Module 1 - Prologomena: The Doctrine of First Principles

The first two lectures of this course provide an introduction to the whole of all seven modules. The remainder of this first module is devoted to the first of the seven sections of systematic theology—what we call “the doctrine of first principles,” which covers the first doctrinal truths that are necessary for studying theology. We’ll begin to take up the doctrine of first principles in our third lecture and in the remaining lectures of this course.

Lessons

Lesson Number Title Summary
1 Methodology Have you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? If so, then you know that a completed puzzle usually makes a picture of something, perhaps a beautiful landscape with mountains and pastures, forests, rivers, and with lots of details.
2 Creeds and Confessions It was the year 325 AD. The Christian emperor Constantine had invited leading ministers from throughout the world to gather for a meeting in the city of Nicaea, which was located in what is now northwest Turkey.
3 Scripture When it comes to religion, there is true religion and false, or counterfeit, religion. The believer’s aim is to study deeply all of the details of what is true to such a degree that as soon as you come across what is false, you recognize it immediately.
4 Revelation Imagine walking into a large room with bright lights. In the middle of the otherwise empty room, you see in front of you a very large white sheet that has been draped over something, forming what looks like a large mound in the middle of the room.
5 Inspiration of Scripture We rightly speak of the Bible as the voice of God and the Word of God. That is because every word is inspired by God. The word “inspired” or “inspiration” means God-breathed.
6 Properties of Inspired Scripture As Christians, the Lord has provided for us perfect instructions in His Word, the Bible. That Word answers the question, “Who is in charge?”
7 The Canon of Holy Scripture When we think about the Bible, we usually think of it as one large book, and that is obviously true.
8 Preservation and Translation of Scripture There is nothing more valuable in the entire world than the Bible. And no one considers it more precious than God Himself. After all, it is His own Word.
9 Interpretation of Scripture A written document must be interpreted properly in order to be understood correctly. As we’ve seen in previous lectures, the Bible is far more important than any other book in the world, so interpreting it is a far more solemn task.
10 The Continuity of Scripture We cannot restrict ourselves merely to one section or part of God’s Word. We need the whole Bible to have the whole revelation of who God is.