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1. Its meaning. The original Greek word means rapture, being inspired or possessed by a god. Used disparagingly in the 17th century of the religious attitude of the Puritans and in the 18th of that of the Methodists, the English word now has the general sense of passionate eagerness in any pursuit. 2. Its nature: Enthusiasm is not something a man “has”, but something which he is plunged in. To be enthusiastic means that one’s life is caught up in something which, however, is also within man and impelling him on. The other basic trait of enthusiasm …

Part of Holy: 1. History of Problems 2. Phenomenology and Philosophy 3. The Holy in Revelation Attestation of revelation is in essentials, if not in words, attestation of the holy. a) Gen 28 and 32, Exod 3 and 19, and Is 6, for example, display the typical combination of remoteness and proximity, fear and joy in the holy. Peter’s cry: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, О Lord” (Lk 5:8), and the other, “It is well that we are here; let us make three booths” (Mk 9: 5), indicate the tensions within which the domain of the …

Part of Holy: 1. History of Problems 2. Phenomenology and Philosophy 3. The Holy in Revelation 1. The question of the holy. a) To reflect on the holy is not to think of holiness as an attribute of God or of holy beings, places, times or things; what is in question, therefore, is not the meaning of the adjective holy as a predicate that can be applied to someone or something. Nor is the holy a neutralizing collective name for the different forms whether personal or impersonal in which the highest principle is conceiv…

Part of Being: 1. Being and Beings 2. Nothingness 1. The state of the question. There are several important theological reasons for the consideration of non-being or nothingness. a) The Christian faith considers that the world was created out of nothing. The Christian understanding of fall, redemption and fulfilment of the world is determined throughout by this irretrievable commencement. What does “nothing” mean here? b) All statements about God affirm rather what he is not than what he is. This is true even…

1. The problem. Evil counts as one of the most distressing questions in theology. It cannot be thought of in itself; it is evil solely as opposed to the good. Being holy, God is also good, and is so of himself, not through participation in a good outside or prior to himself or greater than he. He is the principle and pure source of good, good absolutely as such. Consequently it is impossible for him to be the author of evil; he cannot will evil, and no shadow of evil falls on him. But in that case…

1. Nature of the question. There are two theological reasons why it is important to understand what is meant by power. a) Power is one of the primary religious ideas; mankind’s awareness of God is an awareness of him as powerful. Power is one of the first of God’s attributes. That is also the case in ОТ and NT revelation. The possibility and existence of the creation rest on God’s omnipotence; the election and guidance of Israel are viewed as its manifestation in history; Jesus’ good news concerns the reign and king…