Basic Concepts of Biblical Religion

Concepts taken for granted cause trouble later if they are forgotten. Biblical religion is world-affirming and historical. That means finding some positive construction for the pains of life, and finding the meaning of life in history. The Exodus is the backbone of the Bible: it holds together the Old Testament, and it is the model for the New Testament. Biblical religion is covenantal: it is a choice, not something that could be proven.

As with Aquinas, acts of God do not interfere with nature, but transcendence builds on nature. At this point, it is possible to say a little about God; more belongs in theology, not in philosophical presuppositions.