A BOTH/AND APPROACH

A THEOLOGY OF GOD AT WORK IN OUR WORLD

THE DOVE AND THE OLIVE BRANCH

THEOLOGY

•Good/orthodox theology is normally about holding two truths in tension

• Error/heresy/ bad theology is normally about getting hold of one part of the truth and taking it out of balance

THE DOVE AND THE OLIVE BRANCH

GENESIS 88 Then [Noah] sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. 9 But the dove could find nowhere to perch because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark. 10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. 11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth. 12 He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.

THE DOVE AND THE OLIVE BRANCH

THREE STAGES

• The dove finds nowhere to land

• The dove finds buds of new life • The dove finds a flourishing place to dwell/rest/land

THE HOVERING DOVE

THE BUDDING BRANCH

OLIVE TREE

OLIVE TREE

THEOLOGY

Olive Tree Dove

THEOLOGY OF KNOWING GOD

General Revelation

SpecialRevelation

THEOLOGY OF GOD’S ACTION

Creation Redemption

THEOLOGY OF GOD’S PRESENCE

Immanent Transcendent

HERESY

Docetic Arian

DOCETIC CHRIST

THE HOVERING DOVE

DON RICHARDSON (B.1935)

1974 1977

1981

DON RICHARDSON

Melchizedekfactor

Abraham factor

GENESIS 1418 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High (El Elyon), 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,“Blessed be Abram by God Most High (El Elyon),    Creator of heaven and earth.20 And praise be to God Most High (El Elyon),    who delivered your enemies into your hand.”Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.”22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the LORD, God Most High (El Elyon), Creator of heaven and earth,

TRANSLATABILITY OF THE GOSPEL

Theos YHWHθεὸς ְיהָו֥ה

CHUCK SMITH, CALVARY CHAPEL(JUNE 25 1927- OCTOBER 3 2013)

BAPTISM OF JESUS

MATTHEW 35 People went out to [John] from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River…13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

BAPTISM OF JESUS

BAPTISM OF JESUS

BAPTISM OF JESUS

BAPTISM OF JESUS: IDENTIFICATION

Jesus identified with:•His people• Their story• Their plight

THE DOVE AND THE OLIVE BRANCH

THREE STAGES

• The dove finds nowhere to land

• The dove finds buds of new life • The dove finds a flourishing place to dwell/ land/rest

THE DOVE AND THE OLIVE BRANCH