Attributes and Actions of God

Mark 15:2, God the king, God the ruler.

Luke 15: 3, Caring/ loving, good shepherd, lover, personal, hospitable, relational, initiator,

John 1:1 -8, Pre-eminent, creator V4, Redeemer v4, Divine, Judge.

John 3: 1-21, relation of God in Jesus, son of God.

John 5:19- 47, Jesus Revelation of God, judge, pre-existence of God (46f)

John 19-20 Kinship, Passover lamb, the resurrection, teacher,

Romans 1:8-2:11, Righteousness of God, power of God (Omnipotence), Judge, Kindness Grace, patience.

Romans 8:1-39, Righteousness of God, Father, suffering God Glory, Spirit of God, and helper, Intercessor, God’s love Purpose of God, Holy Spirit as helper.

Ephesians 1-4, Christ the mediator, gracious God, God in fullness of time, Authority, power, God as ruler, Christ as corner stone 3:20, love 3:17, wisdom 3:10, unity 4:3 Patience 4:2, benevolence.

Hebrews 1-2, Jesus the spoken word1:1-2, sustain er 1:3, Image of God1:3, righteousness 1:8.

James 1:2-18, Wisdom of God 1:5, Gods love 1:12, Kingdom of God1:12, Wrath of God,1:15-16, Goodness of Gods 1:17, God the Father 1:17, God the creator, 1:18, Righteousness of God 1:29, Freedom of God 1:25, God the Father 1: 27, Caring of God 1:27, God’s Glory, Judge 2:4 Kingdom of God 2: 5, judgment of God, Freedom of God Mercy 2: 12, God as friend 2:23, righteousness of God ibid.

1Peter1 3-12, God as Father v3, Mercy v3, God of life, God of Hope, God’s power v5, The grace of God v 10, Suffering of God, Glory of God v11, Triune God v12.

1John 4:7-21, God of Love v 7, Knowledge of God v8, Triune God vv13-15, completeness v17.

Concepts of God as evidenced in the NT

Sovereign power of God. James 1:16-18. God has sovereign authority over his created being/creatures. In the everlasting covenant like he did through Jesus the savoir, he has responsibility upon himself. He gives gifts according to his own disposal/will. The gift of Jesus is a good example. It was through his sovereign will that he chooses him. In the same way in this passage we read that every good gift comes from him, coming down from heaven. We see his sovereignty as he deals with human begins. His foundation standeth sure. He knows those who are his 2timothy 1:19, it is he shows he power and his absolute sovereignty. There is no single condition that he gives to be able to dispose his gifts. He ha power and authority to give them freely to whosoever he wills, for he is God.

1Peter 1:3 – 12, Matt, 19: 26 as we see in these verses, is that ability and strength to bring to accomplishment what he pleases. His power therefore is that which gives life and action to his divine will. Power is God’s. In V5 He brought faith that was shielded, till such time when salvation for mankind was revealed. Since God is powerful he can do everything and all things can be done through him, CIF the OT that support the Matthew Chapter that the heaven were made and all the host of them by his word. Psa.150:1. Romans 9:22, talks about God’s power in his wrath. God is going to did play his mighty power upon the reprobate note merely by incarcerating them but by supernaturally preserving their bodies as well as souls amid the eternal burnings of the lake of fire. His power is displayed here in such a way to indicate that non can escape his coming wrath.


God the Creator and giver of life. Although the NT does not directly point out creation as seen in the OT, We have various Scripture that point to God as the Creator. Matt 1:22-23 Speaks about God being with us and dwelling among his people. In John 1: 14 the divine word of God come to live with people through Jesus. In him, God is present with humankind. In Jesus we see hope in forms of foundation as the work of God the creator Stanley assert that God’s creation does not end with past but move to the future. “Theology for the community of God”. p 114, thus it reaches it fulfillment with the grand vision of the new heaven and new earth as john Points out in Revelation 21:3:22:3-4. Thus here we see God power as the creator who has a design revealed by Jesus. As life giver, we notice in these verses that by the coming of God as savior of the world and the later outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as the means by which God was purposely establishing himself to a new people that he intended to give new life. 1John 5: 20b states that he is the true and eternal life. We may therefore say that God, who is the creator and the life giver, had a purpose of establishing a community that is redeemed dwelling in the new created earth.

The Loving Father. In 1John 4:19 it is clear that the love of God to his people is out there even before there know it. “He first loved us” He never loved us because we loved him. It was he who loved us first. He loved us even when we were loveless. He had loved his people from everlasting to everlasting. Love and God are the same thing. His nature is love. He loves to himself. 2 Tim2:19. The same precious truth is set out in Eph 1:4-5. He love he had predestined us. Thus shows that God is love and as a loving father he has always revealed his nature as such. As Seen early that God is God, he thus chooses who he should love. See Roman 9:9. Here we find that Humans are object of God’s divine love.

The one God. Talking about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit sounds as though Christians have three gods, which is not theologically true. i. e When God was sending Jesus be the Savior of the world, it is not clear that he is the same God who is coming in a different form in the world (God incarnate). So when Christians talk about Trinity, this is the one God, who manifested himself through Jesus and appeared to his disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit. So Jesus was divine as we see in Roman 9:5. Therefore we would again argue that when Ananias and his wife Sapphira lying to God did so to the holy spirit too for they are not separable. Act 5:3ff. So the three are not three different entities but one in the unity of one divine nature. Thomas in his book,” Our Idea of God assert that, “the threeness of God consists only in his manner of presentations of himself to us” p180, otherwise God is one.

The righteous Judge. Because God is righteous, acceptance with him on the ground of human doings is utterly impossible. A fallen creature could sooner create a world then produce that which could meet the approval of the infinite purity. The best that sinful man brings forth is defiled. A corrupt tree cannot bear good fruits. In Eph 1:6 we see that through God righteousness every sinner come to him stand accepted by him. Since God is Righteous, the utmost of our being aught to fear him and respect him as God. IT is clear that the more our hearts are awed by his ineffable holiness, the more acceptable will be our approaches to him. Therefore we should desire to be comforted by him.see 1Thesss 5:23. Is righteousness is well Scriptures in 1 Peter1:15. Also his Judgment is just cf.John 5:30.


About Holy Spirit

1Corinthians 2:11-12, God is Spirit.

Acts 1:16 That the Holy Spirit was there from the beginning and he is Triune God

Hebrews 3:7, That the holy is living with us today.

Romans 15:16. That God Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.

1Peter1:2 That the Triune work as one

Romans 8:27 that the Spirit of God is working among believers.

Acts 15:8, that God and the Spirit are one and the same.

Galatians 3:2 God is Spirit. Who dwells in Jesus.

Roman 5:3-5, that God and the Spirit are one

2Corinthians 5:5, God is spirit

In these passages the doctrine of the Triune God is the emphasis. Although most times theologians and Christians alike have tried to discus the doctrine of the trinity, reading the scriptures has not proved this idea head on. In these Verses, we see the oneness of the three. In reading the verses I came up with statement such as, the Spirit was there from the beginning Acts 1:16, that the Holy Spirit is dwelling among God’s People Heb 3:7, That God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one Rom 15:16. On the basis of this I would well see how the doctrine of the trinity is expressed in the bible. We clearly see in these verses the role of the trinity as appearances and not as personalities. Again reading through, it is clear that the Divine personality is one who works has Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ relationship with God and Holy Spirit.

John 3:34 that he was sent of by God

Acts 2:22, He was God From God.

2Corinthians 5:19, God was Power in Jesus

Here in these verses, Jesus’ relationship with God is that of son, Messenger etc. Has one related to God he seems to have role that are unique and divine in nature. Again there seem to be Jesus’ divine obedient to the Father, (God). He been one of the trinity figure, he reflects the Glory of God and sustaining all things by the power of him who has sent him (God). His mission as seen in the reading is unique of God’s Purpose and he (Jesus) fulfils God mission a directed. Jesus is here seen as the only Son of God. In regard to his relationship with the Holy Spirit he is the revelation of God that we see, and he shares in the Triune community. He is not working alone but he is working with both the Father and the Spirit. Stanley calls him the Second “person of the trinity” p 305.


What these Verses indicate.

John 14:1, God and Jesus are one,

Roman 1:7 God and Jesus are one.

Rev 5:13 Both God and Son are inseparable

1cori 6:11, Triune is one in unity

Roman 15:30.

These Passages indicate that God and The Son Jesus are one and the same. The Mission of God is fulfilled through Jesus Christ. They indicate that both work as a team.

What they reveal

Matt 28:19, that the work of God is complete when the trinity is involved.

2Corinthian 13:14, all are the same.

1cor 12:4-6 that God the Father, son and the Spirit work together. No difference

Jud 20:21 All work together.

These passages reveal that all the persons in the trinity community are doing the same work. And as seen in the Doctrine of the Trinity, they all support and or compliment each other. Working with Son and not the Father is not complete Matt 28:19 is a good example. We need to notice that the trinity doctrine is neat together.

Statement on Trinity.

As found out in these readings and elsewhere in this class the doctrine of the trinity is not very clear in the bible. In these readings however, we understand God more and the work that he did through the Holy Spirit. In these reading we able to open the reality about the divinity of the Triune God. It is through the Holy Spirit that Christians are able to experience who God is. See Luke 24: 49. Through the Holy Spirit of God we are able to experience God’s presence among us. The promise of Jesus to send the Comforter, Counselor- demonstrates God who cares for his people.

Through out these readings, it is evident that for us to understand our God, we need to know that God is Spirit who works in the world. Therefore our belief in God and our experience in him demands that we know God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. We
therefore see that God is Triune, and he is spread out to reach human kind in all ways possible. And as seen the Triune is concerned about all the creatures and wills the best for creation. I belief that is why God reveals himself in the form of Holy Spirit. It is agreeable as we read these scriptures that the doctrine of the Trinity is important to understanding God and his work to human kind.

Examples of NT scripture about God-:

Luke 16: 26, God is eternal
Mk 10:18, God is good
Luke 2:14, the Glory of God
Luke 22: 69, Mighty God
John 4: 24, God is Spirit
Romans 1:16, God is powerful.
Romans 1:17, God is righteous
Romans 2:16 God is Judge.
Romans 9:18, God is merciful
Rev.19:6, God is Mighty

Doctrine of God

As I went through the scripture passages, I found out that God is conceived as person with attributes that are personal, i. e God is Love. This shows that God cares and he takes care of his creation. On the other hand God as seen in the scriptures is the creator, which is his nature, the three divine persons, God the Father, Son and The Holy Spirit are involved as one. In these scriptures it is evident that all the three are related to each other. To use Hegel’s words “for what would make God different in his own creation, but God in himself is not undifferentiated being” Doctrine of God, p 70. It is clear that God is three persons, God as seen, is the creator and sustain er of any universe. God therefore exist apart from himself.

Finally, the doctrine of God as developed in these scriptures shows that God’s nature is three fold, that he is TRINITY. In the Trinitarian concept each individual bring many good state within himself in relation to other individuals, thus each other them is true to the other. None of them can work separately with out the other. Thus each action of God is seen to have three aspects or elements. Each individual event is a unity to which each member of the trinity makes contribution. It is clear that they are not three separate personalities but have an inner connection. Thus God reveals himself as Son or Holy Spirit.

People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care

Ministerial Ethical Requirements - For Pastors

First we must acknowledge that the world we are living in is a world of complexities and
confusion. Our country in particular is secular, thus religious views are not considered important.
Otherwise, life in this country is not informed by a vision of God or the church. Our values are what we prize and our value system is the order in which we prize them. For values often conflict.[1] Therefore values and principals are translated to guide and motivate ethical conduct, which are generally considered to be the rule to follow.

How does this affect the minister’s Vacation/ Profession? How does a minister act as professional different from other professions? The starting point is clear understanding of the minister’s call to the ministry which is different from other calling. This is a divine calling which requires divine guidance from above. Therefore the minister is required to have an understanding of his/her role in the community. Building a ministry of integrity requires that a minister’s sense of calling and concept of the service be a biblical, ethical, and Christlike[2] In this way the minister will fulfill his/her calling through service to a congregation of God’s people. One can not serve Christ without serving people. During this author’s ordination ceremony in 1994, the Bishop performing the ceremony, commissioned all the ordinates with these words, “Go forth to shepherd God’s flock and do not eat them.” [3] In other words the bishop was trying to say that a minister must be trusted in his ministerial duties to the people.

A minister has an ethical requirement to do what is required of him. Those that pass the truth
of the word of God to the people of God. Joe and James in their Book Ministerial Ethics give an
example of a man who confused his wife with a hat. They further point out that this man was
suffering from agnosia.This man who the authors say was a Doctor could not recognized things
that were familiar. It is the believe of this author that when the world or a country become sick, and so permissive or so to say lucid, the individuals living in it conform to the life style of the day.

A minister is required to stand out and be the example of the rest of the people since this is a divine call from God Himself. Ministers can easily mistake their role and find themselves in a world of confusion. Living in a community which is so sick with agnosia[4], which according to this presenter is communicable does not spare the Minister in his or her profession. Ministers must portray integrity a thing that the authors point that it does not come so simply and automatically. Clergy have to understand the minister’s vocation. Therefore, for those who are already ministers or in the making to become professionals, what significance does this have for ministerial ethics? We must follow the standards of professional practice that apply to the Christian ministry which include; an education person, the master of some body of knowledge.

This knowledge is neither esoteric nor mundane but essential to ministry and available through accredited educational institutions the minister will at all times prepare for Christian service by experiencing a broad liberal kind of education. Ministers will also be committed to a life long process of learning to be able to change with the times and also with the changing world; Competency in ministers will come as a result of them acting competently in any situation, gift and vocational skills; Autonomy- The minister is called to a life of decision making most of which involve dangerous consequence. Being responsible means being in charge of choices. It means being accountable for what we do and what we are.[5] Service- The mister’s motivation for the ministry should not be social status or money, but service to others. Dedication. Unlike other professions, a minister should provide something of greater value and worth, the word of God. Ethics- and the minister should live on the discipline of an ethic that upholds the highest standards must be a person of good behavior which is ethics in itself.

With these and others, the gospel makes ethical demands on the professional life of the
Christian minister. Thus a minister is a unique professional who should not conform to the patterns of the permissive society. Ethical codes demand that a minister should stand out to be different from the secular society. Thus ethics in ministry includes personal lifestyle, financial decision, family commitments, pastoral responsibility, congregational relationship, community involvement among others. Should we not agree with the author ministerial ethics when he proposes that, building a “ministry based on integrity requires that a minister’s sense of calling and concept of service be biblical, ethical, and Christ like.”[6]


Professionalism in ministerial duties

A minister is required to bring together the professional ethics model as a tool for the ministry.
A professional is someone with high degree of specialized skills. A professional is faced with the
task of rendering services that pose serious possibilities. Life or death- doctor, poverty or wealth
(lawyer), Salvation and damnation (minister)[7] Professional ethics is a requirement for the
ministers. The authority and identity of the professional person should not be in question for
minister for this is what the ministry entails. This is because ministers render services that are both unique and essential for the building of the kingdom of God. They should live to the standards of what they preach from the pulpit. They should not preach water and drink wine. Richard Gula in his book Ministerial Ethics asserts that this book is for ministers who have pastoral responsibility a professional ministerial capacity. The author offers a theological framework for reflecting on moral responsibility of pastoral ministry as a profession. He develops some moral dimension to pastoral ministry[8] which is a requirement for minister. As Jesus proclaimed that he is the way the Truth and the Life John 14: 6, the minister should bear the responsibility to point the way and the truth to others. The message that the ministers preach reveals the real meaning and purpose of life, which a minister should be living himself/ herself, as well as knowledge of the one who is “the way and the truth and the life”. Like other professions the minister’s vocation is to make serious decisions that involve life and death. Being a minister is not a vocation merely to help people. Minister are called to help people in the name of Jesus Christ . We should notice however that the problem the minister faces in a social context is that of determining who he and what he is doing within the complexity of his functions. He frequently lacks, more than anything else, awareness of what he is about.

Pastoral’s Relationship as an ethical requirement.

Although as discussed earlier, ministers are professional’s like others; church work is different
from any other kind of work. Unlike other professional, church members work with the clergy. Church leaders and members are colleagues with the minister. Therefore good relationship is vital for better working atmosphere. The roles of any Pastor is to create a climate of cooperation, trust, support, communication, love, and mutual understanding.[9] Ministry is presented to the people in such a way that they will fell that the minister has ethical concern over them. Pastoral integrity must be the byword of every minister. There are several things that the minister is required to do in order to portray concern in ministerial ethics. Ways to guard integrity are: applying ethics is promotion, avoiding the exploitation of vulnerable members, applying the highest in promotional material, avoiding undue influence, and using the right method of pastoralism.

Richard Gula states that keeping confidence is one of the firmest rules of professional ethics. It
is clear that like doctors and many other professionals, ministers know so much about people.
Ministers need to respect the dignity of individuals by maintaining confidentiality. A minister should never make illustrations from the pulpit of things that he/she found or known about his members. This will break the trust that he has been entrusted by them. Pastoral ministry is a link between God and human kind, on the same hand it strengthens the mission of Christ in the community of believers.[10] Therefore, a minister should at all times be able to commit himself or herself to the task of pastoral ministry. Approachable and available to the people he or she serves. Ministers have to promote and preserve through behavior the way to love God and neighbors. They have also to exhibited a deep to the church and loyalty to its traditions and teachings.

Summary

Every minister is a symbol of religious authority. By virtue of the pastoral office a minister
interprets religious truth, meaning of life, the way of faith and even the reality of God. When the
power of a pastor’s presence through ministry is added to that status, the special influence a
minister holds among his or her congregants become evident. Ministers should recognize that
ministry has its own complexities and should handle them in a sensible manner. Like other
professions, the ministry is full of temptations to do the contrary. As Clinton Mclemore states that “Life is filled with exciting and mind-boggling challenges, especially ethical ones. These challenges should be approached humbly but at the same time with certain exhilaration and sophistication[11]

[1] Michael Josephson. Making ethical decision: The basic primer on the using the six pillars of character to make better decisions, and a better life Ed by Dan McNeill ( Cover and design publication 2002) p 4
[2] -Joe E. Trull. Ministerial ethics: Moral Formation for church Leaders. (Michigan, grand rapids,2004) p 24
[3] Ordination ceremony held on August 8, 1994 at Kaaga Methodist church.
[4] Joe Trull Ministerial Ethics. Moral formation for Church leaders. Michigan, Grand Rapid, 2004) p22
[5] Michael Josephson. Making Ethical decision: The basic primer on using the six pillars of character to make better decisions and a better life, Ed by Dan McNeill ( Cover and design publications, 2002) p 11
[6]Joel Trull. Ministerial Ethics: Moral formation for church leaders (Michigan, grand Rapids, 2002) p 24
[7] Ibid p 18
[8] Richard M Gula MSS; Ethics in Pastoral Ministry. (New York Mahwah, NJ. Pualist press, 1996) p 7
[9][9] Joe Trull. Pastoral Ministerial Ethics: Moral formation for church Leaders. ( Michigan, Grand Rapids, 2002) p 126.
[10] It is easy to love humanity than love people. People who consider themselves ethical and yet lack a caring attitude toward individuals tend to treat others as instruments of their will. They rarely feel an obligation to be honest, loyal, fair or respectful except insofar as it is prudent for them to do so, as a disposition which itself hints at duplicity and a lack of integrity.
[11] Clinton Mclemore. Street Smart ethics: Succeeding in business without selling Your Soul. (Louisville. London, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003) p Xi

Book Review - The Power of God

Migliore L. Daniel. The Power of God. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1983:115pp

Daniel L. Migliore is professor of systematic theology at Princeton Theological seminary, where he has taught since 1962. He is the author of Called to Freedom: Liberation theology and the future of Christian doctrine (Westminster, 1980), as well as many articles and reviews. He is an ordained minister in the United Presbyterian Church. He has graduated from Westminster College in Pennsylvania, Princeton theological Seminary, and Princeton University.

The Power of God is a book that the author wrote to answer fundamental theological, moral and social problems during his time. He tries to show the power of God which is made known in Jesus Christ. The crucified and the living Lord is neither cheer Almightiness no mere impotence; it is power that makes freedom, Justice and lasting community. In this book the author observes that the gospel of God’s power brings not only the word of judgment but also offers new life and hope to both the powerful and the powerless of our age. The author asserts that the close association of power and God is a universal religious phenomenon. God is experienced as awesome power, power that evokes wonder and fear. God is mysterious power that both attracts and repels us. The power of God is superior to all other powers because it has the capacity to create and to destroy. The author affirms that this power we call God judges and redeems us, p 23.

The author makes a distinction between the true God and the god of the idols. He cites that only God is worth to be the object of the total and unconditional love and loyalty. The true God he observes is radically different from the gods to whom we are tempted again and again to give our hearts. He noted that faith in God of the bible should be distinguished continually from faith in the gods, citing that the power of God of the bible is set before his people to choose as to which power they shall worship and serve.

In this volume the author observes that we are presented not only with a single image of God but with a rich diversity of images. Each image contributes to the full understanding of the power of God according to the faith of Israel. The power of God is the power to set the oppressed free. Once and for all the power of God is the power that makes for human freedom in a world of bondage. Thus the author asserts that power of God is both liberating and demanding, both a power that grants freedom to those in bondage and a power that makes foe justice on the earth. He further observes that God liberating power includes the call to justice, and it is also understood as compassionate power. God’s power is experienced both as a reality and as a promise. Liberating has come, yet it needs to come again is greater scale and depth.
As earlier observed, the author points out that, the power of God is not the power of cheer Almightiness, but the power that work in Jesus’ ministry. in his forgiveness to sinners

He says that by speaking of God in such terms as “Pantocrator” – the power that controls all things, the church prevented its witness from becoming the story of a tribal of provincial deity, p 61. God is able to do everything except that which is contradictory. The power of God is the greatest power imaginable. The power of God he says is the story of the passion and resurrection of Christ. Finally the author observes that God is certainly the supreme power. God has all the power needed to create, redeem, and complete the world in a personal way. He asserts that the power of God made known in Christ is not sheer omnipotence but supremely powerful love. It is divine power present decisively in Christ and in his Spirit. God is creator, redeemer, and transformer of life, not mere Almightiness but creative power; not impassive but compassionate power; not immutable but steadfast, life giving power that liberates and transforms the world.

Critique

This book is worthy reading if one wants to understand practical Christian faith. The author is clear in his arguments about weather we worship a God of raw power or the God revealed in Jesus Christ. In this book he demonstrates how Christian gospel transforms both the idea and the exercise of power. Many times the author points out that the power of God is neither sheer Almightiness nor mere impotence. His aim is clear here, that God is God, none can be compared by him. The author leads his readers to understand that the power of God is power that is God. Every reader who reads this book will agree with the author that God’s existence can be proved. This reviewer likes the lay out of the book whereby the author kind of moves from the unknown to known. He begins the book by trying to answer the question of God’s power. Throughout the chapters he makes his readers understand that it is through the Christian faith that God is known as God of power. His development of the chapters are well organized which does not bring confusion to the readers.

According to this reviewer, the author is detailed in his agent to discuss the power of God. But the reviewer feels that he (author) would have discussed in more details the biblical witness to God’s power Chapter 3. Why does the reviewer feel this way? In the forward of this book, the author points out that this book deals with contemporary Christian issues. A collection on crucial doctrines or issues in the Christian faith today, p 11. If so than, he (author) would have gone deeper to discuss what it means today for those who do not recognize the power of God, which he points out that is found in the resurrection of Jesus. On the other hand he (author) points out that this is a book for those Christians who think that theology is not theirs, it is the feeling of this reviewer that the author should have gone further to discuss faith in God, like he attempted to do in Chapter 6, p 91. However it is clear that he has a call to his readers to reflect on the bible and on the history of the church and to find their own ways of understanding the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

Seemingly, the author has limitations as he writes this book. For example, when he presents his interpretation of the omnipotence, which he cites is God’s “Supremely powerful love” p 63, he does not mention in details how this is fulfilled in the scriptures. Although he cites that in the NT the decisive depiction of the power of God is the story of the Passion, he seems to assume that his readers are aware of the Passion story. What happened at the cross that shows the love of God in Christ? This is not coming out clear as the author takes his readers through these chapters especially chapter 4. This reviewer would have wanted to hear more of the Power of God as far as the passion story is concerned.

However, this book is worth reading. This reviewer recommend this small book for those seeking their daily commitment to Christian faith. This book will introduce to the readers the way to think about God, as they (readers) seek to understand the significant element of Christian faith and knowledge of God. This book will direct readers to think about the power of God in salvation especially, and the effects of this power to every believing Christian is today. This reviewer highly recommends this book without reservations.

If God Can use anything He can Use you

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember... Noah was a drunk, Abraham was too old. Isaac was a daydreamer, Jacob was a liar,Leah was ugly, Joseph was abused, Moses had a stuttering problem, Gideon was afraid,Samson had long hair, Rehab was a prostitute, Jeremiah and Timothy were too young David had an affair and was a murderer, Elijah was suicidal, Jonah ran from God, Job went bankrupt, Peter denied Christ, The Disciples fell asleep while praying, Martha worried about everything, The Samaritan woman was divorced more than once, Zaccheus was too small,Paul was too religious, Timothy had an ulcer, and Lazarus was dead! Now! No more excuses! God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.... In the Circle of God's love; God is waiting to use your full potential.

Unknown author

Who is God? Construtive Theology About God

Scripturally speaking God has been referred to as the most high, the
Almighty, the Ruler, Eternal Father among others. Yet God is not an object, however he is seen as an object of theology. He can not be subjected to science, for he is not finite. He can not be contained in “laboratory tubs” for he his not an object. Who than is God? In trying to understand who God is (not an object), “God as known by faith as accurately as possible without objectivity distortions projections, God as viewed by Christian teaching and worship, can and has become the central interest and concern”[1] of every age. Therefore, in Christian theology, God is believed to have essential attributes, which is the only way God can be know and understood. This is to say the only way God can be understood is to distinguish him from others. For example how is green different from blue? It is clear that green is not blue nor is blue green. The fact that green is not blue, and that the attributes that makes green to be green, is the difference of the two. In the same way God has attributes and or qualities that make him God without which he can not be distinguished as such. These attributes can not be applied to any other being. For example, “while the love of God is an essential attribute that makes God GOD the act of sending his son to the world was not “essential” for the existence or nature of God”[2]

God as Love

The love of God is uninfluenced. The love which one creature has for another is because of something in them. But the love of God is free, spontaneous, uncaused. God has loved his people from everlasting, and therefore nothing of the creature can be the cause of what is found in God from eternity. He loves from himself. “God is love” points to the very heart of the message of the New Testament, of the Christian Gospel.[3] As the apostolic writer indicated, the essence of God is love. The doctrine of the Trinity indicates how this is the case. Throughout all eternity the divine life, the Father, Son and the Spirit, is the best characterized by “love”. Love, therefore, that is, the reciprocal self-dedication of the Trinitarian members builds the unity of the one God.[4] Love is the relational term to describe who God is to his creation. God is a loving Holy Father. One of the attributes for God is father. If we begin to look in the scripture of the things a loving father does for his children, we would find God as a good Father as we read through out the bible both the NT and the OT. There are three things told in the scripture concerning the nature of God. First, God is Spirit[5] thus this does not place God in class with others. God is Spirit in the highest sense. Second God is Light as seen in 1John 1:5 which is the antithesis of Darkness? And finally God is Love. It is not simply saying that God Loves, but that he is love itself. The love of God is an influenced. By this it means there is nothing in the objects of His love to call into existence, nothing in the creature to attract or prompt it The love which one creature has for an other is because of something in them but the love of God is free, spontantneous, uncaused.

In trying to understand the Love of God, Theologians must recognize that Holiness is the presupposition of Love that give itself freely. So only the Love of the “Holy God is truly free and generous love”[6]. In the scripture and mostly in the OT, God is frequently referred to as the holy one. Isaiah 6:3 His holiness is celebrated before the throne of Heaven, my creatures saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of host”. God is absolutely purity, without sin. Holiness is the very excellency of the Divine nature: the great God is glorious in holiness as seen in Exodus 15:11. When the concept of holiness is applied to God, it refers to God as one “Wholly Other” As God’s power is the opposite of the native weakness of the creature, as his wisdom is in complete contrast from the least of understanding of folly, so is His holiness is very antithesis of all the moral holiness. “Power is God’s hand or arm omniscience His eye, mercy His bowels, eternity His duration, but holiness is His beauty”[7] The only reason why God loves is found in his own sovereign will. For example the Lord did not set his love upon the Israelites and choose them because they were more in number, or powerful- they were the fewest and the weakest of all people: The Lord loved them. Duet 7:7-8[8]. God has love loved his people from everlasting to everlasting, and therefore nothing of the creature can be the cause of what is found in God from eternity. He loves from himself according to his own purpose. While human race was loveless, it is clear that His love is uninfluenced. It is highly important if God is to be honored in the heart. And that human being should be clear upon His precious truth. God’s love for his own is entirely unmoved by anything in them.

“The concept of the love of God, which focuses on his steadfast love also includes elements of faithfulness, mercy and grace best understood as major expression of the holiness of God”[9] as seen in page 3 of this paper. Faithfulness is essential to God’s being, without it He could not be God. Faithfulness is one of the glorious perfection of His being. Isaiah 11:5. So when God became incarnate it was said “Righteousness shall be the girdle of His Loins, and Faithfulness the girdle of his reins”[10]. The mercy of God is in the heavens Psalms 36:6. His compassion fails not. He never forgets, never fails, never falters never forfeits His world. The Mercy of God has its spring in the Divine goodness. This denotes God’s inclination to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. On the other hand grace is the alone source from which flows the goodwill, love, and salvation of God into His chosen people.

God’s love is eternal.

God himself is eternal, and He is love: therefore, as God of human’s feeble minds, as in Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore the loving kindness have I drawn thee.”[11] How blessed to know that the great and holy god loved is people before heaven and earth were called into existence, that He had set His heart upon them from all eternity. Clear prove is that is love is spontaneous, for He has love them before that had any being.[12] Therefore God’s love towards human being and creation in general has no beginning, it can have no ending. He is God and since God is Love, then it is equally true that from everlasting to everlasting he loves his people. The same truth is set forth in Ephesians 1:4- 5 “According as He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy without blame me before Him. In love having predestined us” Here God’s love has date at which it was founded. It was before the foundation of the world; not only God’s people had a being, but before the world had a beginning, for they were chosen in the counsel of God
from eternity.[13]

The love of God is sovereign.

This is also seen in the way God act. God himself is sovereign, under obligation to none, has no law to follow, acting always according to His own imperial will and pleasure. Since God is sovereign, and since He be love, it necessarily follows that His love is sovereign. Since God is God, He does as He pleases; because God is love. He loves who He pleases. His love is not regulated but anything else, thus He is not ruled by a law or rule. Through out the Bible there are several own affirmation[14]

The love of God is infinite.
Everything about God is infinite. His essence fills Heaven and earth. His wisdom is illimitable, for He knows everything of the past, present and the future. His power is unbounded, for there is nothing too hard for Him. So his love is without limit. There is a depth to it which none can fathom; there is a height to it which none can scale; there is a length and breadth to which defies measurement, by any creature standard. Gods love is so transcendent it cannot be estimated. God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loves us, John 3:16 [15] This brings us to the mystery of the Doctrine of the trinity. This doctrine tells us that the God who reveals his nature to human kind is the same as the Son.[16]

God’s love is unchangeable.

As seen earlier, God is the same he does not turn back. So his love does not know charge. God is GOD, he never ceases to love. Since the foundation of Christianity, God is viewed as changeless, consistent, faithful, dependable, the same yesterday, today, and forever the same. The God who created the world is the same God who later spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who give his law to Moses, sent his Son to be the Savior inspires Paul and in whom we believe today. He is the same exact God and not something different.[17] God Loved is own to the end. His divine Love is subject to no vicissitudes, which were in the world. If God should withdraw His love from the world, there would simply be no being there. For no creature can sustain itself in being without his divine love. Love is the free act of God. As God was free to create, so is God free to love
unconditionally and without change.[18] Even when the world entered into sin God never change to love. He continues with His loving Kindness for that is who God is.

God’s Love is Holy.

His Love is not regulated by caprice of passion, or sentiment, but by principle. His love never conflict with His Holiness, for he is Love and Holy. This means that He will not wink at sin, even to His beloved people. His love is not compromised by sin. His love is pure.[19] God is not part of the natural world but He is the supernatural world. He is in fact the Supernatural ONE. As Thomas puts it, God is necessarily a doer of good. His will is thus dependably set in the direction of the morally excellent. Whatever God does is always good. So His love is positively motivated by which he is. We should notice therefore that His divine goodness has the high status of necessity.God’s love is gracious. Grace is the alone source from which flows the goodness, love, and salvation of God unto his chosen people. Divine grace is the sovereign favor of God exercised in the bestowment of blessings upon those who have no merit in them and for which no compensation is demanded. The love and the favor of God are inseparable. This is seen in the scripture. What that love is from which there can be no separation. It is that goodwill and grace of God which determined Him to give his Son for the sinful world. That love was the impulsive power Christ’s incarnation. John 3:16 “God so love the world that he gave His only begotten Son” Christ himself died not in order to make God love us, but because He did Loved us, Calvary is the supreme demonstration of this Divine love. Christ was beloved of the father, yet he was not exempted from poverty, disgrace, and persecution. He Hungered and thirsted. Thus, it was not incompatible with God’s love. Whenever one is tempted to doubt the love of God, Calvary is a good reminder of God’s goodness and his love. Because of Love, grace was planed it was exercised, purposed before it was imparted.[20] Love is free for none ever purchased it . Being love freely by His grace. As seen earlier in this paper love is sovereign because God exercised it toward and bestows it upon whom he pleases with love.

Therefore, the love of God can only be understood in the light of what happens in revelation. The Story of the New testament of love is Jesus Christ, the crucified which defines the LOVE Himself which is “Agape”[21] Love is the self giving of God, it is the free and generous grace of the one who is Holy love. God’s love does not seek value, but it creates value or gives value; it does not desire to get but to give; it is not attracted by some lovable quality, but it is poured out on those who are worthless and degraded; in the strict sense of the word , this love is unfathomable.

The goodness of God is expressed in relationship to several of other attributes as already seen in this paper. Therefore, as the creator, it is God who makes all things good according to the nature and for the plan of the world ( Gen 1: 4, 10, 12 , 18, 21, and 25). His goodness is particularly revealed in making humankind in his image and likeness, and then he has finished, his conclusion about them as well as the rest of the creation it is very good in his goodness.[22] We see God’s goodness as benevolence and generosity that is expressed towards his people. His goodness is often overlapped with his love. God’s love is the movement which goes out of oneself, which stoops down to that which is below: it is self-giving, the self-communication of God – and it is this which His revelation to man. Thus because God is Love, He wills to impart Himself, his nature, His innermost secret is self communication.[23]

Conclusion

Finally, it is always good to conclude with these words that distinguish God from man or and other created beings. Because of His love God is faithful. He is God the faithful God. In many ways humans have been unfaithful to God, and to the light and privileges with which God has entrusted to them. But God has remained faithful to His promises. Duet 7:9. More than four thousand years ago God’s fulfillment of his promise in Gen 8:22 still stand. Thus God is true. His promise is sure. In all His relation with people, God is faithful. He may be relied upon[24]. This is because of His Love towards human beings. God is faithful in glorifying His people. God is constant to Himself and to His own purpose of grace, whom He called. He demonstrates this through His everlasting goodness towards His own creation by loving them to the end. Even then creation does not deserve to be loved, He did so. Therefore, as seen earlier in this paper, many attributes of God are related to each other: His attribute of love seems to be related with God’s Figure as a Father, and also His kindness. On the other hand the attribute love has been tried together by the holiness of God that Stands behind each other and support each other in describing who God is, what God as done and what God is like. Therefore, the attribute of God OT to the NT must be understood as being built on the picture of God’s holiness. The holiness which the bible teaches is the holiness of the God who is love, therefore the truth of the holiness of God is completed in the knowledge of his love. The concept of the “love”[25] of God is not absent in the early part of scripture, but the primary picture of God from Mt. Sinai on is built on His holiness. Love does not only refer to Love as in Human beings for each other but also, His grace, mercy, faithfulness and goodness, and therefore has various translations such as steadfast love, faithful love, loving kindness, mercy and so forth. This is evident in the calling of the Israelites as a people chosen by God.[26] Therefore, Love become a manifestations of God’s holiness particularly to the point of His chose.

Throughout this paper, it is evident that the dominant attribute related to God is that of love. As described earlier, the OT word of love “hes'ed” has made God’s character known and this tell what God is to His people. It is in this supernatural love that God has desired to impart into all his children, so that they might reflect His image and character to the world. It is the grace of God that is the vehicle for implanting His love in the hearts of His people. This kind of supernatural love is not natural to mankind, but it is available by the renewing of the sinful nature through transforming grace. When this happens, the experience of God’s love begins to grown in people hearts. Thus the maturity of His Love grows throughout people’s lives and arrives at a greater point of maturity when they chose to love God with all their hearts and they are empowered to love others from a pure and with a total will whose origin is God. As Brunner puts it “God is love” points to the very heart of the message of the NT, of the Christian gospel. As in the OT, everything turns on the Holiness of God, so in the New everything turns in the love of God.[27] From this therefore, it is clear why this love is not a quality of God, but is nature, like holiness, for this love is nothing rather than the desire to impart Himself, the will of God to reveal Himself, just as it is His nature to will to be Lord to assert and maintain His claim. How
else can He do this but in loving? “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? Within me my compassions are kindled together…”[28]

[1] Oden C. Thomas. The living God: Systematic Theology volume one. ( Harper San Francisco Publishers, 1992) p 3
[2] Robert A. Morey. Here is your God: A study in the attributes of God , Excerpts taken from the Battle of the Gods( Crowne publishers, Southbright, Massachusetts, 1989) 33-34
[3] Emil Brunner. The Christian Doctrine of God: Dogma tics volume one, Translated by Oliver Wyon. (Philadelphia, the Westminster press, 1949) 183
[4] Stanly J. Grenz. Theology for the community of God: A fresh reappropriation of the evangelical and catholic heritage
[5] Spirit is some times put in for the new nature in opposition to the flesh. God require not only the inward in our worship. Note, that God is Spirit for he has an infinite and eternal mind, an intelligent being, incorporeal, immaterial, invisible and incorruptible. If God were not spirit he could not be perfect, or infinite, or eternal, or independent or the father of spirits.
[6] Emil Brunner. The Christian Doctrine of God: Dogma tics vol 1 Translated by Oliver Wyon,(Philadelphia, the west Minster press, 1949) p 189
[7] From the Attributes of God, the holiness of God. Internet notes
[8] You were humble in spirit, and meek above all people. Although they were stiff necked and ill- matures above all people, God fetched the reason of all it purely from them, He loved them because he would love you. Even so Father because it seems good in thy eyes. All that God love he loves freely
[9] Allan Coppedge. Portraits of God: A biblical Theological of Holiness.( downers Grove, Illinois Intervarsity press, 2001) 247-248
[10] He shall be righteous in administration of His government; His righteousness shall be His girdle. In principle He will plead for the people that are poor and oppressed. He will be their protector. He shall judge in favour and defense of those that have right on their side, though they are poor in the world, because they are poor in spirit
[11] Note, It is hard to take comfort from former smiles under present frowns. To this he answers with an assurance of the constancy of his love, yea I have heard thee, not only with an ancient love, but with an everlasting love, a love that will never fail, therefore I have I extended or drawn out lovingkindness unto thee also as well as to the ancestors drawn to thee to myself as thy God.
[12] God’s existence is described as eternal because it is self existent and independent. As such, it is perfect and does not increase or decrease. He always was, is and shall be the same eternal I AM. He alone is eternal because God a lone is God.
[13] Predestination has respect to the blessings they designed for; particularly the adoption of children, it being the purpose of God that in due time we should become his adopted children, and so have a right to all the privileges and to the in heritance of children.
[14] Exd 3: 10, Lev 27: 1-33, Eph 1:4-5, Rom 9: 19.
[15] The love of God the father is the original of our regeneration by the Spirit and our reconciliation by the lifting up of the Son. NB: Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. The love of God the Father is the original of our regeneration by the Spirit. This magnifies his love in giving himself up for us. Now we know that He loves us.
[16] The doctrine of the Triune God Contains the truth- which we already perceived to be the decisive element in the biblical doctrine of God.
[17] Robert Morey. Here is your God: A study in the Attributes of God. Excerpts taken from the Battle of the Gods. ( Massachusetts, Crowne Publications. 1989) p 93
[18] NB the love of God has not changed and will never change: James 1:17, John 13: 1, Songs of Sol 8: 6-7
[19] When holiness has to do with God, it refers mainly to “ separation from the impurity of the divine nature. The fact that holiness as a brilliance is related to the concept of God’s immanence and also to the concept of purity which means that there will be a number of very close ties between the discussion of Holiness as part of who God is.
[20] 2 Tim 1:9, Rom 3:2; 5: 21, Heb 4:16
[21] Emil Brunner. The Christian Doctrine of God. Dogma tics vol 1. Translated by, Oliver Wyon (Philadelphia, the Westminster press, 1949) p185
[22] Genesis 1:31 ( emphasis mine)
[23] This brings us to the doctrine of the trinity. This Doctrine tells us that the God who reveals the divine nature to us is the same as Son who reveals the divine nature, and that they are both the same God and yet distinct.
[24] The sort of God we have been portraying is obviously very different from anything we come across in our normal, physical environment. And He is clearly very different from any of us
[25] Hesed; This is a covenant word whose meaning is one of the richest in the scriptures.
[26] Ex 19:6: 20:1-17; Ps 33:21-22, Isaiah 54:5; 2sam 7: 14-15; Jer 31:9
[27] Emil Brunner. The Christian Doctrine of God. Dogma tics vol. 1 Translated by Oliver Wyon. (Philadelphia, Westminster press 1949) p 183
[28] Hosea 11:8 -9. RSV

The Anabaptist Story- Book Review

Estep, William. The Anabaptist Story. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975. 250pp.

William R. Estep is Professor of History, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. William is one of the most prominent Church historian in Southern Baptist life. His work drew a spotlight on Baptist origin and Church state issues. His book is the best popular synthetic treatment of sixteenth century Anabaptist History.

The Anabaptist Story is about the popular chronicle of the raise, the spread, the teaching and the heritage of a vigorous and important stream in Christian thought by which the Baptist tradition (and all Protestants) owes the notion of religious liberty that prevails today. The author of this book points out that there is no group in Christian history that has been judged unfairly as the Anabaptists of the sixteen century. Why is this? Apart form the Ninety –Five theses of Martin Luther; the 16th Century was a time of epoch – making events. The author asserts that less than a hundred years before the papal schism had come to an end, three popes anathematizing one an other a thing that haunted the papacy. This sparkled popular skepticism that mocked the papal claim of infallibility. By this time John Huss and John Wycliffe were executed, events that reminded people of the secularized powers of the church. This sparked fire of Reformation which spread rapidly.

The birth of Anabaptist according to the author was preceded by baptism of George of the house of Jacob, who wanted true Christian baptism. The author observes that through this baptism the earliest church of the Swiss Brethren was constituted, which he asserts was the most revolutionary act of the Reformation (11). The members were committed to Christ as one who has salvation for them. The author further observes that the introduction of baptism and reading of the scripture NT, was a culmination of an earnest searching of the scriptures and a corresponding dissatisfaction with Zwingli “the Reformer” and his state supported program of reform.

According to the author, one of the treatment which the Anabaptist received from Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed alike was the darkness of the age. He says that the sixteenth century was dark because it was the product of previous centuries. In the darkness the Anabaptists shone like so many meteors against the night. He observes that church and state were considered indivisible in both Catholic and Protestant areas. Any deviation from the established churches was considered a crime of treason (22). According to the author, the rise of Anabaptists started in Switzerland and follows their trek across Europe in search of freedom. They further went to England and finally to the colonies of New York.

The author observes that martyrdom became an Anabaptist hallmark. He gives an example of the 1529 decree which was issued against the Anabaptists by the Second Diet of Speiers. This greatly accelerated the program of extermination already in process. In this volume the author observes that thousands of Anabaptists fell victim of the most widely spread persecutions in Christian history. Persecution was so intensive and thorough in some areas that the Anabaptist movement was effectively stamped out. In other sections where persecution was less thorough the testimony of the martyrs led to phenomenal growth. People like Blaurock and Hans were taken to custody and later killed (34). Against the darkness of Europe’s long night of death, the Anabaptist’s meteors could shine even more brightly. Leaders of the movement were killed which led to darkness in Anabaptist’s kingdom, and from this day the movement never regained its momentum. Driven from their native canons as animals and before a forest fire or as dust before the storm, the Brethren fled into South Germany, and the Netherlands. The author asserts that here the movement soon gained a large following drawing many sincere souls who had zeal for God for they taught nothing but love, faith and the cross. They showed themselves humble, patient under much suffering; they break bread with one another as an evidence of unity and love.

In this book the author points out that Anabaptist theologians did not live very long, nor did those elect elaborate speculative systems of theology. They produced no theologian whose system won the unanimous support of Anabaptist (130). The privacy of the scriptures in Anabaptist life discouraged the formulation of creeds that would tend to take precedence over the Bible. The Anabaptist confession were rare and without binding quality. The author observes that the movement was labeled heretical which could be justified by many citing that the word is relative. He further noted that they might have been heretics in the eyes of some of their contemporaries but certainly were not in regard to the major tenets of the Christian faith. The author however points out some pit falls in their confession citing that they (confessions) contain no articles pertaining to these concepts, arguing that omission could indicate luck of doctrine (131). It might indicate that the emphasis of the movement was on the Christian life and related matters, such as discipleship and the relation of the Christian to the church. The author blames them for not dealing with the theological topics in the early church.

In the most obvious demarcation between the Reformers and the Roman Catholics was biblical authority that between the Reformers and the Anabaptists was believer’s baptism. He (the author) asserts that believers baptism was the Anabaptists the logical implementation of the Reformation principle of Sola Scriptura(140). Their theological convictions demanded action in spite of clear knowledge of its bitter consequences. Immediately, baptism became the burning issue (150) of the hour, and the symbol of Anabaptist discipleship became the association of severe oppression.

In inclusion the author asserts that believer’s baptism implied repudiation of the established churches and also judgment against the inspirationists. It did not only set the Anabaptists apart from existing practices, but gave the movement a uniqueness which it had not possesses before. With the formation of the first Anabaptist congregation was revealed the genius of Anabaptism; it implemented what other only contemplated (179).

Critique

This book is worth reading if one wants to understand the struggle of Christianity. For the first time a book has come up with the history of the little spoken movement (Anabaptist) which has for centuries been judged wrongly. In this book the author is clear of what he want his readers to know. He has varies dates which to him seems significant to the story as it unfolds. Apart from dates, the author explains the story by naming all the important persons that have paved way for Christianity. The author does not assume that his readers have any knowledge of the topic, thus he gives all the details to make his subject known. Although it may seem confusing as one reads through the book, it is clear that as an historical book, there is no other simple way such kind of material would have been presented.

The author brings to light his willingness to discuss technical details of which he put in the footnotes for further studies. In this book, the author wants his readers to have a background of the Reformation in general which he discuses in almost every chapter. Any reader who is careful in reading this small book will find that according to the author’s account of the story, it is "accurate” and the information is helpful in understanding the early protestant beginnings. Why does the reviewer of this book recommend it to others? Many students of church history are not aware of the Anabaptist movement and its contribution to the Reformation. Therefore, this reviewer is recommending this book with hope that it will serve as a basis for understanding the cost of the Reformation from the author’s point of view.

However, it is the feeling of this reviewer that the author could have discussed in details the Reformation in general rather than mentioning little in every chapter as he has done. For example, he could have given the other Reformers contribution to the growth of the Anabaptist movement. It is the opinion of the reviewer that the story of the Anabaptist could be more meaningful if given in the light of other stories of the Reformation. On the other hand, the author assumes that his readers have the information of the Reformation of the 16th century outside the Anabaptist. As mentioned earlier, he (author) has given details in the footnotes, this helps the readers but not to the full extent. What the author seems to have done is to tell more of the narrative of the Anabaptist.

As the author points out that Anabaptist as a movement did not thrive so well for lack of theological soundness (172), it is the feeling of this reviewer that he (author) did not discuss in details what their theology was and what they lacked. Apart from baptism of believers which presided confession of faith. He has not discussed how they lacked cohesiveness, and how their lack or organization betrayed their course. However, it is a worthy book to read to understand the Anabaptist’s contribution to the Reformation. I would recommend this book to students of church history, theological students who are talking Church history as a specialty, and all those that teach church history, may it be in seminaries or in churches.