MICHAEL HORTON THE CHRISTIAN FAITH A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way ABBREVIATIONS Ante-Nicene Fathers (ed. Alexander Roberts and James ANF Donaldson; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, repr. 1976) Walter Bauer, Frederick W. Danker, et al., A Greek-English BDAG Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (3rd ed.; Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 2000) Bibliotheca sacra Church Dogmatics Karl Barth, Church BSac Dogmatics (ed. G. W. Bromiley and T. F. Torrance; trans. G. W. Bromiley; Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1956 – 1975) Calvini opera, 59 volumes. In Corpus reformatorum (ed. C. G. CO Bretschneider, H. E. Bindseil, et al., vols. 29 – 87; New York: Johnson, repr. 1964) CTJ Calvin Theological Journal Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology (ed. James T. Elenctic Dennison Jr.; trans. George Musgrave Giger; Phillipsburg, Theology N.J.: P&R, 1992) HTR Harvard Theological Review John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (ed. J. T. Institutes McNeill; trans. Ford Lewis Battles; Philadelphia: Westminster, 1960) JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society JR Journal of Religion Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) LXX m. Pesah Mishnah, Pesah Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (ed. Philip Schaff et al.; 1st NPNF1 series; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, repr. 1982) Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (ed. Philip Schaff et al.; 2nd NPNF2 series; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, repr. 1982) Ioannis Calvini, Opera Selecta (ed. P. Barth and G. Niesel; 5 OS vols.; Munich: Kaiser, 1926 – 1936) Patrologia graeca (ed. J.-P Migne; 162 vols.; Paris, 1857 – PG 1886) Patrologia latina (ed. J.-P Migne; 217 vols.; Paris, 1844 – PL 1864) Richard Muller, Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics (2nd PRRD ed.; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003) SJT Scottish Journal of Theology SNTSMS Society for New Testament Studies Monograph series Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (ed. G. Johannes TDOT Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974 – 2006) ThTo Theology Today Tracts and Treatises (trans. Henry Beveridge; 3 vols.; Grand TT Rapids: Baker, repr. 1958) WBC Word Biblical Commentary WTJ Westminster Theological Journal THE NICENE CREED1 We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made; who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried; and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; and he shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets; and we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church; we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. 1 The Nicene Creed, in Trinity Hymnal (rev. ed.: Philadelphia: Great Commission Publications, 1990), 846. CONTENTS Cover Title Page ABBREVIATIONS THE NICENE CREED THE DOGMA IS THE DRAMA: A THEOLOGY FOR PILGRIMS ON THE WAY Part One KNOWING GOD: The Presuppositions of Theology Chapter One DISSONANT DRAMAS: PARADIGMS FOR KNOWING GOD AND THE WORLD Chapter Two THE CHARACTER OF THEOLOGY: A THEORETICAL OR A PRACTICAL SCIENCE? Chapter Three THE SOURCE OF THEOLOGY: REVELATION Chapter Four SCRIPTURE AS COVENANT CANON Chapter Five THE BIBLE AND THE CHURCH: FROM SCRIPTURE TO SYSTEM Part Two GOD WHO LIVES Chapter Six GOD: THE INCOMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES Chapter Seven GOD: THE COMMUNICABLE ATTRIBUTES Chapter Eight THE HOLY TRINITY Part Three GOD WHO CREATES Chapter Nine THE DECREE: TRINITY AND PREDESTINATION Chapter Ten CREATION: GOD’S TIME FOR US Chapter Eleven PROVIDENCE: GOD’S CARE FOR ALL HE HAS MADE Chapter Twelve BEING HUMAN Chapter Thirteen THE FALL OF HUMANITY Part Four GOD WHO RESCUES Chapter Fourteen THE PERSON OF CHRIST Chapter Fifteen THE STATE OF HUMILIATION: CHRIST’S THREEFOLD OFFICE Chapter Sixteen THE STATE OF EXALTATION: THE SERVANT WHO IS LORD Part Five GOD WHO REIGNS IN GRACE Chapter Seventeen CALLED TO BE SAINTS: CHRIST’S PRESENCE IN THE SPIRIT Chapter Eighteen UNION WITH CHRIST Chapter Nineteen FORENSIC ASPECTS OF UNION WITH CHRIST: JUSTIFICATION AND ADOPTION Chapter Twenty THE WAY FORWARD IN GRACE: SANCTIFICATION AND PERSEVERANCE Chapter Twenty-One THE HOPE OF GLORY: “THOSE WHOM HE JUSTIFIED HE ALSO GLORIFIED” (RO 8:30) Chapter Twenty-Two THE KINGDOM OF GRACE AND THE NEW COVENANT CHURCH Chapter Twenty-Three WORD AND SACRAMENT: THE MEANS OF GRACE Chapter Twenty-Four BAPTISM AND THE LORD’S SUPPER Chapter Twenty-Five THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE CHURCH: UNITY, CATHOLICITY, AND HOLINESS Chapter Twenty-Six APOSTOLICITY: A FELLOWSHIP OF RECEIVERS AND DELIVERERS Part Six GOD WHO REIGNS IN GLORY Chapter Twenty-Seven A DWELLING PLACE Chapter Twenty-Eight THE RETURN OF CHRIST AND THE LAST JUDGMENT Chapter Twenty-Nine THE LAST BATTLE AND LIFE EVERLASTING RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY GLOSSARY ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Copyright About the Publisher Share Your Thoughts THE DOGMA IS THE DRAMA: A THEOLOGY FOR PILGRIMS ON THE WAY I n 1949, the English playwright and novelist Dorothy Sayers observed the common antipathy in her day toward doctrine: “‘Dull dogma,’ they call it.” According to Sayers, however, Christianity is the most interesting story ever told. “And the dogma is the drama.”1 For many Christians, words such as doctrine and theology—and especially systematic theology—conjure up images of intellectual pride, divisiveness, and the presumption that we can put God in a box, neatly explained by our categories and formulations. Of course, we are nearly infinitely resourceful in using good things with corrupt motives and for less than noble ends. We can exhibit spiritual pride also in our experience or morality. However, it is the goal of good theology to humble us before the triune God of majesty and grace. As we will see more fully, the older theologians of the Reformation and Post-Reformation eras were so convinced that their interpretations fell far short of the majesty of God that they called their summaries and systems “our humble theology” and “a theology for pilgrims on the way.”