Theological Concepts Flashcards

The theological concept of 'prevenient grace' in Wesleyan/Arminian theology refers to:

Answer: Grace that goes before and enables a person to respond to God

Prevenient grace (from Latin praevenire, 'to come before') is God's grace that precedes and enables human response to the gospel, restoring a measure of free will lost in the fall.

What does the theological term 'hypostatic union' describe?

Answer: The union of divine and human natures in one person of Christ

Hypostatic union is the Chalcedonian doctrine that Jesus Christ has two complete natures — divine and human — united in one person (hypostasis), without confusion or separation.

In Jewish theology, the concept of 'tselem Elohim' (image of God) implies that:

Answer: Every human being has inherent dignity as bearer of the divine image

Tselem Elohim (image of God) from Genesis 1:26-27 means every human is created bearing God's image, grounding the Jewish understanding of inherent human dignity and worth.

The term 'theodicy' refers to the theological attempt to:

Answer: Justify God's goodness in the face of evil and suffering

Theodicy (from Greek theos, 'God' + dike, 'justice') attempts to reconcile belief in a good, omnipotent God with the existence of evil and suffering in the world.

In Hindu philosophy, 'maya' refers to:

Answer: The cosmic illusion or appearance that veils ultimate reality

Maya in Advaita Vedanta refers to the illusion or appearance of the phenomenal world that conceals the underlying unity of Brahman (ultimate reality).

The theological debate between 'infralapsarianism' and 'supralapsarianism' concerns:

Answer: The logical order of divine decrees in Calvinist predestination

These terms describe competing Calvinist views on whether God's decree to elect some for salvation logically preceded (supra) or followed (infra) the decree to permit the fall.