something like "counsel's opinion"

now.  Hence it passed to the sense of

authoritative decrees (Plato), and

is applied both in the LXX and New

Testament to decrees issued by the

state (Dan. 2:13; 3:10; Luke 2:1); and in

Acts 16:4 to the decrees issued by

the Christian Church' (Blunt and Benham).

A dogma is not a doxa, not a subjective human opinion, not an

indefinite, vague notion, nor is it a mere truth of reason, whose validity

can be made clear with mathematical or logical certainty; it is a truth of

faith, derived from the authority of the Word and Revelation of God, a

positive truth, therefore, positive not merely by virtue of the positiveness

with which it is laid down (e.g. 'I dogmatically affirm ... '), but also by

virtue of the authority by which it is sealed.  'Dogmatics is the science

which presents and proves the Christian doctrines, regarded as forming a

connected system' (Bishop Martensen).  If dogmatics stayed here, all would be

well, but at this point we enter into the region of controversy, and into the

subject has come the question of tradition, the question whether the Church

gave us the Bible, or whether the Bible comes first?  Roman Catholic and

Protestant positions are opposed on many such items, but into these we do not

intend to enter.  The citation of Bishop Martensen given above will receive

the hearty approval of all true Bereans, who will be satisfied to 'search and

see whether these things be so', not in the traditions or creeds, or the

Fathers, but in the Holy Scriptures (Acts 17:11).

Theology.  (Theos God and logos word or doctrine).  Theology is the doctrine

which God has given concerning Himself, the science which treats of the

existence and character of God, and the relations in which we stand to Him.

The source of theology is regarded as twofold, natural and supernatural.

Theology is further subdivided as exegetical, a system that aims at 'bringing

out' (exegesis) the meaning, and dogmatic, which gathers up and exhibits in

systematic form the results of exegetical theology.

Polemic theology defends the doctrines of systematic theology;

practical theology leads to a walk that is worthy.

Symbolics has no reference to symbols, such as candles, pictures,

images etc., it is a portion of historical theology that deals with the

origin, nature and contents of all the public confessions, and summaries of

the articles of the faith.  The 'symbol' is a common shibboleth, an

ecclesiastical standard, and symbolics is concerned with creeds, articles,

canons and confessions, of which the thirty-nine articles of the Church of

England and the Westminster Confession are perhaps the most widely known

Apologetics.  This word does not suggest an 'apology' in the more

modern sense of the word, but rather a 'defence' of the faith as apologia is

used in the New Testament (Phil. 1:7,17).

'Dogmatics is Christian doctrine as adapted to Christian thinkers,

implying friendliness on their part.  Apologetics is Christian doctrine

in a form adapted to heathen thinkers, and presumes hostility on their

part' (Sack, Polemik).

Apologetics include 'the evidences of Christianity', 'the credibility of the

Gospel History', 'proofs of the Resurrection' etc.