Sorry to have led the discussion astray! I don't think there is a formal name for the deity in the NT.
I'm not sure, but I think the NT simply uses the Greek equivalent of Hebrew El / Elohim (theos ?)and titles like "Lord" (kurios ?..Its been ages since I did anything in Greek) I forget how NT handles its quotes from the OT.
The lord's prayer simply has the believer call the deity "Our father".
I don't think calling the Christian god "God" is really absurd. The English seems to reflect ancient convention of using a word in two ways, as a common and a proper noun.
Christians sometimes make the distintion between the NT and the OT on the grounds that in the NT divine grace is emphasized whereas in the OT god is rather judgmental. On the other hand, however, it would be a rather odd Christian denomination that would claim that their deity was not the same deity that is called Yahweh, Elohim, Shaddai, etc. in the Hebrew Bible. As I understand it, some ancient Christian Gnostics made that distinction, since the Old Testament god was seen as an evil entity, responsible for bringing base matter into existence. The Gnostics did not succeed in winning the "hearts and minds" of the bulk of Chritianity, however.
One could make a case that the OT's "Yahweh" at one time was not considered the same entity as the god called "El/Elohim". Some texts try to affirm that "Yahweh is (the?) god / El. An odd thing to say if there were no question of it!
Hope this all helps.
In the absense of anything better, "Nigel" will have to do.
"It depends"
Sorry to have led the discussion astray! I don't think there is a formal name for the deity in the NT.
I'm not sure, but I think the NT simply uses the Greek equivalent of Hebrew El / Elohim (theos ?)and titles like "Lord" (kurios ?..Its been ages since I did anything in Greek) I forget how NT handles its quotes from the OT.
The lord's prayer simply has the believer call the deity "Our father".
I don't think calling the Christian god "God" is really absurd. The English seems to reflect ancient convention of using a word in two ways, as a common and a proper noun.
Christians sometimes make the distintion between the NT and the OT on the grounds that in the NT divine grace is emphasized whereas in the OT god is rather judgmental. On the other hand, however, it would be a rather odd Christian denomination that would claim that their deity was not the same deity that is called Yahweh, Elohim, Shaddai, etc. in the Hebrew Bible. As I understand it, some ancient Christian Gnostics made that distinction, since the Old Testament god was seen as an evil entity, responsible for bringing base matter into existence. The Gnostics did not succeed in winning the "hearts and minds" of the bulk of Chritianity, however.
One could make a case that the OT's "Yahweh" at one time was not considered the same entity as the god called "El/Elohim". Some texts try to affirm that "Yahweh is (the?) god / El. An odd thing to say if there were no question of it!
Hope this all helps.
In the absense of anything better, "Nigel" will have to do.