The 22nd AIIAS Annual Theological Forum was held on November 14-16, 2019 at the AIIAS Auditorium. Scholars gathered to commemorate a number of presentations and discussions centered on the life, teachings, and writings of Paul.
“Out of the 27 books of the New Testament, 14 was attributed to his authorship. Nobody influenced the development of the Christian church through writing more than he did,” said Ricardo González, dean of the AIIAS Seminary.
The AIIAS Seminary Forum attempted to contribute to the discussions on Paul’s figure and his message for God’s church in the 21st century as his writings did not have any systematic explanation which shows to be a challenge to today’s scholars.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Richard Choi, spoke about “Paul’s Anthropology and Sanctification: Justification and Sanctification.” In his lecture, he discussed the relationship between the two by comparing Romans 5 and 6, the core narrative of Christ’s death and resurrection”. He delved more on the in-depth spiritual entity of the body in close relationship with the flesh. He also offered a discussion about the combined work intended for the spirit, mind, and heart in facilitating the process of sanctification.
Other plenary speakers, Dr. Felix Cortez presented about “Paul and The Letter to the Hebrews”, an evaluation of research on the authorship of Hebrews and its place in the Pauline Collection. On another platform, he spoke about “The Story of Hebrews at the National Level”, and “The Story of Hebrews at the Cosmic Level”. He discussed that Paul wrote anonymously because of modesty. His writings were written in different writing styles and were translated into different languages in order to accommodate its readers. He explored more on the function of Jesus as the Son of man in Paul’s letter to the Hebrews.
Dr. Carl Cosaert’s three lectures were on the Justification, Reconciliation, and Redemption of Paul and the Romans. He emphasized Paul’s good news of justification and salvation from the penalty of sin in which Christ’s life and death atones for our failed history. He continued to share about the beginning of sin, how it has been the status of humanity before God, and how salvation is the only way to alienate sin. He built more on the idea that on account of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, sin has been defeated through the continual indwelling of the Spirit.
Other presenters were students and professors from the AIIAS Theological Seminary as well as scholars from higher education institutions outside the Philippines.
