Michael Horton s The Christian Faith An Outline (Rev. Shane Lems, February 2011) Introduction: The Dogma Is the Drama 1) Why Theology? a) Drama: The Greatest Story Ever Told b) Doctrine: The Grammar of Faith c) Doxology: Saying Amen! d) Discipleship: The Way of Christ in the World e) Putting It All Together: God s New Role for us in His Play 2) Why Systematic Theology? 3) Back to the Sources PART ONE: KNOWING GOD Chapter 1: Dissonant Dramas: Paradigms for Knowing God and the World 1) Dissonant Dramas: The Nature of Reality (p.36) a) Pantheism and Panentheism: Overcoming Estrangement b) Atheism and Deism: The Stranger We Never Meet 2) A Covenantal Account of Meeting a Stranger (p. 41) a) Defining the Model b) Defending the Model c) The Heart of the Model: A Covenantal Relationship 3) Epistemology: Knowing God (p. 47) a) How Can We Know God? Post Reformation Interpretation i) God s Incomprehensible Majesty b) The Sovereign Self: Variations on a Theme Chapter 2: The Character of Theology: A Theoretical or a Practical Science? 1) Seeing as Certainty: The Way of Vision (p.81) 2) Hear O Israel Covenantal Speech 3) Hearing is Believing 4) Theory and Practice (p. 94) a) The Theory-Practice Debate in Theology b) Faith and Reason c) Faith as Confidence in God s Promise: The Story is the Point 5) Theology as Wisdom for Invocation (p. 104) a) Wisdom Chapter 3: The Source of Theology: Revelation 1) Models of Revelation (p. 113) 2) Toward a Biblical Doctrine of Revelation a) Revelation Depends on Divine Initiative b) Revelation is a Speech Act c) Revelation Serves Redemption d) Propositions Without Propositionalism e) Revelation and Mediation (p. 126) f) Essence and Energies
g) Trial and Testimony 3) The Word of God (p. 135) a) The Word of God as Law and Gospel b) God s Revelation in Creation: General Revelation i) Scriptural Justification for General Revelation ii) Historical Interpretations of General Revelation iii) Karl Barth s Rejection of Natural Revelation (p. 146) Chapter 4: Scripture as Covenant Canon 1) God s Ruling Constitution: Word as Canon (p. 151) 2) Inspiration: God s Word and Human Words a) Trinitarian Cooperation in Inspiration b) God s Energies: Fiat and Fruitfulness c) Verbal-Plenary Inspiration d) Divine and Human Agency in Inspiration i) Undervaluing the Humanity of Scripture: The Docetic Temptation ii) The Gospel and the Priority of God s Agency in Inspiration e) Inspiration and Illumination (p. 167) f) Collapsing the Distinction Between Inspiration and Illumination 3) The Truthfulness of Scripture (p. 173) a) The Princeton Formulation of Inerrancy b) Inerrancy after Barth Chapter 5: The Bible and the Church: From Scripture to System 1) The Sufficiency of Scripture: Canon and Community (p. 186) a) Sola Scriptura: The Reformation Debate i) Roman Catholic Teaching ii) Reformation and Post-Reformation Interpretation b) Authority and Sufficiency of Scripture in Modern Theology c) Gospel and Culture (p. 201) 2) The Nature of Doctrine: From Scripture to System a) George Lindbeck s Models of Doctrine b) A Covenantal Model of Doctrine: From Drama to Dogmatics i) Scripture to Dogma ii) Creeds and Confessions PART TWO: THE GOD WHO LIVES Chapter 6: God: The Incommunicable Attributes 1) Names, Narratives, and Nouns (p. 223) 2) Incommunicable Attributes a. Simplicity b. Self-Existence c. Immutability i. Scriptural Support ii. Historical Definition iii. Modern Challenges (p. 238) iv. Exegetical Questions d. Impassibility
i. Defining Impassibility ii. Evaluating the Doctrine of Impassibility iii. Recent Criticism of Impassibility iv. Navigating Between Scylla and Charybdis e. Eternity and Omnipresence Chapter 7: God: The Communicable Attributes 1) Omniscience and Omnipotence: God s Knowledge, Wisdom, and Power (p. 259) a. Free Agents and the Infinite-Qualitative Distinction b. Sovereignty and Omniscience c. Sovereignty and Omnipresence 2) Goodness, Love, and Mercy 3) Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice (p. 268) 4) Jealousy and Wrath Chapter 8: The Holy Trinity 1) Biblical-Theological Development of Trinitarian Doctrine (p. 273) 2) Historical-Theological Formulation a. The Emergence of Christian Trinitarianism i. The Problems of Plurality in God ii. On the Way to Nicea: One in Essence, Three in Persons iii. East-West Tensions b. Reformed Contributions to Trinitarian Reflections (p. 288) c. The Trinity in Modern Theology i. Privileging the One ii. Privileging the Many 3) One and Many: Systematic-Theological Development a. Recognizing that All Definitions are Analogies (p. 299) b. Acknowledging the Distinctions of Subsistences with Their Own Attributes 4) The Filioque PART THREE: GOD WHO CREATES Chapter 9: The Decree: Trinity and Predestination 1) Drama to Doctrine to Doxology (p. 309) 2) Historical Interpretation of God s Decree 3) The Logical Order of God s Decree a. Traditional Reformed Interpretations b. Barth s Revised Supralapsarianism Chapter 10: Creation: God s Time For Us 1) Creation Ex Nihilo in Biblical Context (p. 324) 2) The Trinity and Creation 3) Creative Communication 4) The Integrity of Creation 5) Beyond God of the Gaps: Genesis and Scientific Apologetics (p. 337) a. The God of the Gaps Apologetic b. Design and Contingency 6) I Am the Alpha and the Omega: Original, Continual, and New Creation
Chapter 11: Providence: God s Care For All He Has Made 1) Cultural Challenges to the Doctrine of Providence (p. 353) 2) Systematic-Theological Categories for Understanding the Doctrine of Providence a. Direct/Indirect Cause: The Doctrine of Concursus b. The Revealed/Hidden Distinction (p. 362) c. Common Grace/Special Grace d. Providence/Miracle 3) Providence and Natural Revelation: The Meaning of History in Christ Chapter 12: Being Human 1) What Makes Us Human? The State of the Debate (p. 373) a. Platonism: The Distinguishing Spark b. A Lucky Animal: Materialist Anthropologies c. Distinctions without Dualism (p. 377) 2) The Self as Servant: What is the Image of God? a. Origins and Eschatology: The Parade of the Creature-Kings b. The Convergence of Human Personhood and the Imago: Here I Am c. Image and Embassy: The Imago as Gift and Task i. Sonship/Royal Dominion ii. Representation iii. Glory iv. Prophetic Witness 3) Angels (p. 406) Chapter 13: The Fall of Humanity 1) The Cosmic Trial (p. 408) a. False Witness b. False Representative 2) Verdict and Sentence: Solidarity in Adam a. Violation of the Covenant of Creation i. Testimony to the Covenant of Creation from Non-Christian Sources ii. Testimony to the Covenant of Creation from Christian Sources iii. Covenant of Love and Law, not Grace (p. 421) b. The Sanctions of the Covenant: Original Sin c. Natural and Moral Ability 3) The Permanence of the Image (p. 434) 4) Stay of Execution 5) Israel, My Beloved: Between the Two Adams PART FOUR: GOD WHO RESCUES Chapter 14: The Person of Christ 1) The Messianic Heir (p. 446) a. The Faithful Adam and True Israel b. Messianic Savior: Son of David c. Son of Man: Second Adam d. Servant of the Lord 2) Son of God: The Son of the Father in the Spirit
a. Sonship: Ontological and Official b. Preexistent Son 3) Two Natures in One Person: The Incarnation (p. 468) a. Exegetical Summary b. Dogmatic Development i. The First Controversies: God and Human? ii. Two Natures in One Person iii. Reformation Debates iv. Modern Christologies Chapter 15: The State of Humiliation: Christ s Threefold Office 1) Christ as Prophet (p. 483) 2) Christ as Priest a. Christ s Priestly Life b. Christ s Priestly Death: The Meaning of the Cross i. An Exegetical (Biblical Theological) Account of Christ s Cross 1. Lamb of God: Sacrifice and Satisfaction 2. Conquering Liberator: Victory over the Powers ii. Systematic Theology: Theories of the Atonement (p. 501) iii. Responding to Contemporary Criticism of Substitutionary Atonement iv. The Extent of Christ s Atonement Chapter 16: The State of Exaltation: The Servant Who is Lord 1) Resurrection and Royalty (p. 521) 2) Christ as King: The Ascension 3) The Significance of the Ascension 4) The King and His Kingdom (p. 535) a. Covenant and Kingdom b. The Kingdom and Eschatology PART FIVE: GOD WHO REIGNS IN GRACE Chapter 17: Called to be Saints: Christ s Presence in the Spirit 1) The Spirit of Promise (p. 551) a. The Holy Spirit in Creation and History b. The Spirit at Pentecost c. The Spirit s Ongoing Ministry: Fulfilling Christ s Pledge (Jn 14-16) (p. 556) i. Election and Effectual Calling ii. The State of the Controversy iii. Effectual Calling and the Bondage of the Will iv. Effectual Calling and Election (p. 565) v. Effectual Calling and the Question of Coercion vi. Regeneration as Effectual Calling vii. Conversion viii. Repentance ix. Faith (p. 580) x. Differing Conceptions of Faith xi. Faith and Assurance
Chapter 18: Union with Christ 1) The Nature of the Union (p. 588) a. Exegetical Development b. Historical Development i. Ancient Church to the Reformation ii. Reformation Views of the Mystical Union 2) Union Verses Fusion: Contrasting Paradigms (p. 602) 3) Nature and Grace a. Union with God verses Union with Christ (p. 605) b. Infused Habits c. Essence and Energies 4) Covenant and Conditionality (p. 615) Chapter 19: Forensic Aspects of Union with Christ: Justification and Adoption 1) Justification of the Ungodly (p. 620) a. The State of the Controversy i. The Reformation Debate ii. Divergences among Protestants iii. Justification in Modern and Contemporary Theology (p. 629) b. Defining Justification Exegetically i. Declarative (Judicial) Meaning ii. The Righteousness of God iii. Imputed Righteousness (p. 635) 2) Adoption: A New Status that Creates a New Relationship (p. 642) Chapter 20: The Way Forward in Grace: Sanctification and Perseverance 1) Holy to the Lord: Definitive and Progressive Sanctification (p. 650) a. Definitively Sanctified b. Progressively Sanctified 2) Eschatology: Simultaneously Justified and Sinful a. Avoiding an Underrealized Eschatology of Sanctification (p. 658) b. Avoiding an Overrealized Eschatology of Sanctification 3) Mortification and Vivification 4) Divine Grace and Human Activity (p. 662) a. Legalism b. Antinomianism (p. 673) 5) The Law and the Christian Life 6) Perseverance of the Saints a. Exegetical Overview b. Alternative Interpretations Chapter 21: The Hope of Glory (Romans 8:30) 1) Glorification: The Not Yet Aspect of Our Redemption (p. 689) 2) Differing Views of Glorification a. Eastern Orthodoxy: Theosis b. Reformed Theology 3) Deification and the Beatific Vision as Resurrection and Sabbath 4) The Golden Chain (p. 708)
Chapter 22: The Kingdom of Grace and the New Covenant Church 1) The Cultural Mandate and the Great Commission (p. 713) 2) Biblical-theological Development: Metaphors of the Church a. Suzerain and Vassal b. A Missionary People c. Remnant d. Family e. Bride f. City g. The Israel of God h. Body (p. 733) 3) Ecclesiologies in Historical Perspective a. Ecclesiology in the Ancient Church b. The Shaping of Medieval Ecclesiology (p. 739) c. Roman Catholic Ecclesiologies in the Modern Era d. Reformation Ecclesiologies e. Anabaptist, Free Church, and Pentecostal Ecclesiologies Chapter 23: Word and Sacrament: The Means of Grace 1) The Sacramental Word: Preaching as a Means of Grace (p. 751) a. The Church as the Creation of the Word b. God s Creative and Redemptive Speech c. The Word Creates Community d. Challenges to Preaching as Means of Grace (p. 761) 2) The Sacraments a. Historical-theological Examination of the Sacraments i. Ancient and Medieval Views ii. Anabaptist Views iii. Reformation Views iv. Contemporary Evangelical Views b. Identifying the Sacraments: How Many? (p. 771) i. OT Sacraments ii. NT Sacraments iii. Evaluating the Claims for Additional Sacraments c. Biblical Theological Examination of the Sacraments: Covenantal Ratification 3) Prayer Chapter 24: Baptism and the Lord s Supper 1) Baptism (p. 788) a. Circumcision and Baptism b. The Effect of Baptism c. The Mode and Administrators of Baptism d. The Proper Subjects: The Question of Infant Baptism 2) The Supper (p. 798) a. The Cup of Salvation: Supper in its Covenantal Context b. Historical Views of the Lord s Supper i. The Rise of the Dogma of Transubstantiation ii. The Lutheran View iii. The Reformed View c. Eucharist and Ecclesia (p. 824)
i. Separating the Sign from the Signified ii. Confusing Sign and Signified iii. Sign and Signified: Union without Confusion Chapter 25: The Attributes of the Church: Unity, Catholicity, and Holiness 1) The Many as One: Conflating Christ and the Church (p. 829) 2) The One as Many: Contrasting Christ and the Church 3) Finding Our Bearing, Locating Coordinates a. The Eschatological Coordinate b. The Covenantal Coordinate c. The Pneumatological Coordinate 4) Unity and Catholicity (p. 846) a. NT Presuppositions for Unity and Catholicity b. Visible and Invisible c. Covenant and Connectionalism 5) Ecclesial Holiness in Christ: The Church Sanctified Outside of Itself a. Nature and Grace: Historical Institution or Eschatological Event? b. Holy Service (p. 869) Chapter 26: Apostolicity: A Fellowship of Receivers and Deliverers 1) The Message and the Media (p. 873) 2) Apostolicity and Apostleship a. Differing Interpretations i. Binding Apostolicity to an Official Office ii. Separating Apostolicity from the Official Ministry b. Apostolicity in Covenantal Perspective i. Apostolicity Identified with the Apostolic Gospel: The End of an Era ii. The Diversity of Spiritual Gifts: Apostolicity and the General Office iii. The Importance of Church Office in the Ordinary Ministry (p. 887) c. Keys of the Kingdom: Ministry of Reconciliation PART SIX: GOD WHO REIGNS IN GLORY Chapter 27: A Dwelling Place 1) Death and the Intermediate State (p. 906) a. Creation-Consummation Versus the Immortality of the Soul i. Dualism and the Myth of the Exiled Soul ii. Physicalism/Materialism b. The Fall Versus the Naturalness of Death i. Immediate Conscious Existence in the Presence of the Lord ii. Opposition to Immediate Conscious Existence in the Presence of the Lord 2) The Resurrection of the Body Chapter 28: The Return of Christ and the Last Judgment 1) The History of the Future: Millenial Debates (p. 920) a. Early Jewish and Christian Eschatologies b. Ancient and Medieval Eschatologies c. Reformation Eschatologies d. Early Modern Eschatologies: Postmillenialism and Progress e. Later Modern Eschatologies: Premillenial Pessimism
f. Broader Trends in Contemporary Eschatology 2) Evaluating Millenial Perspectives Exegetically (p. 934) 3) Israel and the End Times 4) Antichrist and the Secret Rapture a. The Antichrist (p. 951) b. The Secret Rapture Chapter 29: The Last Battle and Life Everlasting 1) Holy War and the History of Redemption (p. 957) a. From Adam until Moses b. From the Prophets until Christ 2) Holy War and the Messianic Kingdom 3) Heaven and Hell a. Eternal Punishment i. Apokatastasis and Inclusivism (p. 977) ii. Annihilation b. Everlasting Shalom