720 Module 2 Notes

 Paul's comprehensive teaching agenda focused on truth, honor, purity, and Christian virtues.  Paul emphasized passing on teachings to others, and his sacrifices contributed to world evangelism. Apostles' Legacy and Church Foundation:  Key Quote: " In partnership with the Holy Spirit, the apostles established the foundation for the church that remains throughout the world to this day ."  Tradition mentions apostles spreading throughout the world, writing letters in the New Testament.  The Didache, a church manual, provided instructions for new believers, covering various aspects of Christian life and church organization. Catechumenal Instruction:  Key Quote: " As new believers were added to the church, some systematic form of instruction was necessary to ensure authenticity of faith and consistency in practice ."  People with the gift of teaching provided training for new believers.  Catechism emerged to impart systematic instruction and consistency in faith. Catechism Curriculum:  Key Quote: " All truth is God’s truth " (credited to Augustine).  Early church education focused on the Lord’s Prayer, Apostle’s Creed, and later, the Ten Commandments.  Augustine emphasized the integration of all truth with God's truth. The Catechumenate:  Key Quote: " The words catechism and catechumen are derived from the Greek word that is translated 'instruct' " (occurring seven times in the New Testament).  Catechumens underwent a two-to-three-year preparation with three levels: hearers, kneelers, and the chosen.  Probationary course became necessary for reasons like instructing non-Jewish converts and ensuring doctrinal purity. Catechetical and Cathedral Schools:

 Three types of Christian educators: Encouragers (church fathers), Apologists, and Polemics.  Challenges included heresies threatening to divide the church.  These leaders dedicated themselves to providing resources for the church's spiritual maturity.  The education environment was profoundly Hellenistic and pagan, necessitating engagement with Greek and Latin literature for a rational defense of Christianity. Philosophical Heresies in the Early Church:  Key Quote: " How vast the spectacle that day, how wide! ... those sages the philosophers blushing before their disciples as they blaze together, the disciples whom they taught that God was concerned with nothing ."  Society grew more secular and pagan, leading to heretical philosophies.  Tertullian expressed disdain for philosophers' teachings contradicting Scriptures.  Roman Empire became a breeding ground for heresies like Gnosticism, Docetism, Manichaeism, Neo-Platonism, Marcionism, and Arianism. Gnosticism:  Key Quote: " Gnosticism had its roots in a platonic dualism ."  Believed physical matter was evil; spirit was superior.  God as a spirit disassociated from material substance.  Implications for Christ's deity; challenged in Paul's letters and John's epistle. Docetism:  Variation of Gnosticism; Christ seen as a purer form of god.  Believed Jesus was a phantom image, not a real human being.  Denied Christ's association with evil physical matter. Manichaeism:  Founded by Mani, held a dualistic view of man.  Salvation depicted in a struggle between light and darkness.  Ascetic lifestyle; strict abstinence from pleasure.  Augustine refuted this philosophy in his book Against Manichaeans.

Life Under Feudalism:  Key Quote: " A relatively bleak and desperate time unless you were fortunate enough to know the right person who would appoint you to become the lord of a manor or the priest over a church. "  Opinions differ; modern media portrays chivalry, but a more historically accurate view is bleak.  Vassals wanted more power, leading to infighting and the undermining of the feudal system.  Life depended on connections for appointments as lords or priests. Education in the Age of Chivalry:  Four stages of education during the Middle Ages.  Key Quote: " In time, the feudal system was undermined by political and economic infighting. "  Nobility children needed education in governance, land management, and military techniques.  Stages: Home learning, page at seven, squire at fourteen, and knighthood at twenty-one.  Emphasis on physical and mental development, including music, fencing, hunting, swimming, and jousting. Feudalism's Influence on the Church:

Motivations for Monastic Life:  Key Quote: "Edward Burns states the reasons for its popularity as being fivefold." 1. Desire to protest against the increasing worldliness of the church, opposing the luxurious lives of some clergy. 2. Choice of self-torture as a substitute for martyrdom due to the abandonment of Roman persecution. 3. Desire to set an example of exalted piety and unselfishness for weaker brethren, raising the general level of morality and piety. 4. Influence of Oriental religions, especially Gnosticism and Manicheism, with their spiritualism, contempt for the world, and degradation of the body. 5. Influence of pessimistic and defeatist philosophies like Cynicism and Neo-Platonism, teaching contempt for society and the exaltation of the recluse life. Monastic Education Curriculum:  Key Quote: "At first, the curriculum of education in a monastery was designed to train and equip young men for the priesthood."  Initially focused on training men for the priesthood.  Broadened to include non-vocational instruction.  Emphasis on religious instruction in the Word of God, prayer, fasting, and meditation.  Regular vesper services involving Scripture reading, chants, and exposition of the Word in Latin.  Instruction in the seven liberal arts, including grammar, rhetoric, dialectic, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy.  Key Monastery Schools: Tours (France), Fulda (Germany), Jarrow (Northern England), Monte Cassino (Italy), Iona (Scotland), Clonmacnois (England).  Dominated the European educational system from the sixth to the eleventh centuries. Background of Muslim Expansion and Papal Response:  Key Quote: "The portion of the former Roman Empire in North Africa that was dominated by Muslims began to expand."  Muslims conquered Syria and Palestine in the seventh century.  Threat to Western church pilgrims due to mistreatment and persecution by Muslims.  Jerusalem fell to Seljuk Turks in 1071; Byzantine church appealed for help.

 Peter Abelard (1079–1142):  Bold theologian and philosopher; opinions declared heretical.  Known for dialectic skill; ability to argue and debate publicly.  Unfortunate ending: forced out of public instruction, became a monk, faced turmoil.  Thomas Aquinas (1225–74):  Viewed as the greatest theologian and philosopher of the Middle Ages.  Born in Roccasecca, southern Italy; joined the Dominican order.  Studied under Albert Magnus; sought to reconcile Aristotle with theology.  Integrated faith and reason; emphasized the superiority of faith.  Developed Neo-Thomism educational philosophy: blend theory and practice.  Advocated for the integration of biblical teaching with daily living.  Distinguished between philosophy and theology; revealed and natural theology.  Overcame anti-intellectualism with an emphasis on the integration of faith and reason. Structure of Medieval Universities:  Preliminary education focused on grammar, basic arithmetic, and Latin language.  Entrance to university at age fourteen; matriculation four years later.  Students placed under the authority of a master who served as an academic parent.  Structure of the medieval university similar to contemporary institutions.  Colleges served as residence halls; faculty determined curriculum and academic standards.  Rector oversaw quality control; graduate degrees achieved after additional years of instruction.  Letter from a student to parents highlights the need for financial assistance at the university. Lessons from the Middle Ages for Contemporary Ministry: 1. Stay Focused:  Key Quote: "The church became too distracted in its own quest for survival to care about the current spiritual needs of its members."  Separation of church and state as a valuable principle.  Conflict of interest between civil government and church harms the people.

 Offering everything in worship to God as a means to experience His power in every dimension of life.  The importance of teaching believers to live for God beyond church activities. BECOMING BILINGUAL  Key Quote: "Christians need to learn how to be bilingual, translating the perspective of the gospel into language understood by our culture."  Encourages Christians to actively translate their faith into the language of the culture.  Highlights the challenge faced by Christian students in expressing their faith perspective in public settings. THE FAITH GAP  Key Quote: "Most evangelicals have little training in how to frame Christian worldview principles in a language applicable in the public square."  Polls indicate a disconnect between private faith and its impact on public life.  Privatization of religion and the widening gap between public and private realms. DISCONNECTED DEVOTION  Key Quote: "Even when evangelicals do try to influence the public sphere, their main strategy is to import activities from the private sphere."  Evangelicals demonstrate strong personal commitment but struggle to articulate a Christian worldview in public issues.  Lack of engagement in developing a comprehensive Christian perspective on work, business, and politics. CHRISTIAN SCHIZOPHRENIA  Key Quote: "To break free of this destructive thought pattern, we need to understand where it came from, identify the forms it has taken, and trace the way it became woven into the pervasive patterns of our thinking."  Traces the historical influence of Greek thought, particularly Plato's dualism, on Christian thinking.  Identifies a two-story view of reality, with the material realm considered inferior to the spiritual realm.

 Contrasts Greek dualism with the biblical perspective, emphasizing God as the sole source of creation.  Affirms that every part of creation reflects God's character and original goodness.  Rejects the notion of inherently evil parts of creation, advocating a deep love for the world as God's handiwork. Fall: Where to Draw the Line  The Fall has a cosmic scope and has affected not only humanity but also the natural world.  Evil and disorder result from human sin, distorting God's good creation for evil purposes.  The line between good and evil runs through the human heart, not dividing different parts of creation.  The distinction between structure (the created character of the world) and direction (how structures are directed to serve God or idols) is crucial. Examples of Distortion:  Music, art, science, sexuality, work, and the state are all good creations of God but can be distorted and directed towards sinful purposes.  The need to distinguish between the original structure created by God and the distortions caused by sin. Redemption: After the Great Divorce  God's ultimate promise is a new heavens and a new earth, where earthly life will be fully sanctified.  Our physical bodies will be resurrected and restored, and we will dwell in a new earth.  Every valid vocation has its counterpart in the new heavens and new earth, giving our work eternal significance. Holistic Vision of Creation, Fall, and Redemption:  Rejects the secular/sacred split, emphasizing that all of creation was originally good and affected by the Fall.  Redemption aims to fulfill and enhance God's good creation, not to negate it.  All aspects of life, including work, have eternal significance in this holistic Christian worldview.

Christianity Out of Balance  Identifies dualistic thinking in Christianity, where certain groups overemphasize Creation, Fall, or Redemption.  Criticizes the overemphasis on the Fall in evangelistic messages, calling for a balanced starting point with Creation.  Highlights the need for pre-evangelism, using apologetics to defend basic concepts before presenting the gospel. Serving Two Masters:  Discusses the nature/grace dualism, where reason is considered spiritually neutral in certain areas of life.  Argues against the idea that reason is neutral, emphasizing that all human nature is affected by the Fall.  Warns against the danger of accepting secularism and naturalism under the guise of neutrality. All Together Now:  Creation, Fall, and Redemption serve as diagnostic tools for a biblical theology and a way to overcome the secular/sacred dichotomy.  Calls for a balanced understanding of these principles and rejects the fragmentation between faith and the rest of life.  Emphasizes the promise of Christianity for an integrated life transformed on every level by the Holy Spirit.

Pearcey, Chapter 3 KEEPING RELIGION IN ITS PLACE  Summary:  Many Christian lawyers compartmentalize faith and law, keeping them separate.  The Alliance Defense Fund addresses this by training lawyers in a Christian approach to law.  Christian lawyers, despite personal beliefs, often adopt secular mindsets in their professional lives.  The concept of being "professional" has been secularized, pressuring believers to adopt a naturalistic approach.  The historical "secular revolution" affected various aspects of American culture, privatizing Christianity.  Key Quote: "Most Christian lawyers keep their faith in one pocket... and they keep the law in the other. Their ability to integrate the two is very poor." - Alan Sears REASON UNBOUND Descartes and Mechanistic Universe  Summary:  Descartes' dichotomy between matter and mind unintentionally led to a mechanistic universe.  Descartes aimed to defend the human spirit but ended up emphasizing a mechanistic conception of the universe.  Key Quote: "What survived was not his defense of the human spirit but his mechanistic conception of the universe." - Walker Percy Newtonian Physics and Enlightenment  Summary:  Newtonian physics portrayed nature as a deterministic machine.  Religious conflicts during the sixteenth century led many to see science, not religion, as the path to unity.  Key Quote: "Nature began to be pictured as a huge machine, governed by natural laws as strictly as the gears of a clock." Kant's Dichotomy  Summary:  Kant introduced a dualism between nature (deterministic) and freedom (autonomous self).  The upper story (freedom) and lower story (nature) became increasingly contradictory, leading to a paradox.  Key Quote: "In short, the lower story is what we know; the upper story is what we can’t help believing." Fact versus Value  Summary:

 Darwinism completed the naturalistic worldview, making it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.  The divide between fact (publicly verifiable truth) and value (socially constructed meanings) became prominent.  Key Quote: "Darwin made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist." SECULAR LEAP OF FAITH  The fact/value dichotomy is pervasive in American education, with postmodernism dominating humanities and social studies, while science maintains the ideal of objective truth.  Students often accept science as facts and morality as values, leading to a split worldview.  Contemporary thinkers like Steven Pinker grapple with a dilemma: materialistic science denies the basis for moral freedom, yet ethical theory relies on it.  Pinker, representing a two-realm theory, holds both sides of the contradiction, toggling between a mechanistic lower story and a moral upper story.  Pinker's stance is described as a "leap of faith" or "mysticism," acknowledging a tension between scientific naturalism and affirming moral ideals without a basis. Quotes:  "They are perfectly willing to believe in objective truth in science, or even in history sometimes, but certainly not in ethics or morality." - Peter Kreeft  "A human being is simultaneously a machine and a sentient free agent, depending on the purposes of the discussion." - Steven Pinker  "Consciousness and free will seem to suffuse the neurobiological phenomena at every level." - Steven Pinker WAR OF WORLDVIEWS  Examples like Marvin Minsky and John Searle illustrate thinkers making a leap of faith to reconcile their materialistic philosophy with the reality of human experience.  The contradiction between a mechanistic lower story and human agency in the upper story is a common pattern.  Postmodern age tragedy: fundamental aspects like freedom, dignity, meaning reduced to useful fictions, forcing individuals into existential tension.  The two-story dichotomy results from the aggressive expansion of the fact realm, leading to a split in a person's inner life.

Quotes:  "The physical world provides no room for freedom of will... We’re virtually forced to maintain that belief, even though we know it’s false." - Marvin Minsky  "We can’t give up our conviction of our own freedom, even though there’s no ground for it." - John Searle  "The things that matter most in life... have been reduced to nothing but useful fictions. Wishful thinking. Irrational mysticism." - Narrator YOUR WORLDVIEW IS TOO SMALL  Recognizing the symbiotic relationship between the two stories: the lower story of scientific naturalism provides no ground for upper-story beliefs.  A person's worldview is considered too "small" when it fails to explain some aspects of human nature, forcing individuals to switch paradigms in ordinary life.  The Christian worldview, rooted in the image of God, is presented as providing a solid foundation for human ideals without requiring an irrational leap of faith. Quotes:  "The lower story 'eats up' the upper story, dissolving away all traditional concepts of morality and meaning." - Narrator  "Although man may say that he is no more than a machine, his whole life denies it." - Narrator IMPERIALISTIC "FACTS"  The fact/value dichotomy is discussed in the context of reductionism, where the lower story (scientific materialism) is depicted as "eating up" the upper story.  Concepts like the self and moral responsibility are under attack from cognitive science, with eliminative materialism dismissing consciousness itself.  The concept of a self becomes a convenient fiction despite scientific denial, and language about intentions and purposes is relegated to "folk psychology." Quotes:  "The physical world is a perfectly natural place... You and I are merely particles that have somehow evolved consciousness and a sense of personal identity." - John Searle  "It’s only an illusion that there’s a president in the Oval Office of the brain who oversees the activity of everything." - Steven Pinker

 "Folk psychology is useful if we keep in mind that it is 'a way of looking at things which is strictly speaking, or in some sense, false.'" - Narrator CONFLICTED ON CAMPUS  Key Quotes:  "On today’s university campus, the antagonism between them is almost palpable."  "In the hard sciences, an ideal of objective knowledge still holds sway."  "In the humanities and social sciences, the idea of objective truth is long since passé."  "75 percent of American college seniors said their professors teach that there is no such thing as right and wrong in a universal or objective sense."  Summary:  Conflict between fact and value realms on university campuses.  Hard sciences uphold objective knowledge, while humanities embrace post-modernism.  Post-modernism challenges Enlightenment concepts, attacking rationality and science.  Even scientific theories are reduced to culture-bound social constructs by postmodernism. LEFTOVERS FROM LIBERALISM  Key Quotes:  "Liberalism can be tough to pin down."  "Crucial flaw in liberalism is that it adopts the two-layer concept of truth."  "Liberal theology relegates theology to the upper story, disconnected from naturalism."  "Liberalism ends up borrowing an interpretative framework from external sources."  Summary:  Liberalism adopts a two-layer concept of truth.  Theology is relegated to the upper story, disconnected from historical facts.  Liberal theology borrows from external frameworks like existentialism, Marxism, feminism, etc.  It results in a subjective and contentless interpretation of Christianity. EVANGELISM TODAY

 Key Quotes:  "Arguments based on the historical reliability of the Bible work well when nonbelievers still function within an older framework."  "Religion is assumed to be a product of human subjectivity."  "The concept of spirituality has come to mean an experience devoid of doctrinal content."  "Faith is less about objective truth and more about personal experience and values."  Summary:  Traditional apologetics may be ineffective in a postmodern age.  Religion seen as subjective, with emphasis on personal experience over objective truth.  Spirituality replaces religion, emphasizing personal experience without doctrinal content.  Faith is often privatized, divorcing it from claims of objective truth. SPIRIT OF THE AGE  Key Quotes:  "The crucial challenge is to present Christianity as a unified, comprehensive truth."  "Many evangelicals shifted their beliefs to the upper story, holding them as subjective truths."  "Faith is divided between public and private, leading to a loss of credibility for religious institutions."  "Christians must make claims about reality, not just subjective experience."  Summary:  Challenge is to present Christianity as a unified truth applicable to all levels.  Evangelicals often hold beliefs as subjective truths, contributing to a loss of credibility.  The split between public and private faith diminishes the credibility of religious institutions.  Emphasis on values and subjective experience undermines the claim of Christianity as objective truth. C. S. LEWIS’S TRUE MYTH  Key Quotes:  "There is no division into contradictory, opposing levels of truth."  "Christianity fulfills both reason and spiritual yearnings."  "Christianity offers a unified truth that is intellectually satisfying and meets spiritual needs."

 "Christianity is true not only about a limited aspect of reality but about total reality."  Summary:  Lewis's journey illustrates the inner conflict caused by the two- story division.  Christianity resolves the split, offering a unified truth satisfying both reason and spiritual yearnings.  Christianity is presented as a comprehensive truth, not divided into contradictory levels.  The emphasis is on offering a unified and integral truth that meets intellectual and spiritual needs.

Pearcey, Chapter 4 SURVIVING THE SPIRITUAL WASTELAND  Christian Worldview Dimensions  Quote: "[A Christian worldview] involves three fundamental dimensions: the original good creation, the perversion of that creation through sin, and the restoration of that creation in Christ." - Albert Wolters  Highlights the importance of understanding the Christian worldview to protect against unknowingly absorbing alien philosophies.  Encounter with Alien Philosophies  Quote: "Always [be] prepared to make a defense...” - Peter (1 Pet. 3:15)  Emphasizes the need for apologetics to defend Christianity against challenges and urges Christians to translate theology into contemporary language.  Importance of Apologetics for Survival  Quote: "Today basic apologetics has become a crucial skill for sheer survival."  Stresses the significance of apologetics in preventing the loss of faith among Christian teenagers in secular environments. MYSTIQUE OF THE FORBIDDEN  Counterculture Exploration  Quote: "Like many others caught up in the counterculture... truth was relative and subjective."  Describes the author's exploration of Eastern thought, existentialism, and experimentation with drugs during the counterculture era.  Encounter with Francis Schaeffer  Quote: "Strange as it seems in retrospect, I first read Francis Schaeffer’s Escape from Reason because I thought it sounded like yet another book on drugs."  Illustrates a misconception and subsequent realization of Schaeffer's contrary message about postmodern irrationality.  Apologetics for Intellectual Survival  Quote: "Without the tools of apologetics, young people can be solidly trained in Bible study and doctrine, yet still flounder helplessly."  Emphasizes the need for apologetics in intellectual survival against secular ideologies in universities.

NOT A SMOKESCREEN  Intellectual Questions vs. Spiritual Problems  Quote: "Intellectual questions are not always merely a smokescreen for spiritual or moral problems."  Challenges the stereotype that intellectual doubts are a cover for spiritual issues and calls for honest answers to honest questions.  Role of Pastors and Youth Leaders  Quote: "The church needs to redefine the mission of pastors and youth leaders to include training in apologetics and worldview."  Advocates for expanding the role of pastors and youth leaders to include apologetics training and addressing intellectual challenges. HANDS-ON WORLDVIEW  Creation, Fall, Redemption Framework  Quote: "Let’s move now to the heart of this section of the book, giving you a chance to practice hands-on worldview construction."  Introduces the Creation, Fall, Redemption framework and its application to various aspects of life.  Application to Education  Quote: "Education should seek to address all aspects of the human person."  Applies the framework to education, emphasizing the importance of addressing both the dignity and fallen nature of children.  Application to Family  Quote: "The biblical doctrine of creation tells us the family is a social pattern that is original and inherent in human nature itself."  Utilizes the framework to discuss the family, rejecting utopian schemes and emphasizing the biblical perspective on the family.  Mobilizing the Trinity  Quote: "The Rosetta Stone of Christian social thought is the Trinity."  Discusses the Trinity as a model for human social life, balancing unity and diversity, and providing coherence to social theory. Creation, Fall, and Redemption Framework:

Creation:  Quote: "Translated into worldview terms, Creation refers to ultimate origins."  Quote: "Where did it all come from? Who are we, and how did we get here?"  Key Points:  All worldviews need a theory of origins.  Questions about ultimate origins and human existence. Fall:  Quote: "Every worldview also offers a counterpart to the Fall, an explanation of the source of evil and suffering."  Quote: "What has gone wrong with the world? Why is there warfare and conflict?"  Key Points:  All worldviews address the origin of evil and suffering.  Explanation of what went wrong and the existence of conflict. Redemption:  Quote: "Finally, to engage people’s hearts, every world-view has to instill hope by offering a vision of Redemption."  Quote: "An agenda for reversing the 'Fall' and setting the world right again."

 Key Points:  Every worldview must provide hope and a vision for setting things right.  Addressing the solution to the problems identified in the Fall. Marx’s Heresy: Creation:  Quote: "For Karl Marx, the ultimate creative power was matter itself."  Quote: "The material universe is dynamic, containing within itself the power of motion, change, and development."  Key Points:  Marx's counterpart to Creation is self-creating matter.  Dynamic material universe with dialectical materialism. Fall:  Quote: "How did humanity fall from this state of innocence into slavery and oppression? Through the creation of private property."  Quote: "From this economic 'Fall' arose all the evils of exploitation and of class struggle."  Key Points:  Marx identifies the Fall as the creation of private property.  Evil and class struggle result from this economic Fall.

Redemption:  Quote: "Redemption comes about by reversing the original sin—in this case, destroying the private ownership of property."  Quote: "The 'redeemer' is the proletariat, the urban factory workers, who will rise up in revolution against their capitalist oppressors."  Key Points:  Redemption involves destroying private property.  Proletariat's revolution as the means of redemption. Marxism’s Influence: Creation:  Quote: "Humanity is defined by the way we relate to matter—the way we manipulate it and make things out of it to meet our needs."  Quote: "Marx’s materialism explains economic determinism— everything is built upon economic relations."  Key Points:  Human nature defined by the relationship to matter and means of production.  Economic determinism as a crucial aspect of Marxist creation.

Fall:  Quote: "Marx does not identify the ultimate source of evil as a moral failing but locates it in social and economic relations."  Quote: "Solution is to change those relations through revolution."  Key Points:  Evil is in social and economic relations, not moral failing.  Change through revolution, transforming human nature. Redemption:  Quote: "Day of judgment in Marxism is the day of revolution, when the evil bourgeoisie will be condemned."  Quote: "Marxism 'is a secularized vision of the kingdom of God'—a program for creating a new humanity and world."  Key Points:  Revolution as the day of judgment in Marxism.  Marxism as a secularized vision of redemption and a new world. Rousseau and Revolution:  Key Quote: "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains."  Rousseau's worldview is centered around the concept of the "state of nature," where individuals are autonomous, disconnected, and driven by self-preservation.  Social relationships are considered artificial and oppressive, with personal bonds like marriage, family, church, and workplace seen as oppressive chains.  Influence: His ideas influenced figures like Robespierre, Marx, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, Mao, and even Pol Pot. Creation:

 Starting Point: Rousseau's philosophy starts with the "state of nature," influenced by the ideas of disconnected, atomistic individuals, similar to Hobbes and Locke.  Alternative to Garden of Eden: The state of nature serves as a new myth of origins, challenging the biblical account and proposing a new view of civil society grounded in a new creation story. Fall:  Source of Fall: In Rousseau's view, the Fall is civilization itself, where social ties become oppressive, especially those not based on individual choice.  The only acceptable social bond is the contract, where individuals are free to choose the terms, rejecting traditional moral bonds imposed by religion or tradition. Redemption:  Source of Redemption: Rousseau proposes that the state can liberate individuals by destroying all social ties, making each citizen completely independent of others and solely dependent on the state.  This idea is revolutionary, leading to totalitarian systems where the state becomes the ultimate authority. Sanger’s Religion of Sex:  Key Quote: "Through sex, mankind will attain the great spiritual illumination which will transform the world."  Margaret Sanger, a champion of birth control, presented a worldview rooted in Darwinism, Social Darwinism, and eugenics.  Creation Myth: Sanger's creation myth is evolution, both biological and Social Darwinism, locating human identity in the biological and natural.  Fall: According to Sanger, the rise of Christian morality is the source of social and personal dysfunctions.  Redemption: Sanger offers sexual liberation as a means of healing and wholeness, presenting it as a messianic promise for personal and societal transformation. Buddhist in the Sky:  Fall in Pantheism: The source of evil and suffering in Eastern pantheism is our sense of individuality, which leads to greed, selfishness, and conflict.

 Redemption in Pantheism: Reunion with the Universal Spiritual Essence is the solution to the problem of evil and suffering in pantheism, achieved through various spiritual exercises. Worldview Missionaries:  To fulfill the Great Commission, Christians are called to be missionaries to their world, understanding and engaging with the thought-forms and language of the culture.  The grid of Creation, Fall, and Redemption provides a tool for comparing and contrasting worldviews, emphasizing the foundational role of the concept of Creation.

Kibbe, pages 77-89 ENTERING DISCUSSION  Keys to Entering the Discussion:  Listen and understand the tone, topic, and direction.  Politeness is crucial; avoid abrupt topic changes or repeating verbatim.  Contribution is essential; add value to the ongoing conversation.  Recognizing the Appropriate Time:  Your research is sufficient when sources interact with each other.  Ability to converse with sources indicates readiness.  Imagining participation in discussions with significant scholars is a sign.  Set a deadline; stop researching at least a week before the final deadline.  Articulating Thesis in the Discussion:  Answer key questions: Specific issue, current conversation, your argument, and how it fits.  Ensure your paper includes these answers. QUESTIONS TO ASK SECONDARY SOURCES: 1. Arguments for and against my thesis? 2. Does my thesis withstand counterarguments? QUESTIONS TO ASK PRIMARY SOURCES: 1. Identify overlooked issues in primary sources. 2. Ensure your argument aligns with the entirety of the primary source. ENTERING THE DISCUSSION: MARK AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD  Investigated interpretations of Mark 15's veil tearing.  Chose a standard for evaluating interpretations based on Mark 1 and Mark 12–13.  Discovered a third text in Mark 15:38 supporting interpretation.  Thesis: Interpret the veil tearing considering baptism, conflict, and Jesus' last breath. ENTERING THE DISCUSSION: CALVIN’S DOCTRINE OF ACCOMMODATION  Explored Calvin's doctrine in Exodus 19–34 theophanies.

 Focused on God's presence at Sinai for clarity.  Integrated Calvin’s doctrine with modern interpretations.  Thesis: Calvin’s doctrine benefits understanding Sinai narratives and speaking well of God. Keys to Entering the Discussion (Summary): 1. Contribution to the discussion is essential. 2. Recognize the right time to participate. 3. Clearly articulate how your thesis fits into the ongoing discourse. ESTABLISHING POSITION  Keys to Establishing Position:  Thesis is crucial; it shapes every aspect of the paper.  Every word, phrase, and paragraph should contribute to the thesis.  Cut out anything that doesn't align with the chosen thesis direction.  Starting Your Paper:  Avoid starting too soon; notes and arguments are fine, but wait for a developed thesis.  Let research mold the thesis and then let the thesis shape the paper.  Entering Existing Conversation:  Your research paper should engage in an ongoing conversation about the chosen topic.  Demonstrate awareness, understanding, and participation in this conversation.  Seeking Help:  Don't hesitate to seek assistance:  Professors may offer feedback before the final draft.  Teaching assistants can help with sources and arguments.  Librarians assist in locating sources and using databases.  Writing centers may provide editors for paper review. CONCLUSION  Steps of the Research Process:  Find direction.  Gather sources.  Understand issues.  Enter discussion.  Establish position.  Satisfaction in Progress:

 Moving from chaos to order, confusion to clarity, ignorance to understanding is deeply satisfying.  Analogous to the transition from a pile of boards to a functional desk.  Encouragement and Hope:  The book aims not only to enable theological research but also to make it enjoyable.  Acknowledges the challenges but believes that research can be fun.  Reader's Position:  For those starting their research project: Go back to step one and gather primary sources.  For those at the end of the project: Reflect on the gained confidence in a clear thesis reflected in both the paper and life.