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1. Introduction

As we enter this new phase of discussion, it is crucial to reflect on the results of our previous chapters and outline the intentions of the forthcoming ones. The theologians of the Reformation distinguished between the formal principle (the Bible) and the material principle (the doctrine of justification by faith) in theology. A similar distinction can be applied to the contents of this volume. Thus far, we have dealt with the reality of religion from its inception to its culmination in Christian salvation. While describing and advocating for the Christian experience, doctrine was inevitably included. However, our primary aim has been to trace the ways by which Jehovah has revealed Himself in truth and grace to humanity, and how humanity has found itself in Jehovah through faith, hope, and love. Religion implies a theology, as certain intellectual concepts are inherent in Christian experience; our present task is to make these concepts explicit.

The older evangelical orthodoxy placed creed before experience, considering theology the productive factor in religion, hence speaking of a saving knowledge. In Scotland, instruction and examination in the Shorter Catechism preceded admission to church membership. Today, our stance is that as life precedes biology, so religion must precede theology; a person must be saved by Christ before they can comprehend God or themselves in a Christian manner.

2. Jesus and the Christian View of God

Jesus claimed to know and make God known as Father. Consequently, the Christian view of God is that God is love, and in relation to humanity, this love is expressed as Fatherhood. Jesus’ certainty can inspire similar confidence in Christian believers, who can maintain that confidence despite challenges from contemporary thought. Christian Apologetics must rise to these challenges and demonstrate that this conception of God is the most reasonable.

Within the limits of this volume, we must select topics carefully. Thus, we will not undertake the task of philosophical theism to argue against agnosticism or skepticism that God can be known, or against materialism that matter-in-motion accounts for life, mind, order, or progress in the world. Instead, we will focus on refuting pantheistic tendencies that deny God’s personality and semi-pantheistic thoughts that hesitate to assign personality to God. The Christian belief in God’s Fatherhood implies a personal God, transcendent as well as immanent in the world.

3. The Personal Nature of God

Man, as a personal being with a mind that thinks, a heart that feels, and a will that acts, assumes that in communion with God, he is related to a personal reality. Mind apprehends mind, heart responds to heart, and will aligns with or opposes will. Man’s aspiration to be satisfied with God’s love is met by a self that loves. While personality is a unity, we can distinguish the functions of thinking, feeling, and willing. In this unity, we find that if man thinks of God as personal, it does not mean God is limited and imperfect like man. God’s mind thinks truth, His heart feels blessedness, His will acts holily, and His love is perfect. To avoid speaking of God as personal, some use phrases like “the infinite and eternal Spirit of truth, blessedness, holiness, love,” but this is meaningless. Truth, blessedness, holiness, and love imply a subject that thinks, feels, wills, and gives itself.

Man’s thought of God as personal and transcendent is necessary for understanding God’s moral transcendence. God must be thought of as not only stronger than physical forces but also morally superior. This necessity is reinforced by religious consciousness and philosophical intellect. If God is only the Universe viewed from another perspective, the concept of God explains nothing. For the religious consciousness, reinforced by philosophical intellect, both metaphysical and moral transcendence of God are necessary.

4. The Progressive Revelation of God

The Christian faith holds that revelation is progressive, reaching its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. His assurance of being the Son of God and the revelation of the Fatherhood of God culminate in the highest idea of God and the best ideal of manhood. Through Christ, believers experience forgiveness and renewal as children of God. This revelation is redemptive, delivering humanity from sin and assuring deliverance from evil. Christians continue to hope for the perfect manifestation of God’s Kingdom, with the pledge of its fulfillment in their own salvation in Christ.

It is rational to believe that God, acting freely in nature, provides pledges of a higher order. These pledges include the forgiveness of sin, deliverance from evil, and bestowments of good that cannot be explained by our current knowledge of the natural order.

5. The Emotional and Practical Elements of Religion

In dealing with the conception of religion, the emotional and practical elements must be recognized alongside the intellectual. Mythology, prayer, and sacrifice do not constitute religion unless they involve emotion and a sense of the divine presence. Piety exists when the divine inhabits and possesses not only the world but also the self. R. Otto describes religion as the experience and inclination towards the mysterious, breaking through life’s depths and becoming a powerful impulse driving humanity towards purity and clarity. This impulse is demonic in power, setting itself free from obscure representations, secret knowledge, and potent interest. Without this impulse and the supporting feeling, the history of religion cannot be written.

6. The Historical and Literary Credibility of Christianity

Christianity presents itself as a historical reality recorded and interpreted in literary sources. Christian Apologetics must address the credibility of these sources, affirming the historical reality of divine revelation and human redemption in Christ. This involves utilizing the comparative study of religions to show Christianity’s superiority and understanding the necessities and possibilities of human religious nature. The philosophy of religion must vindicate the value of religion, and the philosophy of theism must validate the idea of God. Both, under the illumination and inspiration of the Christian faith, lead to Christ.

7. Conclusion

The primary source of the distinctive Christian ideal is the teaching and example of Jesus. While the apostles developed what Jesus taught, they did not add substantially new elements to Christian duty, except in how it applied within the Christian society. Despite challenges to Jesus’ morality, the Christian ideal remains original, fulfilling existing moral customs and standards. Paul’s view of the Christian Church and its members’ functions is a significant contribution to Christian thought.

In conclusion, the Christian ideal, rooted in Jesus’ teaching and example, continues to challenge and inspire believers. It remains a powerful force for moral and spiritual growth, demonstrating the truth and worth of the Christian faith.

About the Author

Alfred Ernest Garvie was a Congregational minister and seminary professor. He is the author of The Ritschlian Theology and A Handbook of Christian Apologetics.