that would shape them into the

pattern o Jesus Christ or the sake o their service to the church Spiritual

ormation and active participation in the lie and ministry o the church

were a central part o theological training because these activities were

thought to be intrinsic to the pursuit o the knowledge o God Now with

the discipline o theology housed primarily in the university the primary

21Webster ldquoTeological Teologyrdquo 1048625983095




9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

goal o theological education was to provide students with the technical

skills they needed to perorm responsible critical enquiry so that the

churchrsquos aith and practice could be brought in line with the standards ocritical reason983090983090 Te difference between the two approaches changed the

way theologians operated Rather than beginning rom the presuppo-

sition that theology and discipleship are intrinsically related to one an-

other theologians proceeded as i the practices o the aithmdashsuch as

worship prayer and discipleship to Christmdashexisted in a realm distinct

rom the practice o theology A lie o discipleship and the assumptions

patterns o thinking and practices associated with it became just oneoptional way a theologian might apply his or her theological training

But by no means was it assumed that the theologian needed to make this

kind o application in order to practice the discipline rightly

Tis historical shif and the methodological changes it produced help

explain the tensions that exist between the discipline o theology and

many Christians Despite their great learning theologians have some-

times struggled to apply their insights to the lie o the church or evento their own spiritual lives because they have not been trained or re-

quired to do so An academic theologian can practice the discipline

within the university and never need to connect his or her theology to

the everyday practices o the church Some theologians even hold them-

selves at armrsquos length rom the church by adopting an attitude o de-

tachment toward it as they go about their work Sometimes this stems

rom the worry that applying onersquos work to the church makes it less than

truly academic other times it is the result o animosity toward the unc-

tional theology and practices o the church At the same time many

people in the church adopt a similar attitude o detachment toward the

work o theologians much o which seems irrelevant or hostile to the

churchrsquos daily lie and mission

Tis posture along with tensions it produces leaves each side rus-

trated with the other Many Christians in the church worry that the

discipline o theology is more beholden to the academy than to Christ

22Ibid 10486251048629





and so they are suspicious about the content produced by academic

theologians Tis ofen leads them either to ignore academic theology

or reject it Academic theologians in turn ofen are exasperated withwhat they perceive as the simplistic aith o church members who hold

views they consider to be unreflective and untenable Tis drives theo-

logians even deeper into the academy with some o them seeing them-

selves as ldquonothing short o heroic in reusing to give the church what it

wantsrdquo983090983091 Teology becomes more and more irrelevant to the lie o the

church and the members o the church go about their business as i they

do not need theology

R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141

Te reality o the matter is that the church needs theology and theolo-

gians need the church o untether the church rom ormal theological

instruction is to give our unctional theology ree rein over our thinking

and practice Tis is a problem and it remains so even i we try our best

to adhere strictly to the teachings o Scripture Because we inevitablyinterpret every word o Scripture in light o our presuppositions about

the nature o God and reality these presuppositions will determine what

we think Scripture says and means I we leave these presuppositions

untested and unexamined they are likely to be shaped not only by

Scripture but also by our own ideals and the predominant currents o our

age I the church is going to think and speak rightly about Godmdashand i

it is not going to repeat the same theological errors generation afer gen-erationmdashthen it needs the guidance provided by ormal doctrinal in-

struction grounded in the history o the theological tradition

Likewise i we attempt to practice the discipline o theology in dis-

tinction rom the lie and work o the church then the presuppositions

governing the modern university likely will govern our theological

method Because the university assumes a ramework o meaning and a

criterion o rationality distinct rom those presupposed within the

Christian aith the content o our theology is likely to become increas-

23Wolterstorff ldquoravail of Teology in the Modern Academyrdquo 1048627983095




983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

ingly divorced rom this aith Not only will this make our work less

relevant to the church but also it will undermine the purpose o the

discipline Te traditional goal o Christian theology is to develop abetter understanding o God so that we can think and speak rightly

about God within the context o a lie governed by our aith in Christ

and our discipleship to him in community with other Christians Te-

ology that proceeds rom other grounds stands in tension with this goal

I our claims are offered not with the end o knowing God or enabling

obedience to Christ but with the end o showing rational coherence then

the most important thing becomes our ability to establish our right tomake these claims and to show that they stand together coherently Tis

leaves theologians operating as i their primary goal is to deend the in-

tegrity o their own views Practices like appealing to mystery or being

willing to retract onersquos viewsmdashboth central to the traditional practice o

theologymdashbecome a sign o incompetence or weakness At the same

time spiritual practices such as prayer worship and moral ormation are

relegated to the realm o application as i they have nothing to do withour ability to think and speak about God rightly

In this sense Schleiermacher was right the aith and practice o the

church cannot be separated rom the academic study o theology Our

challenge is to figure out what it looks like to bring them together so that

we can practice theology both aithully and with intellectual integrity

Te latter emphasis means that we cannot turn back the clock and

practice theology as it was done in the past beore the pursuit o the-

ology was linked to the practices o the university And in act the dis-

cipline o theology has benefitted greatly rom the university and con-

tinues to do so Teologians are better off when they have been trained

according to the highest standards o critical scholarship because this

training enables them to evaluate presuppositions engage opposing ar-

guments examine the coherence and implications o their claims and

draw on the insights rom other sources o pull the discipline o the-

ology out o the academy by making it solely an internal church enter-

prise would be unnecessary and unwise We would be turning rom the

multitude o gifs and opportunities God has given his church through





the university and undermining our ability to do our best theological

work Tere is no reason to assume that the practice o theology cannot

be brought together with the highest standards o academic scholarshipTe question is not whether theology also should be academic in char-

acter but how it should be

Te problem with Schleiermacherrsquos approach is not that he brought

the discipline o theology together with the standards o the university

but that he worked in the wrong direction as he did so He and other

theologians across the entire theological spectrum allowed the assump-

tions o the modern university to set the parameters into which the dis-cipline o theology must fit Teologians had to begin their work by as-

suming the view o reality and history that governed the scientific

disciplines that shaped the academic discourse within the university

Tis meant that theologians had to operate on the basis o a specific set

o presuppositions about what counts as reasonable what kind o claims

can be justified and how arguments can be rightly made and deended

As a result theologians had to practice their discipline rom a distinctlynon-theological starting point

What i we worked in the other direction What i we practiced the-

ology in a way that corresponded to the highest academic qualities but

according to the presuppositions o the Christian aith o practice the-

ology in this way we would have to rebuild our conception o the dis-

cipline rom the ground up We would begin with the presupposition

that the discipline o theology operates rightly when it proceeds on the

basis o our aith in Jesus Christ Our task would be to determine what

counts as rational by starting with Godrsquos wisdom as it has been revealed

in the saving work o Christ and the Holy Spirit Ten not only would

we be able to connect the practice o theology to our lie o discipleship

but we also could consider it to be a orm o discipleship Even the most

academic o theologians could seek to embody the qualities and char-

acteristics that go along with obedience to Christ and they would seek

to utilize their theological work to serve the lie and mission o the

church At the same time they would converse with the best insights o

other disciplines in the university both in order to learn rom them and




983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152

to contribute to them Tis interdisciplinary conversation would not be

in addition to the theologianrsquos lie o aith and service to the church but

an integral part o it By describing the discipline o theology in this waywe can offer an account o the practice o theology that overcomes many

o the worries Christians have about it Specifically we can establish a

ramework rom which we can practice theology in a way that is both

academic and aithul by showing that our commitment to academic

integrity and our aith in Jesus Christ do not exist in tension with one

another

Te chapters that ollow describe what it looks like to practice thediscipline o theology in this way Our starting point will be our con-

ession that Jesus Christ is Lord and our belie that God raised him rom

the dead (Rom 104862510486241048633) We will work out the implications o this conession

or our understanding o the nature o God the content o Godrsquos wisdom

and the order o created reality and history On this basis we will figure

out what it looks like to live in relationship with God in light o the act

that Jesus Christ lives as the risen Lord We then will seek to understandhow God acts to shape our ideas and language so that we can think and

speak about him rightly Finally we will describe key characteristics that

distinguish theologians who practice theology within the context o a lie

o discipleship to Jesus Te goal o this rebuilding effort will be to show

how a aithul theologian can be academically excellent and an academic

theologian can be aithul








T H E O L O G Y A S






InterVarsity Press


ivpresscom

emailivpresscom



InterVarsity Press












ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309210486241048627983092-1048626 (print)

ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309610486241048625983095-1048625 (digital)




Johnson Keith L


pages cm

Includes index



BV983092J1048630983092 104862610486241048625983093

104862610486271048624mdashdc10486261048627104862610486241048625983093104862410486271048627104863310486261048630

P 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 1048625983096 1048625983095 10486251048630 1048625983093 1048625983092 10486251048627 10486251048626 10486251048625 10486251048624 1048633 983096 983095 1048630 983093 983092 1048627 1048626 1048625

Y 1048627983092 10486271048627 10486271048626 10486271048625 10486271048624 10486261048633 1048626983096 1048626983095 10486261048630 1048626983093 1048626983092 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 1048625983096 1048625983095 10486251048630 1048625983093




CONTENTS


Preface 983089983089


















Reading in Love 983089983089983089









Subject Index 98308910486321048632





- one -

RECOVERING THEOLOGY


























1048625983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152































9830891048631







































10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152



C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






















logical study











































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another


















InterVarsity Press


ivpresscom

emailivpresscom



InterVarsity Press












ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309210486241048627983092-1048626 (print)

ISBN 1048633983095983096-1048624-98309610486271048624983096-98309610486241048625983095-1048625 (digital)




Johnson Keith L


pages cm

Includes index



BV983092J1048630983092 104862610486241048625983093

104862610486271048624mdashdc10486261048627104862610486241048625983093104862410486271048627104863310486261048630

P 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 1048625983096 1048625983095 10486251048630 1048625983093 1048625983092 10486251048627 10486251048626 10486251048625 10486251048624 1048633 983096 983095 1048630 983093 983092 1048627 1048626 1048625

Y 1048627983092 10486271048627 10486271048626 10486271048625 10486271048624 10486261048633 1048626983096 1048626983095 10486261048630 1048626983093 1048626983092 10486261048627 10486261048626 10486261048625 10486261048624 10486251048633 1048625983096 1048625983095 10486251048630 1048625983093




CONTENTS


Preface 983089983089


















Reading in Love 983089983089983089









Subject Index 98308910486321048632





- one -

RECOVERING THEOLOGY


























1048625983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152































9830891048631







































10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152



C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






















logical study











































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another


















CONTENTS


Preface 983089983089


















Reading in Love 983089983089983089









Subject Index 98308910486321048632





- one -

RECOVERING THEOLOGY


























1048625983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152































9830891048631







































10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152



C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






















logical study











































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another


















- one -

RECOVERING THEOLOGY


























1048625983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152































9830891048631







































10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152



C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






















logical study











































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another


















1048625983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152































9830891048631







































10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152



C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






















logical study











































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another





















































10486261048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152



C983151983150983139983141983154983150983155 983159983145983156983144 T983144983141983151983148983151983143983161






















logical study











































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another




















































10486261048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another





















































1048626983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another



















































1048626983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another






















































1048626983096 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152













































every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another





























every human being























9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another


















9830911048624 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152


































































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another




















































9830911048626 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






























22Ibid 10486251048629














R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another




























R983141983138983157983145983148983140983145983150983143 983156983144983141 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983145983150983141























983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another


















983091983092 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152






































































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another





















































983091983094 983144983141983151983148983151983143983161 983137983155 D983145983155983139983145983152983148983141983155983144983145983152








another
















theology as discipleship by keith l. johnson - excerpt

Documents