What are the essentials? What are the non-essentials?
What's interesting if you study church history is that certain doctrines were pounded out long ago, while others are still up for some debate. It can be very interesting to see just what has been done. Here's how I see it.
What was first determined was Theology proper (the nature of God), Trinity, Christology (Christ as God-Man) and Bibliology (the nature of the Bible and the canon). This was all done in the first few centuries. Then as the Middle Ages progressed we have the study of Soteriology (salvation in all its tenses). To this we add Hamartiology (the study of sin) which is closely linked to Anthropology (the study of mankind). Most of these doctrines were pounded out up to and including the Reformation. In the last few centuries Christians have debated Ecclesiology (the nature of the church, sacraments) Pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit and His application to the life of a Christian) and Eschatology (the study of the end times). Why do we have so much debate about Eschatology? We're in the time period of when it's studied. I love the Refomers, but their systematic theologies on Eschatology are anemic. 50 pages on the end times and 1000 pages on salvation.
This is not to say that there isn't debate throughout the centuries, but the study of church history gives a clue as to why we debate the things we do. Sure, there's Trinitarian debate, but that's because there are Christian cults and wherever there is deviation, the essence of God is attacked, but there won't arise any new heresies about God's nature that haven't been dealt with.
When I look at the bigger picture I can see more of what God is doing, and it comforts me. Peace my friends
What's interesting if you study church history is that certain doctrines were pounded out long ago, while others are still up for some debate. It can be very interesting to see just what has been done. Here's how I see it.
What was first determined was Theology proper (the nature of God), Trinity, Christology (Christ as God-Man) and Bibliology (the nature of the Bible and the canon). This was all done in the first few centuries. Then as the Middle Ages progressed we have the study of Soteriology (salvation in all its tenses). To this we add Hamartiology (the study of sin) which is closely linked to Anthropology (the study of mankind). Most of these doctrines were pounded out up to and including the Reformation. In the last few centuries Christians have debated Ecclesiology (the nature of the church, sacraments) Pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit and His application to the life of a Christian) and Eschatology (the study of the end times). Why do we have so much debate about Eschatology? We're in the time period of when it's studied. I love the Refomers, but their systematic theologies on Eschatology are anemic. 50 pages on the end times and 1000 pages on salvation.
This is not to say that there isn't debate throughout the centuries, but the study of church history gives a clue as to why we debate the things we do. Sure, there's Trinitarian debate, but that's because there are Christian cults and wherever there is deviation, the essence of God is attacked, but there won't arise any new heresies about God's nature that haven't been dealt with.
When I look at the bigger picture I can see more of what God is doing, and it comforts me. Peace my friends