Vern Poythress's View on AI in Logic and Theology

Theology, as a systematic discipline, involves the organization and interpretation of facts revealed in Scripture, much like other sciences arrange facts in their respective fields ^[2]. Charles Hodge, a prominent Reformed theologian, emphasizes that theology is the "exhibition of the facts of Scripture in their proper order and relation, with the principles or general truths involved in the facts themselves" ^[2]. This approach suggests a structured, logical framework for understanding divine revelation.

The role of logic and reason in theology has been a subject of ongoing discussion. Christians generally acknowledge the importance of reason in receiving revelation, as truth must be communicated to a mind capable of apprehending it ^[12]. However, this does not equate to rationalism, which Hodge defines as the affirmation that no proposition can be established if it opposes "the logic of sound philosophy, the principles of reason, and the evident truth of nature" ^[10]. Instead, reason serves to understand and organize the facts presented in Scripture, rather than to judge or supersede them ^[12].

Hodge illustrates this by noting that while theories are human constructs, facts are from God. When human interpretations of the Bible conflict with established facts, the interpretation must yield ^[6]. For example, early interpretations of Scripture were influenced by the Ptolemaic system of astronomy, which later gave way to scientific understanding ^[6]. Similarly, theological doctrines must account for all scriptural facts. Hodge points out that the Scriptures attribute both omniscience and intellectual progress to Christ, and any doctrine of His person must incorporate both facts ^[3]. This highlights the need for a comprehensive and consistent logical framework in theological formulation.

Theological facts, according to Hodge, include truths such as the hereditary nature of sin, the necessity of the Holy Spirit's aid for spiritual good, and the imputation of Adam's guilt and Christ's atonement ^[11]. These facts require theological principles to be aligned with them ^[11]. The Bible not only presents these facts but also depicts the legitimate effects of these truths on believers' minds, providing a framework for understanding religious experience ^[5]. This "inward teaching of the Spirit" illuminates the mind to apprehend truths already revealed, rather than revealing new ones ^{[1, 5]}.

Augustine, an influential patristic theologian, also engaged with the concept of theology, distinguishing between different kinds. He discussed what Varro called "fabulous," "natural," and "civil" theology ^[9]. Augustine focused on "natural theology" when engaging with philosophers who sought a more excellent wisdom, indicating a recognition of reasoned inquiry into divine matters ^[7]. Aquinas, a scholastic theologian, similarly employed rigorous logical argumentation in his Summa Theologica, for instance, in discussing whether the Son of God assumed a human mind or intellect, refuting Apollinarian views that denied Christ a human mind ^[4].

The systematic arrangement of theological facts leads to distinct departments within theology, such as Theology Proper (concerning God's being, attributes, and the Trinity), Christology, Pneumatology, and so forth ^[8]. This structured approach, rooted in the careful examination of biblical data, underscores the inherent logical dimension of theological inquiry. The goal is to present the facts of Scripture in an ordered and coherent manner, revealing the general truths that pervade and harmonize the whole ^[2].

Sources

CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 9: the doctrine of the Bible, and such is the teaching of our religious consciousness when under the influence of the Spirit of God. The true method in theology requires that the facts of religious experience should be accepted as facts, and when duly authenticated by Scripture, be allowed to interpret the doctrinal statements of the Word of God. So legitimate and powerful is this inward teaching of the Spirit, that it is no uncommon thing to find men having two theologies, — one of the intellect, and another of the heart. The one may find ex”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 11: the mechanism of the heavens according to his own good pleasure. As the facts of astronomy arrange themselves in a certain order, and will admit of no other, so it is with the facts of theology. Theology, therefore, is the exhibition of the facts of Scripture in their proper order and relation, with the principles or general truths involved in the facts themselves, and which pervade and harmonize the whole. It follows, also, from this view of the subject, that as the Bible contains one class of facts or truths which are not elsewhere reve”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 8: an extended plain. In theology a partial induction of particulars has led to like serious errors. It is a fact that the Scriptures attribute omniscience to Christ. From this it was inferred that He could not have had a finite intelligence, but that the Logos was clothed in Him with a human body with its animal life. But it is also a Scriptural fact that ignorance and intellectual progress, as well as omniscience, are ascribed to our Lord. Both facts, therefore, must be included in our doctrine of his person. We must admit that He had a hum”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Parts of Human Nature Which Were Assumed, Art. 4: Article: Whether the Son of God assumed a human mind or intellect? I answer that, As Augustine says (De Haeres. 49,50), "the Apollinarists thought differently from the Catholic Church concerning the soul of Christ, saying with the Arians, that Christ took flesh alone, without a soul; and on being overcome on this point by the Gospel witness, they went on to say that the mind was wanting to Christ's soul, but that the Word supplied its place." But this position is refuted by the same ar”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 9: by God in His Word ( 1 Cor. ii. 10-16 ). It is not, therefore, a revelation of new truths, but an illumination of the mind, so that it apprehends the truth, excellence, and glory of things already revealed. And second, 16 This experience is depicted in the Word of God. The Bible gives us not only the facts concerning God, and Christ, ourselves, and our relations to our Maker and Redeemer, but also records the legitimate effects of those truths on the minds of believers. So that we cannot appeal to our own feelings or inward experience, as ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 41: because we know that it is not a satellite of our planet. (3.) There is a great distinction between theories and facts. Theories are of men. Facts are of God. The Bible often contradicts the former, never the latter. (4.) There is also a distinction to be made between the Bible and our interpretation. The latter may come into competition with settled facts; and then it must yield. Science has in many things taught the Church how to understand the Scriptures. The Bible was for ages understood and explained according to the Ptolemaic system”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 1.--THAT THE QUESTION OF NATURAL THEOLOGY IS TO BE DISCUSSED WITH THOSE PHILOSOPHERS WHO SOUGHT A MORE EXCELLENT WISDOM. (part 1): We shall require to apply our mind with far greater intensity to the present question than was requisite in the solution and unfolding of the questions handled in the preceding books; for it is not with ordinary men, but with philosophers that we must confer concerning the theology which they call natural. For it is not like the fabulous, that is, the theatrical; nor the civil, that is, the urban theo”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 14: § 4. Christian Theology . As science, concerned with the facts of nature, has its several departments, as Mathematics, Chemistry, Astronomy, etc., so Theology 32 having the facts of Scripture for its subject, has its distinct and natural departments. First — Theology Proper, Which includes all the Bible teaches of the being and attributes of God; of the threefold personality of the Godhead, or, that the Father, Son, and Spirit are distinct persons, the same in substance and equal in power and glory; the relation of God to the world, or, h”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 5.--CONCERNING THE THREE KINDS OF THEOLOGY ACCORDING TO VARRO, NAMELY, ONE FABULOUS, THE OTHER NATURAL, THE THIRD CIVIL. (part 1): Now what are we to say of this proposition of his, namely, that there are three kinds of theology, that is, of the account which is given of the gods; and of these, the one is called mythical, the other physical, and the third civil? Did the Latin usage permit, we should call the kind which he has placed first in order fabular,(2) but let us call it fabulous,(3) for mythical is derived from the Greek ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 76: them together, can rightfully establish any proposition opposed to the logic of sound philosophy, the principles of reason, and the evident truth of nature. Around this thesis the battle has been fought and the victory won; and it will stand with spreading favour as long as there are enslaved and cultivated minds in the world. This position is, in logical necessity, and as a general thing in fact, that of the large though loosely-cohering body of believers known as ‘Liberal Christians;’ and it is tacitly held by still larger and evergrowi”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 8: that sin is hereditary, we must adopt a theory of sin suited to that fact. If they teach that men cannot repent, believe, or do anything spiritually good, without the supernatural aid of the Holy Spirit, we must make our theory of moral obligation accord with that fact. If the Bible teaches that we bear the guilt of Adam’s first sin, that Christ bore our guilt, and endured the penalty of the law in our stead, these are facts with which we must make our principles agree. It would be easy to show that in every department of theology, — in re”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 20: § 5. Proper Office of Reason in Matters of Religion . A. Reason Necessary for the Reception of a Revelation . Christians, in repudiating Rationalism in all its forms, do not reject the service of reason in matters of religion. They acknowledge its high prerogatives, and the responsibility involved in their exercise. In the first place, reason is necessarily presupposed in every revelation. Revelation is the communication of truth to the mind. But the communication of truth supposes the capacity to receive it. Revelations cannot he made to”

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