1.0 - Where to launch the project

I believe my best direction (or goal perhaps?) for this blog is to not so much go through the Scriptures as a type of survey and then make some theological comment throughout. Not only does that rub up against the title of my blog, but as a consequence it goes against the overarching goal of "a theology". I want to build my theology up from ground zero with Scripture naturally falling into its necessary position. This does not mean my theology is absent from Scripture, but suggests that realistically speaking, a theology's first step does not begin with Scripture but with a quest "who is this 'god'": hence "THEOLOGY". The immediate step afterwards is Genesis 1:1 where Scripture comes into contact, ultimately refining and "re-defining" theology (a.k.a, Christian theology).

I suppose I could say my first step is a philosophical one, "who is god?" but this very question is more theological than philosophical. If I was to start with "why", perhaps philosophy would be the more appropriate word then theology (although "why should I believe in god" does have deep theological roots). I believe the quest for the identity of god deeply wrestles with the issues of god directly (more theological) unlike reasoning over why one must be compelled to do so (more philosophical). Maybe my opinion here is too subjective or overall petty, but the reader can decide for themselves.

Now I will start:

Who is god? This question is based on the presupposition(s) that either A) person X heard about this "god" and has since pondered the deity, B) person X has experienced/witnessed an event(s)/object(s) that has made person X ponder the work behind it, or C) all of the above. It is not important for this discussion to pick one over the other, but merely to reveal the options that drive people to ask the question in the first place. Option A speaks of a person who has heard a name they have never heard before and would like to know more about it. Option B, however, has two distinctive parts. The first part is a person who experiences something in their life which transcends the normality of this physical world that strongly compels them to think of someone or something that is behind the scene (i.e., supernatural). The second part is based on simple observance. This person sees the natural world they live in and can't help but wonder if what they see was created by someone other than mere natural process (i.e., a creator).

With these presuppositions established, we must now return to the question "who is god?" Whatever answers stem from this question will be dominantly (if not entirely) determined by one simple word, "authority". What resource will the person use to be authoritative in answering such a cosmic size question? Will it be nature? People? Scientists? Emotional whim? Or will it be the classic anthropocentric statement: "I think, therefore I am"? This last one takes the biggest class because most people prefer to determine god's existence/non-existence and character by THEIR understanding and THEIR reason alone.

My answer is: The Holy Bible.