1. Christian Theology 101

2. What Christianity is all about
The Problem: Sin (not sins) – a state of separation from God, from each other, and from our true self Solution: An end to this separation. This is made possible through the person and work of Jesus Christ Image of God: Though made in the “image of God,” that image is hard to find as it is buried under ego.

3. Theological Language

4. The Resurrection of Jesus
Bodily? Or Existential?

5. Who is this Jesus?
Christology – The study of the person and the saving work of Jesus Christ

6. The Incarnation (the divinity of Jesus) – The claim that in the person, life, teaching, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth God is most clearly, fully, and powerfully made known

7. But what does it mean to say Jesus is divine?

8. What God was The Word Was
Jesus is called:
Wisdom of God
Word of God
Image of God
Face of God
Son of God
Lamb of God
The New Adam

9. Chalcedon Creed 451 A.D Jesus is one person
That person is both fully divine and fully human

10. The Trinity – The one God is made known to us in three primary ways, as the Father who creates us, the Son who guides and leads us, and the Holy Spirit within us and our community of faith

11. Atonement – The death of Jesus saves or the Life of Jesus saves?

12. Western Christianity
St. Augustine: Original Sin

13. Theories of Atonement The Substitution Theory
The Moral Influence Theory
St. Anselm 1095
Peter Abelard 1120

14. Main Branches of Christianity: Roman Catholicism
Big ideas:
1) The Church as teaching authority
2) The Church as Sacramental agent
3) A Major Role for The Virgin Mary

15. Catholic Sacraments

16. Transubstantiation

17. Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Differences from Western Christianity:
1) rejects the Western notion of original sin.
2) It is not Christ's death, so much as the incarnation itself that brings us salvation.

18. The Eastern View Theosis
“God became a human being, so that human beings can become God.” We are saved by the Incarnation itself. Jesus shows us the image of God without blemish. When we live as Jesus did we restore the image of God in ourselves and become united to the Divine ground of our being.

19. Protestantism
Big ideas:
1) Faith alone
2) The Protestant Principle

21. Christianity today Conservative Theology Liberal Theology
The Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God
Evolution is not true. Rejects science
Substitution view of the death of Jesus
Other Religions are invalid
Abortion is wrong, homosexuality is immoral, women should not be clergy.
The Bible is 100% a human product. It is neither inerrant nor infallible. It is a human response to the divine, flawed but important.
Evolution is true. Accepts Science
Moral Influence view of the Atonement
All World Religions have value
Abortion is a woman’s choice, Homosexuality is not wrong at all, women should be allowed to be clergy.