Ectypal Theology

This is a running project.  It's drawn mainly from Muller's Dictionary.  Later updates will include Muller's PRRD and Robert Preus's volume on post-Reformation Lutheranism.

Theologia Ectypa:  all true finite theology

1. Theologia viatorum (theology of pilgrims in our earthly journey)
1. principia theologia: the foundations of theology
1. principium essendi: the being of God
2. principium cognoscendi: cognitive foundations of theology.
1. principium externum: Scripture
2. principium internum: faith
1. testimonium internum Spiritus Sancti: internal testimony of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8).
2. theologia beatorum (theology of the blessed in glory; still ectypal and finite)
3. theologia angelorum (theology of angels)
4. theologia unionis: Christ’s knowledge in his Incarnate life.  It is the union between ectypal and archetypal theology, but still a form of ectypal theology

Theologia Unionis as Epistemological Prism

The Christological problem follows the [epistemological issue]:  if the human nature of Jesus, as finite, is in capable in itself of comprehending the infinite knowledge of the theologia archetypa[think of the simple divine mind, admitting no real distinctions], then any equation of the theologia unionis [for our present purpose, think the communication of attributes; BH] with archetypal theology must involve some alteration of the human nature of Jesus.  For Jesus to be possessed of an infinite divine wisdom according to his humanity, there would have to be either a communication of divinity to humanity or a transference of divine attributes to Jesus’ humanity within the hypostatic union (Muller, PRRD I: 250]

The point is this:  If Christ in his incarnation didn’t exhaustive knowledge, then how can  we expect fallen sinful man to have it?   If you do not accept this point, then you will doom yourself to deadly spiritual models that can only cause theological insanity.  You will end up asking questions like,

1. If there is no infallible speaking church/pope, then how can I have certainty about anything?
2. How do I know which books are in the canon?
3. How do I know I am elect?

All of these questions, pursued in a false context of Illegitimate Religious Certainty, are spiritual death.