Theological Intentionality Research Paper

Improved Essays
In matters of faith theology matters. I believe in the tribune God -- God the creator, Jesus the redeemer, and the Holy Spirit who helps us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:2). I am committed to Christocentric theology because I am convinced that it is “the Christ event” -- the act of incarnation, his life and teachings and his death and resurrection (not the idiosyncratic cultural, social or political values) -- which serves as the light that illumines our path to faithful discipleship and ultimately salvation. I believe theology must point us to Christ, the incarnate love of God. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, theology shapes a particular way of life marked by the twofold command to love God and neighbor. Without submitting …show more content…
from assessing and validating widely accepted opinions to engaging in tasks common viewed as secular -- in order that we may faithfully pursue our chief goal in life: to glorify God and enjoy God forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism) Inasmuch as Christian theology is centered in Christ, who says to his followers, “do not be afraid,” I believe that theology cannot be used as a religious tool that deepens our entrenched fears. Neither should theology be used to prop up any belief, value, philosophy, or ideology that runs counter to the unconditional love of God manifested in the life, teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In liturgical matters, I reject the modern tendency to drive a wedge between “traditional” and “contemporary.” Banking on either longevity or the latest thing, I believe, is foolish; neither guarantees theological intentionality. Baptism symbolizes God’s gift of forgiveness and it also speaks to our resolve to faithfully follow Christ. In Communion, the bread and the cup function as the visible sign of God’s grace in Christ, empowering us to love others and glorify

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    The main points that I learnt from Week One’s lecture material are simplistic, but I believe each is important and fundamental to my further knowledge and understanding of TH 250 – Christology. Firstly, a basic definition of topic: Christology is the study of the person of Jesus as the Christ: the Anointed One, The Messiah and the One who saves. Secondly, Jesus is the foundation stone of a belief that God is present in the world and that God can be known and experienced. And the heart of an act of faith: a people trusting and knowing that God sent Jesus.…

    • 146 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This writing assignment report will reflect, in many cases, chapter by chapter reflection of the material read from two books. In each section review I will be responding with a general statement about the chapter and any reflections, thoughts or opinions gleamed from my studies. Father, Son, & Holy Spirt Chapter 1 of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirt pulls the reader into a discussion about why understanding the Trinity is important in the life of Christian believer. Ware expounds on the point that Gods wisdom chose reveal himself as Triune. Causing mankind to lean towards gaining wisdom about Him by means of faith alone.…

    • 888 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Calvin's Reformation Dbq

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages

    As we move farther away from the days of the Reformation, the Church becomes guilty of forgetting what our forefathers fought and died for. As a Church we often glorify the work of the clergy and treat those who work in full-time ministry as more godly individuals. The Church must recapture the reformation doctrine of vocation because only when “a young Christian woman realizes it is just as spiritual to sing for the Metropolitan Opera as it is to sing in the church choir, we will begin to see a new generation of liberated Christians calling attention to their Maker and Redeemer.…

    • 941 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Doctrine of Special Revelation A cosmonaut returned to earth, the question put forth was did he see God up in space or as the book said the heavens. However, do you know went to the heavens and came back to tell everyone about? One theologian says God is dead presently him speaking for the secular world that believes they no longer need God. Can you imagine the world feeling like they can answer and solve their problems on their own?…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    What is the meaning of life, - a philosophical and spiritual problem that is relevant to the determination of the ultimate goal of existence, the purpose of mankind, the human species, is one of the basic philosophical concepts, which has great significance for the development of spiritual and moral character of the person. The question of the meaning of life can also be understood as a subjective evaluation of your life path and understanding of human content and direction of his life, his place in the world as a problem of human impact on the surrounding reality and putting human purpose beyond his life. This is the starting point of Daniel Hill’s article «The Meaning of life. Daniel Hill argues that without God, life would be meaningless. »…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In his work Of Water and the Spirit, Fr. Alexander Schmemann provides multiple definitions of what liturgical theology is. His preferred definition presented at the beginning of his book is similar to the definition we encountered earlier on in this course. He says, “the goal of liturgical theology… is to overcome the fateful divorce between theology, liturgy and piety.” (12) Liturgical theology can only come as a revelation as one liturgically experiences the life of the Church.…

    • 1871 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In chapter three of The Shape of Baptism, Aiden Kavanagh writes that “baptism is the paradigm of how faith in Jesus Christ is to be lived” (Kavanagh, pg. 92) This paper will explore Kavanagh’s quote in relation to two questions. First, what does this quote mean? Second, how are the reforms of Vatican II expressive of this statement?…

    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Christian Worldview

    • 1765 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The Christian worldview can be confusing at times. Many questions are brought up about a plethora of different topics pertaining to, God, Jesus, and salvation. Most of these questions cannot be answered completely, however, using the Bible they can be answered to a certain extent. By breaking up Christianity into its bare essentials; God, humanity, Jesus, and restoration, its concept can be better understood and explained. God…

    • 1765 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I Am Malala Themes

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages

    I remember the squeaky sound my new, white Mary-Jane shoes made as I walked down the aisle toward the altar. The sleeves of my first communion dress itched my shoulders as I anticipated eating the “body of Christ” bread for the first time. This ceremony, my first holy communion, was the last of my religious activities until high school. My father was a traditional Catholic while my mother was more open and spiritual. After my communion I realized I resonated more with my mother’s beliefs than my father’s.…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mosaic Law Research Paper

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What role of the OT Law should be in the life of the Church? There are six hundred and thirteen laws Mosaic Laws and many Christians today find themselves wondering which of the Mosaic Laws are to be followed and which ones are to be considered obsolete. According to Matthew 5:17, more importantly according to Jesus, the Laws have been fulfilled; "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." 1 I found it stated in the following way;…

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sitting at the end of the pew, with the communion being passed around, I had little time to debate whether or not I should ingest this metaphor. Receiving communion used to be a normal ritual that I would go through almost every Sunday. It took my free time on Sundays to earn the ability of taking communion, through Sunday schooling and being baptised. But as the tray of grape juice and crackers advanced closer in my direction, the ritual became more foreign to me than ever. It wasn’t until recently that I was confronted with a belief that I have had for as long as I can remember.…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Cardinal Virtue Analysis

    • 1298 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In Section 5, “Making Moral Decisions,” the topics of gifts, guides, and forgiveness and reconciliation are discussed. We learn what it means to live as a moral person and what gifts God gives us to live a moral life. We also learn about what guides us in making moral decisions and what happens when we miss the mark. Most importantly, we learn that God gives us everything we truly “need to live a holy, happy, and healthy life”(228).…

    • 1298 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “To be Christian at all is to be a theologian, there are no exceptions” (Stone 3). Theology is the understanding of our God through a process of thinking about life in the light of faith. We use theology when engaging in our calling and when we turn for knowledge and support. How to Think Theologically, explains the difficult process of theological thinking and reflections. The author wants us to understand that if we practice religion and live according to our Christian faith, then we are practicing theology.…

    • 1389 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Meaning and Significance of Baptism Baptism is a very important part of the Christian faith, in the Roman Catholic Church it is the initial sacrament of initiation, the other two being Holy Communion and Confirmation. It is the start of the religious journey through Christianity. By being baptised it is showing a commitment to the Christian faith it is both a public as well as personal commitment and declaration to show your dedication to your faith. Baptism signifies a life long covenant between God and the candidate. As Christians we share a private relationship with God and baptism is commitment to that relationship.…

    • 1755 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1.0 Introduction The central teachings of traditional Catholicism are that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; that his life on earth, his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven are proof of God 's love for humanity and God 's forgiveness of human sins; and that by faith in Jesus one may attain salvation and eternal life (infoplease.com, 2012). In Catholicism, the term scared means; The holy or divine. The sacred is that which pertains to God, as distinguished from what pertains to human beings (catholicculture.org, n.d). Ritual in the Catholic faith is essential as it provides stability, communication between God and participants and overall enhancement of religious life. Rituals such as Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Marriage, Eucharist and Reconciliation are crucial to the Catholic relationship with God throughout the stages of life.…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays