BTheol Bachelor of Theology Basic Christian Doctrine 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which heresy taught that Christ only appeared to have a physical body and did not truly suffer?
- Nestorianism
- Docetism (Correct answer)
- Apollinarianism
- Adoptionism
Correct answer: Docetism
Docetism (from the Greek 'dokein,' to seem) denied the full humanity of Christ, teaching that his suffering and death were only apparent.
Question 2: The 'covenant of works' in Reformed theology refers to an arrangement God made with:
- Israel at Mount Sinai requiring Mosaic law observance
- Adam in the garden, promising life on condition of obedience (Correct answer)
- The church, requiring faithfulness for continued blessing
- Abraham, requiring circumcision as the sign of the covenant
Correct answer: Adam in the garden, promising life on condition of obedience
The covenant of works posits that God promised Adam eternal life in exchange for perfect obedience, which was forfeited at the Fall.
Question 3: What does the theological term 'propitiation' mean in the context of the atonement?
- The removal of guilt from the sinner's conscience
- The restoration of a broken relationship between humans
- The satisfaction of God's wrath against sin (Correct answer)
- The demonstration of God's love to a hostile world
Correct answer: The satisfaction of God's wrath against sin
Propitiation (Greek: hilasmos) means Christ's atoning death turned away God's righteous wrath against sin by fully satisfying divine justice.
Question 4: Which council in AD 325 condemned Arianism and affirmed the Son is 'of the same substance' (homoousios) as the Father?
- Council of Constantinople
- Council of Ephesus
- Council of Nicaea (Correct answer)
- Council of Chalcedon
Correct answer: Council of Nicaea
The Council of Nicaea (325) produced the Nicene Creed, declaring the Son to be homoousios (consubstantial) with the Father against Arius's teaching.
Question 5: What is 'common grace' in Reformed theology?
- Grace given equally to all who sincerely seek God
- God's unmerited favor extended to all humanity, restraining sin and enabling cultural good (Correct answer)
- The saving grace available through the church's sacraments
- Grace given in proportion to a person's natural moral effort
Correct answer: God's unmerited favor extended to all humanity, restraining sin and enabling cultural good
Common grace refers to God's non-saving benevolence toward all people, enabling societal order, moral restraint, and human flourishing.
Question 6: The 'beatific vision' in Christian theology refers to:
- Mystical experiences of God available to believers in this life
- The direct, unmediated knowledge and sight of God enjoyed by the redeemed in heaven (Correct answer)
- Prophetic visions granted to biblical prophets
- The glory of Christ seen at the Transfiguration
Correct answer: The direct, unmediated knowledge and sight of God enjoyed by the redeemed in heaven
The beatific vision is the eschatological state in which the redeemed see God face to face and know Him as He is, constituting ultimate blessedness.
Question 7: Which view holds that Adam's sin is imputed to all his descendants because he acted as their federal representative?
- Pelagianism
- Traducian guilt theory
- Realistic headship
- Federal headship (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Federal headship
Federal headship teaches that Adam acted as the covenant representative of all humanity, so his guilt and corruption are legally imputed to all his descendants.
BTheol Bachelor of Theology Basic Christian Doctrine 4
Which heresy taught that Christ only appeared to have a physical body and did not truly suffer?