This is the Prolegomenon to the position that theology is a scientific discipline. This is the basis of Theanthropic Ethics as an ethical category based upon scientific methodologies.
Theologians and ethicists must utilize the same laws of methodology as any other scientific research.
The supposition for theology is: there is a god or gods.
A supposition requires a minimal amount of proof. This is true in any scientific research, including theological research. The twofold general classifications within scientific evaluation are: argumentum a posteriori, and argumentum a priori.
The proofs of the supposition are: cosmological, teleological, psychological, and historical.
The cosmological proof is that since the world exists therefore there must be a god or gods. There must be a god or gods to construct the world. A building presupposes a builder. This is a logical conclusion. Every rational person through deductive reasoning upon observing a created structure concludes that there must be someone who has thus created the structure. Consequently, the observation of creation presupposes a creator.
The teleological proof is that the Earth and universe is a great, beautiful, and wondrous work. This observation concludes that there is an intelligent being behind this work. The universe is a work of wondrous purpose and motion, with order and laws, with beauty and grace. The universe is a work that hides within itself a most wise mind and an infinite power that created it. Consider the great readiness and diligence for work displayed by bees and spiders. So great is their love for art that bees create wax so artistically and fragrantly and the spiders weaving their intricate webs with such delicacy, with ethereal threads and such intricate patterns! Consider the marvel at the composition and action of water. The nature, the appearance and the taste of water are one and the same. However, its energy has many powers. Water in the grape becomes wine and takes on a new taste. While in the olive it becomes oil and is transformed into bread when mixed with flour.
The psychological proof is that mankind seeks after a god or gods. In the inner recesses of man’s nous there is an acknowledgement of His Existence. When one perceives the good and evil in the world, the logical conclusion is that the existence of a god or gods is necessary and inevitable.
The historical proof is that throughout mankind’s history there has always been recognition of a god or gods. The great historian Plutarch (born A.D. 46) has stated, “Wherever you go, you may find cities without walls, without schools, without kings, without inhabitants, without currency, without theatres or gymnasia, but an atheist city without the need for prayers and vows, for oracles and sacrifices, for beneficence, you will never see, for such does not exist. It seems to me that one can more easily find a city without ground than one without religion and belief in God. Such a city cannot exist and should perchance such exist, it cannot endure.”
The supposition has proof required to commence research, on the subject of theology as a scientific discipline. From here we will be required to provide more proof. As in all research, there is an assumption.
This means that atheism can only be proved as a negative supposition. Agnosticism is untenable since science requires a supposition that supports the concept of theological research.
Research utilizes the Law of Non-contradiction. Aristotle defined this law as, “the same attribute cannot at the same time belong to the same subject in the same respect.”
Research utilizes the Law of Causality that incorporates Aristotle’s classification of motion.
Now we must make a determination as to whether there is one or many gods. The proof for One God is the reality of the attributes of the One True God.
The assumption for us to consider in our theological research is: God is the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity.
The first step is to consider the attributes of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity. The attributes of Tri-Hypostatical Divinity consist of Him being: omnipresent, omniscient, eternal, immutable, omnipotent, all-wise, holy, righteous, virtuous, and the Truth.
The omnipresence of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity indicates that He is not subject to any limitations relating to physical space. The Tri-Hypostatical Divinity sees and oversees everything, whether visible or invisible. There can be no mystery in the One True God, the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity.
As a result of being omnipresent, the consequence, logically, is that the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity must be omniscient. The omniscience of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity indicates that He is outside of time. Consequently, the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity knows only present. There is no concept of past or future, since everything is present to the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity. His creatures respond to past and future due to their understanding of time. Time is only a form of limited being, changeable being. The omniscience of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity does not indicate that man’s freewill is impinged in any way. The foreknowledge of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is not the cause of the occurrence of things, but rather He foreknows that we are to do this or that, thus that which a person is to do, does not have the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity as its cause, but rather a person’s own free will.
The eternal nature of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity indicates that He is ever the same, and as far as time is concerned, has neither beginning nor ending. With reference to the essence of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity the term means that He never changes, but remains continuously the same. This is understood as a natural development of His omniscience. Being omniscient He must be eternal.
The immutable nature of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is understood as a direct result of the previous position of His being omniscient and eternal. This un-changeability does not indicate some kind of immovability. Quite the contrary, The Tri-Hypostatical Divinity’s Being is life, filled with POWER and activity. The Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is Himself life, and life is His Being.
The omnipotence of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is understood as a direct result of logical sequence. He is Almighty, for how could it be otherwise for the One True God. There is nothing that the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity cannot do, as long as this is extended to everything, which is pleasing to His thought, to His goodness, to His Will.
The attribute of wisdom of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is inseparable from His omniscience, and is an extension of that attribute. It is the property of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity to ascertain and determine the most excellent and perfect means whereby His most excellent aims and purposes leads to completion. We see how this is manifest in the reality of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity, especially in the reality of the Theanthropic Hypostasis.
The attribute of Holiness in the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity indicates that He is pure and free from all moral and ethical imperfection, and is free from and despises sin, wickedness, and depravity. The Tri-Hypostatical Divinity loves only that which is good and just. Consequently, the holiness of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is the source of holiness for His creatures.
The attribute of righteousness of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity is a derivative of His Holiness. He is righteous because He is Holy. Since He hates and despises evil, He must be righteous and does not tolerate any injustice. He judges objectively and without bias. The righteousness of the Tri-Hypostatical Divinity has two aspects: that of lawgiver and that of judge. The laws are all appropriate, such as the Law of Gravity. All laws require judgment. The Law of Gravity works for all creatures upon the Earth.