The “Seven Questions of Spiritual Theology” are categories that can help us see themes throughout Scripture. Like any approach to theology, the questions and their answers provide a framework or categories to understand God and His work. Spiritual Theology (the questions and their answers) are intentionally brief. These summaries are not exhaustive explanations (as in Systematic Theology). Spiritual Theology deliberately condenses the main points (“small bites”) that more easily lend themselves to practical application (“theology that makes a difference in a person’s life” – Dr. James Houston, Regent College).
The framework of any theology is useful for interpreting Scripture, but Scripture always must be the starting point. Rather than begin our discussions in Calvary Institute with the summarized answers of Spiritual Theology, we are looking at the book of Galatians inductively, finding evidence to help answer the questions.
The “inductive” method gathers individual facts, like a detective gathers individual clues. As we put the growing collection of the facts together (as a Bible student or as a detective), we can begin to draw general conclusions.
Naturally, not every passage in Galatians (or any other book of the Bible) answers every one of the seven questions. The goal is to gather whatever information we can to begin building the framework of Spiritual Theology.
As we gather bits of information from Galatians, what general principles can we form about the seven questions?
Who is God? [Theology proper]
Galatians 1:1-9 Father (1:1, 3, 4); raises the dead (1:1); close link with Jesus (1:1, 3); has a plan (1:4); deserves glory (1:5); calls people (1:6)
Galatians 1:9-17 power & purpose (1:15)
What is God up to? [Eschatology]
Galatians 1:1-9 rescue (1:4)
Galatians 1:9-17 self-revealing (1:12, 16)
Who are we? [Anthropology]
Galatians 1:1-9 need rescue (1:4)
Galatians 1:9-17
What’s gone wrong? [Hamartiology]
Galatians 1:1-9 sin (1:4); deserters (1:6); false gospel (1:6)
Galatians 1:9-17
What’s God done about our problem? [Soteriology]
Galatians 1:1-9 raised Jesus (1:1); Jesus gave himself (1:4); called us (1:6)
Galatians 1:9-17 revealed Himself (1:12, 16)
How is God’s Spirit moving today? [Pneumatology]
Galatians 1:9-17
How do we join the Spirit’s movement? [Ecclesiology]
Galatians 1:1-9 genuine gospel (1:6-7)
Galatians 1:9-17