THE VERITAS ETHOS
Purpose
The objective of Veritas School of Theology (www.inquiroveritas.com) is twofold:
- To restore the locus of theological training back to the local church.
- To articulate and defend a God-centered, revelational worldview.
Definition
We describe ourselves theologically as existing to promote the knowledge of God through the disciplined study of God and man, always respecting the biblical Creator/creature distinction. This means that orthodoxy and orthopraxy are viewed as opposite sides of the same truth. Thus, we do not lay stress on theology as a subject but as the divinely appointed truth without which we are without a compass in the world. This lends to theology a more necessary and obligatory aspect.
Position on the Theological Spectrum
Along with Fundamentalism and historic Evangelicalism we contend for the practical outworking of an inerrant and authoritative Word of God. For this reason we are not afraid to stand for certain unpopular positions (Young Earth Creationism, propositional revelation, consistent hermeneutics, a biblical ethic of selfless love, etc.), nor are we ashamed of standing against popular trends in the churches (egalitarianism, sign-gifts, progressive creationism, hermeneutical relativism, integrative approaches to counseling, and postmodernism).
Foundational Principles
Veritas School of Theology operates from a platform of clearly laid-out commitments. These commitments are not peripheral to the functioning of the school, but form the very foundation upon which it operates as well as fostering the kind of Christian maturity it seeks to reproduce in its staff as well as its students. These tenets are interlocking and provide a touchstone for our aims and objectives.
1. There must be a God-centered approach to Truth
Truth, by definition, is a constant that is derived from the only immutable constant, which is God Himself. The main problem with mankind is that we are estranged from God, who in Himself is beyond our comprehension. If God did not bring Himself near to us through revelation, then we would remain truly helpless. Therefore, we are committed to a concerted effort to know God as He has revealed Himself to us in His acts, His Word, and His Son, Jesus Christ.
2. God is always glorified through Jesus Christ
God has set forth Jesus Christ, through whom and for whom all things were made and by whom all things consist, to reveal Himself and to reconcile all things to Himself, especially all those who believe in Him. In so doing He seeks to glorify Himself through us. Therefore, we commit to a theology and practice that is decidedly Christocentric.
3. All people are accountable to their Creator
Mankind, being created in the image and likeness of God, is accountable to respond to God’s self-disclosure with both heart and mind. God has given us language in order for us to hear His voice, to verbalize His revelation back to Him in praise and worship, and to speak of His wonders one to another. All that God does is for the purpose of glorifying Himself, and He calls us to make this same goal the aim of everything we do and say. Therefore, we commit to a theology that is doxological in all its aims and intentions.
4. God has spoken
God has delivered to us the Holy Scriptures, which are a clear, unique and adequate revelation of His character and will, so that we, His creatures, can respond to His Word with an obedient faith, to the praise of His glory. This means that Scripture is essential if mankind is to know the world as made, directed and interpreted by its Creator. Any attempt to define the world without recourse to the Scriptures will leave a person without a place to stand from which to make concrete assertions about the truth and reality. Therefore, we commit to a revelational perspective on all of theology and practice.
5. There is a distinctively Christian Worldview
The right view of the world and of the role of humankind in it is to be found only within the pages of Scripture. Even though God reveals Himself in creation and providence, these are inadequate sources of truth without their scriptural elucidation. The Christian view of life is the biblical view of life, not one that is part Scripture, part unaided human reason. Since man’s desire to be independent from God characterizes both the foundation of his sinning and the premise that corrupts his reasoning, it is essential that believers come to realize that the Christian mind is a thoroughly renewed mind. Therefore, we commit to a worldview that reflects the ‘creation-fall-redemption’ motif of Scripture that is centered on the death and resurrection of Christ.
These foundational statements are not meant to replace our Statement of Faith, which provides the doctrinal underpinning upon which these commitments are made. An Exposition of these foundational principles will be available at the VST website: www.inquiroveritas.com.
