CHAPTER 4. Theology in the Enlightenment

• • John Locke The Reasonableness of Christianity

In The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures, John Locke begins by examining the significance of the Fall and its relation to the teachings of Christ as they are given in the New Testament. Quoting biblical text, he concludes that in Eden, Adam and Eve were in a state of righteousness and immortality. The Fall brought death into the world to all of humanity, but Christ restored all humanity to life, potentially. To gain salvation, one must believe that Jesus was the Messiah and obey God’s commandments.

http://www.enotes.com/topics/reasonableness-christianity-delivered-scriptures

http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/1438

• • Matthew Tindal Christianity as Old as the Creation

Matthew Tindal (1657 – 16 August 1733) was an eminent English deist author. His works, highly influential at the dawn of the Enlightenment, caused great controversy and challenged the Christian consensus of his time.

https://archive.org/details/christianityasol00tind

• • Philip Jacob Spener Pia Desideria

Philipp Jakob Spener (13 January 1635, Rappoltsweiler – 5 February 1705, Berlin) was a German Christian theologian known as the “Father of Pietism.”

http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1986/issue10/1029.html

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/1986/issue10/1029.html

• • John Wesley The Scripture Way of Salvation

Summary: This sermon focuses on John Wesley’s understanding of salvation and uses illustrations from Wesley’s life to bring the point home.

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/scripture-way-of-salvation-tina-carter-sermon-on-gods-forgiveness-58836.asp

http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/John-Wesley-Sermons/Sermon-43-The-Scripture-Way-of-Salvation

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.pointloma.edu/sites/default/files/filemanager/Wesleyan_Center/The_Scripture_Way_of_Salvation_Mark_Mann.pdf&sa=U&ved=0CBoQFjABahUKEwikicDC04jHAhUImIAKHa9BAMc&usg=AFQjCNHkfXBo6CZybSJ6-GCtdy7T2HckLg

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-chronologically-ordered/&sa=U&ved=0CCAQFjACahUKEwikicDC04jHAhUImIAKHa9BAMc&usg=AFQjCNHT8ZLAqElqmBnbfyF2uFfYsqht5Q

• • John Wesley Predestination Calmly Considered

I am working through this publication of John Wesley. He calmly presents the massive amount of biblical texts that assume that we are able to make a free choice to believe or not to believe the promise of salvation, unconstrained by a decree of God that determines before hand to elect or not to elect rooted in his sovereign power alone.

https://donbryant.wordpress.com/2014/08/10/predestination-calmly-considered-john-wesley/

http://evangelicalarminians.org/john-wesley-predestination-calmly-considered/

• • David Hume Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion

Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion is a philosophical work by the Scottish philosopher David Hume. Through dialogue, three philosophers named Demea, Philo, and Cleanthes debate the nature of God’s existence. Whether or not these names reference specific philosophers, ancient or otherwise, remains a topic of scholarly dispute. While all three agree that a god exists, they differ sharply in opinion on God’s nature or attributes and how, or if, humankind can come to knowledge of a deity.

http://www.anselm.edu/homepage/dbanach/dnr.htm

• • Gotthold Lessing On the Proof of the Spirit and of Power

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (German: [ˈlɛsɪŋ]; 22 January 1729 – 15 February 1781) was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist, publicist and art critic, and one of the most outstanding representatives of the Enlightenment era. His plays and theoretical writings substantially influenced the development of German literature. He is widely considered by theatre historians to be the first dramaturg.

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://faculty.tcu.edu/grant/hhit/Lessing.pdf&sa=U&ved=0CBQQFjAAahUKEwjNudeF1YjHAhVR8oAKHazeATI&usg=AFQjCNEcA2NZyrdzkmTIqlK6QCxx5ZP2ag

• • Immanuel Kant Religion. Within the Limits of Reason Alone

Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason (German: Die Religion innerhalb der Grenzen der bloßen Vernunft) is a 1793 book by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant. Although its purpose and original intent has become a matter of some dispute, the book’s immense and lasting influence on the history of theology and the philosophy of religion is indisputable. It consists of four parts, called “Pieces” (Stücken), originally written as a series of four journal articles.

https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/ethics/kant/religion/religion-within-reason.htm

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