Obviously, in the general community and world (apart from regions led to recognise the authority of scripture) there will be little caring for the findings and claims of systematic theology. At the same time, the mission of the church is inextricably tied to Jesus' agenda of descending, ascending and filling all things (which does tie to systematics).
The bridge between the two is the worldviews perspective, where the dominant worldview and world story of a given time and place will be tied to cultural trends, policy agendas (thus interests of dominant power factions) and so to the issues and challenges the church must face if it is to effectively seek to make disciples in the community.
Where, a worldview is a way of seeing the world and where we fit into it, based on core first plausibles that constitute a point of faith. And yes, everyone has a faith-point so too a faith commitment. For, as finite, fallible thinkers, our thought has to start somewhere:
Such is not new, in Athens, Paul did not quote scripture. Instead, he found a cultural bridging point, the famous altar to the unknown god and used that as a contact point for framing the Judaeo-Christian theistic worldview and our place in it, then going on to the core of the gospel. Let us particularly note where he began:
With these words, he tactfully but thoroughly broke the credibility of the whole system. For, the proud, erudite guardians of classical Western Civilisation's intellectual heritage, the heirs of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and a thousand lesser lights, there in Athens (the very hometown of the tradition) had had to maintain a public monument to their ignorance on the central focus of knowledge. That is, the root of reality. To do so, he found a cultural bridge as point of contact and boldly drew out its implications; notice, he was not firing off Bible texts.
This exposed at the outset, that they had no answer on the central question and could have no answer from their system.
He then opened the door to a new way forward, exerting prophetic intellectual and cultural leadership and thereby stating in summary the synthesis that would face scanty immediate results but which would ultimately hold the future of civilisation. Let's clip Luke's summary of what was likely a significantly more detailed presentation (but preserves the sheer power of the speech):
Ac 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,3 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods [kairous, not just seasons but the hinges of history] and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;4
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’5[4, prob. Epimenides of Crete, who may have been
associated with the setting up of the altar; 5, Aratus'
poem, Phainomena]
Again, we see a reaching out across a cultural bridging point, meant to stir thought.
The apostle then continued, drawing attention to God as father and us as offspring (thus decisively answering racism and similar ills of thought):
29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Here, we come to the focus of the gospel, in words that echo the tightest summary of the faith once for all delivered unto the saints, John 3:16 and also Our Lord's Prayer. We are God's offspring, descendants of one man made by God, in nations, at places and pivotal times shaped by God to draw us -- even, blindly groping (as the altar demonstrated!) -- to himself. Where, he is not far from us for he is the root and sustainer of our very existence: in him we live, move and have our being.
So, now, we are at one of those hinges of all history, called to turn from the ignorance exemplified by a city full of idols, to love, return to and serve the Living God, our father. Thus, amplified, we must repent (and so trust him who justifies the wicked in accord with his Word and character), recognising that we live under the shadow of eternal judgement with an audit required of our thoughts, words, deeds.
Of this, there is a general offer of proof to the world, a breakthrough miracle that cuts clean across our assumed inductive knowledge of the natural order; no inductive inference can rightly lock out rare exceptions to the commonly seen order -- never mind Hume et al. Namely, there is a man appointed as Judge, this being demonstrated by his resurrection from the dead. Of course, thereby fulfilling another sign, the prophecies of scripture and backed by over 500 eyewitnesses, most then being alive.
It seems the apostle did not get a chance to elaborate here:
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst
Of course, initial response was scanty, but it was there:
34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.
That scantiness is not a proof of failure, as some have been tempted to imagine. It is a measure of the dominance of those in charge of mountains of influence under aegis of a prevailing worldview and cultural agenda. Never mind the monument that exposed the fatal crack in the foundation of their proud temple, these were dominant elites comfortable in their power and imagined intellectual superiority.
But from those few, eventually Athens would become a Christian city in the heart of a Christian nation. Paul was literally laughed out of court, but the future belonged to the gospel, not to the speculations of the Epicureans and Stoics.
Echoing the seven mountains framework:
. . . we may frame such an exercise in prophetic, intellectual and cultural leadership:
Where is the systematic theology?
It is in the background, in the sound, structured and confident understanding of the Judaeo-Christian worldview and in its confidently made connexions from scripture to general first principles and considerations that point us to our roots in God, allowing us to soundly detect and correct key errors of thought, exposing also the fatal cracks in dominant community plausibility structures and linked power balances. Here, Locke, in opening remarks for his Essay on Human Understanding, has some choice words that today's heirs of the men of the Areopagus would do well to learn and heed:
Men have reason to be well satisfied with what God hath thought fit for them, since he hath given them (as St. Peter says [NB: i.e. 2 Pet 1:2 - 4]) pana pros zoen kaieusebeian, whatsoever is necessary for the conveniences of life and information of virtue; and has put within the reach of their discovery, the comfortable provision for this life, and the way that leads to a better. How short soever their knowledge may come of an universal or perfect comprehension of whatsoever is, it yet secures their great concernments [Prov 1: 1 - 7], that they have light enough to lead them to the knowledge of their Maker, and the sight of their own duties [cf Rom 1 - 2 & 13, Ac 17, Jn 3:19 - 21, Eph 4:17 - 24, Isaiah 5:18 & 20 - 21, Jer. 2:13, Titus 2:11 - 14 etc, etc]. Men may find matter sufficient to busy their heads, and employ their hands with variety, delight, and satisfaction, if they will not boldly quarrel with their own constitution, and throw away the blessings their hands are filled with, because they are not big enough to grasp everything . . . It will be no excuse to an idle and untoward servant [Matt 24:42 - 51], who would not attend his business by candle light, to plead that he had not broad sunshine. The Candle that is set up in us [Prov 20:27] shines bright enough for all our purposes . . . If we will disbelieve everything, because we cannot certainly know all things, we shall do muchwhat as wisely as he who would not use his legs, but sit still and perish, because he had no wings to fly. [Section 5, Emphases added.Text references also added, to document the sources of Locke's biblical allusions and citations. Yes, they are indeed patently there.]
Similarly, in Ch 2 Section 5 of his Second Treatise on Civil Government, he cited Canon Richard Hooker from his Ecclesiastical Polity, framing foundations of Government, law and sound community life:
. . . if I cannot but wish to receive good, even as much at every man's hands, as any man can wish unto his own soul, how should I look to have any part of my desire herein satisfied, unless myself be careful to satisfy the like desire which is undoubtedly in other men . . . my desire, therefore, to be loved of my equals in Nature, as much as possible may be, imposeth upon me a natural duty of bearing to themward fully the like affection. From which relation of equality between ourselves and them that are as ourselves, what several rules and canons natural reason hath drawn for direction of life no man is ignorant . . . [Hooker then continues, citing Aristotle in The Nicomachean Ethics, Bk 8:] as namely, That because we would take no harm, we must therefore do none; That since we would not be in any thing extremely dealt with, we must ourselves avoid all extremity in our dealings; That from all violence and wrong we are utterly to abstain, with such-like . . . ] [Eccl. Polity,preface, Bk I, "ch." 8, p.80, cf. here. Emphasis added.]
This draws out the importance of systematic thinking about our faith and how it extends into the heart of a worldview, speaking onward into reformation of the community order through the power of transformed lives. These words, of course, directly and powerfully shaped the development of modern liberty and democracy, also pointing to the cultural buttresses that are necessary if it is not to fall prey to the cunning and craftiness of deceitfully scheming men, the manipulated mob and chaos. It is worth pausing to again draw out from the heavily loaded paragraph we cited last time:
We can readily identify at least seven inescapable first duties of reason. Inescapable, as they are so antecedent to reasoning that even the objector implicitly appeals to them; i.e. they are self-evident. Duties,
-- to truth,-- to right reason,-- to prudence,-- to sound conscience,-- to neighbour, so also-- to fairness and justice etc.
Such built in law is not invented by parliaments or courts, nor can these principles and duties be abolished by such. (Cf. Cicero in De Legibus, c. 50 BC.) Indeed, it is on this framework that we can set out to soundly understand and duly balance rights, freedoms and duties; which is justice. The legitimate main task of government, then, is to uphold and defend the civil peace of justice through sound community order reflecting the built in, intelligible law of our nature. Where, as my right implies your duty a true right is a binding moral claim to be respected in life, liberty, honestly aquired property, innocent reputation etc. To so justly claim a right, one must therefore demonstrably be in the right. Thus, too, we may compose sound civil law informed by that built-in law of our responsibly, rationally free morally governed nature; from such, we may identify what is unsound or false thus to be reformed or replaced even though enacted under the colour and solemn ceremonies of law. These duties, also, are a framework for understanding and articulating the corpus of built-in law of our morally governed nature, antecedent to civil laws and manifesting our roots in the Supreme Law-giver, the inherently good, utterly wise and just creator-God.
This last point can be drawn out a little more. For, in a world where first duties and principles of responsible reason are inescapable, the notorious IS-OUGHT gap must be bridged. Where, from Hume et al, we know that we cannot simply go x is so, y is so, z ought to be. No, we need to go to the root of reality, the foundational level, and there we need to recognise an is that inherently also grounds ought, so there is no room for a gap to crack open as say the notorious Euthyphro dilemma suggests.
After centuries of debate, there is just one serious candidate to bridge this. And if you doubt, simply propose an alternative ______ and justify at the bar of worldview comparative difficulties _______; the exercise will soon enough show the point.
The sole serious candidate is a familiar figure: the inherently good and utterly wise creator God, a necessary and maximally great being. One, worthy of our loyalty and of the reasonable, responsible service of doing the good that accords with our evident nature.
"Necessary" points to logic of being and the possible worlds context (vital in an age where many speculate about multiverses):
A possible world is in effect a sufficiently complete description of the way the or a world is or might be or might have been, a cluster of mutually consistent propositions. (What is, and what accurately describes what is must all be so together.) So, if a being must be present in all possible worlds -- is necessary -- that is because it is part of the framework for any world to exist. For example, once distinct identity obtains, any world W may be partitioned W = {A|~A} so two-ness must exist and with it a whole panoply of numbers and truths about numbers. That is why, Mathematics [the study of the logic of structure and quantity) has universally applicable aspects. [See here and discussion here.]
Thus, necessary beings are present as framework for any actual world, including our own, not just contingent beings such as we are. A key issue here is, that a world is not spun up from utter non-being, for no cause; such a true nothing can have no causal powers. Were there ever utter nothing, that would forever be the case. If a world is, SOMETHING -- something necessary -- always was. The issue is, of what character.
BTW, this highlights a gap in our education, which makes our plausibility structures warped and cracked. We are not exposed to logic of being and so these concepts seem strange or even implausible when in fact they are necessary.
As a linked property, necessary beings are not caused or dependent on other beings, so they never began nor can they cease; they are eternal. Boom, the eternality of The Great I AM is not an arbitrary construct spun out of our imaginations just as a spider weaves a web out of its own substance.
Similarly, maximal greatness, i.e. perfection of being implies that in God there are no arbitrary or capricious features such as would be found in an imperfect or evil being. God is inherently, utterly good, embracing only and all great-making core characteristics to maximal compossible degree. That is, God is supremely good, great, wise, powerful, knowing, pure, loving etc. All, together. These of course, point to attributes of God commonly discussed through pondering the scriptures.
Unsurprising, all truths must be so together and will in some small way reflect the root of reality.
With such in mind, let us again hear Paul, AD 57, seven years after his speech on Mars Hill (or perhaps in the neighbouring Agora):
Rom 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,7 in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things . . . .
2:14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them . . . .
13: 8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
These are precisely the issues we have been drawing out, echoing Locke. And, let us note, that we find here a limited endorsement of what has been called natural theology; that in responsible, rational, morally governed freedom lie inescapable first principles and duties that point to our Root. Point, along with many signs and features of the world around us. Point, with sufficient force that we are without excuse should we refuse to acknowledge God. Though of course we can so construct dominant worldviews, cultural narratives and agendas underpinned by pillars of influence and power, that our civilisation suppresses what it should acknowledge.
As, is patently increasingly the case in the Caribbean.
Let us turn from such suicidal folly and let us ponder Him who is our Father, root of our existence, and our place in our world, our sin-challenge and the solution through redemption. For, God has set a day of eternal audit and has given proof thereof to all men by raising one from the dead in fulfillment of prophecy.
So too, in the words of Peter, c 65 AD:
2 Peter 1: 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty . . . .
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation.
21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Let us heed that sure Word, the faith once for all delivered unto the saints. END
