A Theological Justification for the Contribution of Culture to the Theological Task

This dissertation justifies the contention that culture contributes to the theological task in an ancillary way to Scripture. Chapter 1 introduces the primary issues. Chapter two interacts with two existing models of theology and culture, which respectively suggest that the theological task transcends and embraces culture. Chapter 2 also introduces a third way, that the theological task should employ culture. Chapter 3 justifies this thesis by demonstrating that culture is inherently a theologically meaningful text for three reasons: (1) God purposed for culture to be an expression of the imago Dei that stages truth in cultural form; (2) Post-Fall culture-producing image-bearers are enriched with truth content via general revelation; and (3) God graciously restrains post- Fall culture-producing image-bearers from being as sinful as they could be and God graciously enables humanity to retain positive epistemological value. Chapter 4 clarifies the worldview orientation antithesis that limits culture's value; though the antithesis limits culture's value in the theological task it does not eliminate it. Chapter 5 summarizes the conclusions set forth in this dissertation and briefly recounts several examples of individuals who model these conclusions rightly and wrongly.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Risner, James

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Brand, Chad O.

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10392/4371

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.sbts.edu:10392/4371