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Introduction to Prolegomena

I. Prolegomena:1
1. Definition:
A. General:
a. Greek: “the things, which are spoken before.”2
b. Preparatory study.
c. Basic principles.
d. Groundwork.
e. Basic presupposition.
B. Theological term:3
a. Introduction to theology.
b. The presuppositions underlaying theology.
c. The purpose of prolegomena of Christian Theology:
i. Uncover the theological presuppositions.4
ii. Considers the philosophical background to
understanding particulars doctrines.5
2. The origin of the context: Modernism.
A. Skepticism.
B. Everything that transcends:
a. Worthless.
b. Deceitful.
3. Kant:6
A. Metaphysic:
a. A natural disposition of reason. The human mind will never
give up metaphysical researches.
b. Possible for worth studying:
i. “My object is to persuade all those who think
Metaphysics worth studying.”

1
Winfried Corduan, Handmaid to Theology: An Essay in Philosophical Prolegomena (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1981), 9 – 39.
2
Corduan, 13.
3
Corduan, 9.
4
Corduan, 16.
5
Corduan, 17.
6
Lebih lanjut lihat Immanuel Kant, Prolegomena (Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hacket Publishing
Company, 1977).
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ii. “This is what I hold myself justified in requiring for the

possibility of metaphysics as a science.”
c. The source of metaphysical cognition:
i. Apriori knowledge.7
(1) Latin: “From what is before.”
(2) Knowledge that exists without reference to
reality.
(a) Innate in each human mind.8
(b) One example is inborn knowledge.9
(3) Knowledge not given in nor dependent on
experience.
(4) Necessary knowledge. Necessarily true by
definition.
(5) E.g. “Black cats are black.”
(6) Its denial would be self-contradictory.
ii. Beyond experience.
(1) Cannot empirical.
(2) We have this concept: Only by drawing it from
our internal experience.
d. Common Principle: The law of contradiction. Cannot be
denied without contradiction.
B. Faith and Religion: Adopting a rational faith which alone may be
possible for us.
4. Paul Ricoeur.10
A. Reason: Polluted by radical evil.
B. Religion:
a. Dimension of belief.
b. Presents itself as the great outside of philosophy.11
c. Need: Revelation.
C. The replay of Religion: Triad.

7
Milton D. Hunnex, Chronological and Thematic Charts of Philosophies & Philosophers
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986), 3.
8
Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/a-priori-knowledge, diakses 23
Agustus 2018.
9
Jeff Landauer and Joseph Rowlands, Importance of Philosophy, “A Priori Knowledge,
http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Irrational_APriori.html, diakses 23 Agustus 2018.
10
Paul Ricoeur, Figuring the Sacred: Religion, Narrative and Imagination (Minneapolis: Fortress
Press, 1995), 75-88.
11
Ricoeur, Figuring the Sacred, 82.
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a. Representation: Christ figure, an actual kenosis of the

absolute itself.
b. Belief:
i. The dimension of the effectiveness of representation.
ii. Belief is inscribed in practice.
c. Institution: Church figure. Public incarnation in an ecclesial
body.

II. Christian Theology:

1. Definition of theology:12
A. Critical reflection about:13
a. God.
b. Human existence.
c. The nature of the universe.
d. Faith.
B. Usually called “systematic” or “dogmatic”
2. H. Bavinck: Normatively, prolegomena of theology should:
A. Begin with revelation.
B. Proceed from faith → The foundations of faith are twofold:14
a. The external/objective/revelation.
i. Special revelation: Biblical warrant.15
ii. General revelation.
b. The internal/formal/faith.
i. The foundations of faith (principia fidei) are
themselves article of faith (articuli fidei), based not on
human arguments and proofs but on divine authority.16
ii. The recognition of revelation, of Scripture as the Word
of God, is an act of faith as well as its fruit.17
C. Articulate its own first principles (principia).18
a. Dogma, theology.

12
John H. Leith, Introduction to the Reformed Tradition (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1981), 91.
13
Pembicaraan secara rasional tentang Allah dan pekerjaan-Nya. ~ Rasionalitas; Bukan mistik.
14
Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Prolegomena, Vol. 1, trans. by John Vriend (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2003), I. 34, p. 109.
15
Leith, 89-91.
16
Herman Bavinck, 109.
17
Herman Bavinck, 109.
18
Aristotle, for instance, distinguished principia as: (1) Principles of being; (2) Principles of
existence; (3) Principles of knowing [Herman Bavinck, 207].
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b. Three fundamental principles for theology:19

i. The essential foundation (principium essendi): God
ii. The external cognitive foundation (principium
cognoscendi externum):
(1) Special revelation: Scripture.20
(2) General revelation: The created world is the
external foundation of human knowledge
(principium cognoscendi externum).
(a) This knowledge becomes part of our
human consciousness.21
(b) Intelligibility:22 The light of reason
enables us to discover and recognize the
logos in things.23
(c) Knowledge that embraces the mystery
of God [Qoheleth: Fear of The Lord
(Ecc. 3:21; 8:17; 11:5; 12:13)].
iii. The Holy Spirit is the internal principle of knowing
(principium cognoscendi internum).24 → A gift of the
mind of God.
3. Basic Starting Point: The Person of Jesus Christ.25
A. A Person >< Concepts.
B. Person:
a. Challenge us.
b. Transforming us.
c. Challenge our presupposition.
d. Need: Obedience & responsibility.
C. Concepts:
a. The prejudices of our own culture.
b. Lock ourselves into our own situation.
c. Prisoners of our culture.

19
Herman Bavinck, 207.
20
Herman Bavinck, 207.
21
Herman Bavinck, 208
22
Leith, 89-91.
23
Herman Bavinck, 208.
24
Herman Bavinck, 207.
25
Alister E. McGrath, Understanding Doctrine (London, Sydney, Auckland: Hodder &
Stoughton, 1990), 135 – 166.
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Bibliography

Bavinck, Herman. Reformed Dogmatics: Prolegomena, Vol. 1, trans. by John Vriend.

Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2003.
Corduan, Winfried. Handmaid to Theology: An Essay in Philosophical Prolegomena.
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1981.
Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/a-priori-knowledge, diakses
23 Agustus 2018.
Hunnex, Milton D. Chronological and Thematic Charts of Philosophies &
Philosophers. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1986.
Kant, Immanuel. Prolegomena. Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hacket Publishing Company,
1977.
Landauer, Jeff., Rowlands, Joseph. Importance of Philosophy, “A Priori Knowledge,
http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Irrational_APriori.html, diakses 23
Agustus 2018.
Leith, John H. Introduction to the Reformed Tradition. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1981.
McGrath, Alister E. Understanding Doctrine. London, Sydney, Auckland: Hodder &
Stoughton, 1990.
Ricoeur, Paul. Figuring the Sacred: Religion, Narrative and Imagination. Minneapolis:
Fortress Press, 1995.