Mobile Ed: TH218 Doctrine of Divine Omnipresence (2.5 hour course)
Overview
The doctrine of divine omnipresence—the idea that God is present everywhere—is an important aspect of Christian theology. In The Doctrine of Divine Omnipresence (TH218) Dr. Sean McGever explores this significant attribute of God from both a scriptural and theological perspective and also discusses its practical ministry applications. After explaining the distinction between God’s general and special presence Dr. McGever traces the story of God’s special presence through the biblical witness. He then examines the theological formulation of God’s general presence by examining the doctrine of divine omnipresence in the works of five key theologians from Augustine to Barth. He concludes the course by exploring the importance of divine omnipresence in ministerial applications predicated on the reality of the believer’s union with Christ through the indwelling Spirit of God.
Upon successful completion you should be able to:
- List a sequence of special presences of God as presented through the biblical story
- Explain the purpose of the temple from God’s perspective
- Draw correlations between God’s pre-creation omnipresence and Jesus’s, using John 1 and Col 1
- Defend the idea that the tabernacle is a better metaphor than the temple for God’s presence through Jesus
- Define what is meant when God is spoken of as being far or near
- Explain the phrase “God is everywhere and nowhere”
- Identify three false theologies that derive from misconceptions of God’s omnipresence and specify the misconceptions
- Explain how a Spirit-indwelt believer brings the special presence of God to a time and place even though the general presence of God is already there
Introduction
- Introducing the Speaker and Course
Unit 1: Scriptural Foundation: God Is Omnipresent from Pre-Creation to Pentecost and Beyond
- Creation
- Garden
- Tabernacle
- Temple
- Jesus Christ
- Christians Indwelt by the Holy Spirit
Unit 2: Theological Formulation: God Is Everywhere and Nowhere
- Overview and Transition to Theological Formulation of Omnipresence
- Key Theological Voices: Augustine
- Key Theological Voices: Anselm
- Key Theological Voices: Martin Luther
- Key Theological Voices: Herman Bavinck
- Key Theological Voices: Karl Barth
- Theological Summary: Doctrine of Omnipresence
Unit 3: Ministerial Applications: Our Limits and Our Union with Christ
- Application: Humans Are Not Omnipresent
- Application: Omnipresence and Union with Christ
Conclusion
- Conclusion to the Course
- Title: Doctrine of Divine Omnipresence
- Instructor: Sean McGever
- Publisher: Lexham Press
- Publication Date: 2021
- Product Type: Logos Mobile Education
- Resource Type: Courseware, including transcripts, audio, and video resources
- Courses: 1
- Video Hours: 2.5
Partially includedSean McGever (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is area director for Paradise Valley Arizona Young Life and adjunct faculty at Grand Canyon University. He trains Young Life staff and volunteers internationally.
