We propose here a few guidelines for an evangelical theology, i.e. a Protestant theology of the Gospel.

Introduction: multiple sources and influences

In the article “What is an evangelical theology?“, we distinguished three concentric dimensions: the Gospel, Christian doctrine and philosophy. Here we sketch out what such a theology might look like. We draw on many sources and have received many influences, from which we select here three particular representatives belonging to three clearly differentiated Protestant traditions. What they have in common is a strong desire to conceptualise the “Christian message”, with different motivations: missionary, apologetic, philosophical.

a. The Gospel

As far as the theological development of the apostolic Gospel is concerned, we follow the general outline developed by the evangelical missionary and theologian Tom Julien in his volume “Strategic Alliance for Leadership Training” (in French: “Stratégie pour l’éducation des leaders”) and in several courses at his Institut Biblique Décentralisé. This outline focuses on the cycle of human creation and redemption, and the consequences of this for the Christian’s existential and ecclesial commitment: it already articulates the Gospel and Christian doctrine.

b. Christian doctrine

If the heart of evangelical theology remains the reconstitution of a “sound” apostolic Christian doctrine on the basis of a systematic interpretation of Scripture, we must adopt a scientific classification of the different “doctrines” conceived as conceptual fields of dogmatics. Here we shall essentially follow the division adopted by the Reformed theologian and apologist Cornelius Van Til, amending it to make room for the approach adopted here.

c. Theology and philosophy

Following the Lutheran theologian and existentialist philosopher Paul Tillich in his seminal work (his “Systematic Theology”), we propose that evangelical theology must be both kerygmatic (i.e. present the “Christian message”, in principle the Gospel) and apologetic (i.e. make this message comprehensible in today’s situation). According to Tillich, such a theology must therefore “correlate” the questions that arise in today’s world with the affirmations of the Christian faith.

1. The questions of evangelical theology

Following Tom Julien, we can propose that the essence of evangelical theology can be summed up in three major questions, which arise from a biblical understanding of the Christian Gospel:

1. Who is God?
2. Who is man?
3. How can man know God?

A simple schematic answer to these three questions will help to structure evangelical theology.

To the question: “Who is God?”, we answer: “God is the eternal creator of the universe”.
To the question: “Who is man?”, we answer: “Man is the creature and the image of God”.
To the question: “How can man know God?”, we answer: “Through faith in Jesus Christ, who is God made man”.

2. The categories of Christian doctrine

Following Cornelius Van Til, in particular in his emblematic work “The Defense of the Faith” and in his “Introduction to Systematic Theology”, we will consider 8 main dogmatic categories:

1. Prolegomena (Methodology and foundations)
2. Proper theology (The doctrine of God)
3. Protology (The doctrine of first things)
4. Anthropology (The doctrine of man)
5. Christology (The doctrine of Christ)
6. Soteriology (The doctrine of salvation)
7. Ecclesiology (Doctrine of the Church)
8. Eschatology (The doctrine of the last things)

We have added a category on “first things” which seems to us to be essential for dealing with the beginnings, and we have not retained the classic dogmatic category of “hamartiology” or the doctrine of sin, which for us falls essentially within the fields of theological anthropology and soteriology.

3. The method of correlation

If doctrine and philosophy are to be considered together in evangelical theology, we need to adopt a method like that of Paul Tillich, which he calls the correlation method. For us, this consists of relating the fundamental questions of philosophy, which concern the origin and destiny of the universe and of man, to the fundamental articles of the Christian faith, drawn in principle from the Gospel and its ramifications.

Paul Tillich structured his systematic theological thinking around five theological-philosophical dualities: reason/revelation, being/God, existence/Christ, life/Spirit, history/the kingdom of God. We will use this harmonious conceptual division to structure our presentation of evangelical theology, on the understanding that it overlaps schematically with the division of Christian doctrines set out in the previous section:

1. Reason and revelation
   • Prolegomena
2. Being and God
   • Theology proper
   • Protology
3. Existence and Christ
   • Anthropology
   • Christology
4. Life and the Spirit
   • Soteriology
   • Ecclesiology
5. History and the kingdom of God
   • Eschatology