What is theology? Demystifying a terrifying practice

Theology may seem like a scary word to some people. For some, this word conjures up images of large libraries and congested book lovers sitting on the library floor reading large volumes of works by people like Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics or H. Orton Wiley’s three-volume Systematic Theology. For others, imagine a college or seminary where professional pastors and future teachers go, but return to your local church with more important words and ideas than you can explain in your child’s language arts homework. And still for some, the idea of ​​a professor sitting in an ivory tower writing and hatching some new and novel idea trying to make his life miserable that is surely unbiblical. Surely, it is not something for the young or inexperienced Christian, and there is no way that an ordinary person who has been in the faith for a while, like you, can grasp or understand it, you can barely get by on Sunday with the sermon and your devotions that are not always recorded. For many of you, I am sure you are confused when it comes to this topic, I have probably also met someone like you in a similar boat, and I am simply wondering what theology is to begin with. It is a good question to ask. The fact that you ask shows that you are serious about your relationship with God, because this word and its many subject areas arise in ways we don’t always know about. So, let’s go on a journey and hopefully clarify the matter a bit for you.

“Theology” is a term that has been used since the third century to mean “speaking of God” or the “science of God.” In itself, theology touches on the nature and relationship that people have with God and what the word “god” means to people. After all, “God” means different things to different people and to different religious traditions. For the Muslim it is about talking about Allah and the teachings of the Qur’an and the other four holy books of his Islamic faith. For the Jew it is Jehovah / YHWH and the observance of the law. Both monotheistic traditions believe in a “God”, but what they believe about that “God” is very different from Christians. For polytheistic traditions (many gods) it could mean doing something for one god to avoid the wrath of another. For the deist, it could simply be about finding general truths in all traditions and living a moral life and going to heaven. They all believe different things and that is, in essence, what theology is and claims to discuss. It is a discussion about God or gods and the relationship that exists between us and them and us with others.

What makes theology Christian?

Christian theology speaks of God in a Christian way. Christians, think about your faith. The Christian faith is as much a matter of reflection as it is a result of that reflection. Analyze why we do the things we do and why. Consider why Protestants defend the importance of Scripture and Catholics look at both Scripture and Tradition. So to answer the question of what makes theology Christian, it all comes down to what we believe. An example of this in practice is the various beliefs about the Church itself.

For some people, the Christian Church should be just a body of believers, while for others they believe that it should be a mixed group. Certainly there are other ideas on the subject as well. However, Christian theology forces us to think in an orderly way about the fundamental ideas of our Christian faith. Theology is, to a great extent at least, an intellectual reflection on the act, content, and implications of the Christian faith. It is sometimes used to help communicate an understanding of certain elements of our Christian faith by asking questions like:

• Where do these different approaches come from?

• What are the merits of such an approach?

• What impact or difference does it make in the business of the Christian life?

Compromised ideas of theology

Christian theology tries to try to understand why the Christian Church is committed to ideas that seem complicated and, at times, a little implausible. When we look at the question of what theology is, we might consider such difficult concepts about the relationship between humanity and the divinity of Jesus Christ. Christians claim that Jesus is 100% human and 100% divine, but some might wonder why say this when it is easier to say that Jesus is truly human. Another example is the Trinity issue. Why is God a Trinity, when it seems easier to believe in God? Theology responds to these challenges and gives voice not only to what we believe, but also to why we believe it.

Does theology just unnecessarily complicate faith?

In answering the question of “what is theology”, it is not uncommon to hear a question about theology that makes faith unnecessarily complicated. And I think that concern is justified, but up to a point. I often find it helpful to recall what Anselm of Canterbury said on the subject of theology, and that it is about “faith seeking understanding.”

As I said in the previous sections, Christianity thinks about its faith. We make various claims about God and what we are taught and read about God and our relationship with God. However, we are also curious and questioning people, sometimes questions about divorce and remarriage or infant baptism. In essence, we say and profess one thing, but now we answer the why aspect. It would seem simple to say well that the Bible says xyz about divorce, but what about the sexual or emotional abuse that leads one to leave the marriage? Are they biblically justified in leaving that marriage? The answer on this matter becomes a bit more complicated, because contextual elements are now needed not only from the Bible’s teachings on marriage and divorce, but also from the teachings on violence and the duty of care that spouses have. with marriage and how those cultures in which the Biblical authors write approaches and experiences. Sometimes it is necessary to look at Christian and other historical writings of that time to know what was going on and then approach the matter from an informed opinion with a set of reasons and recommendations. This is putting theology into practice, it is an area called Biblical Theology and that involves issues of hermeneutics and exegesis and other elements of biblical literature and study.

Another consideration in answering the issue that this is complicated is that Christians meet non-Christians. Sometimes non-Christians are interested in the Christian faith and in knowing more about it. They may be curious or not sure what they believe. Perhaps your parents never stressed the importance of religion growing up and feel like they are missing it. Or maybe you are in a college course debating atheism. Simply saying “because the Bible says so” will not work in these situations. In fact, the curious or agnostic may simply think and believe that Christians worship a book rather than an almighty God who actually existed. They would need some background on why the Bible is important and not just a book or moral teachings and sayings. Theology offers people in these situations an explanation of the Christian faith and helps them understand why Christians differ on certain points of importance, such as baptism by immersion or by sprinkling.

Perhaps the most compelling reason for the importance of theology and for doing it, even if it seems complicated, is the discipleship of the mind. Theology is the discipleship of the mind. Deut. 6: 1-24 and Matthew 22:37 address the importance of our faith in God and living in obedience, which includes loving God and others with our whole being. The apostle Paul calls us in Romans 12: 1-2 about the importance of renewing and transforming our minds in the things of God so that we can worship God correctly and follow his will. When we engage in theology in contemplating the act and being of our faith, we are gaining a glimpse into the inner dynamics of a life of faith and its desire to understand what is believed.

Other benefits of theology

Of course, there are other aspects of participation in theology for the everyday Christian. An example of this is that it gives a person a deeper enrichment and appreciation of their faith. Perhaps the most exciting thing about Christian gatherings and the time I have spent with other members of the family of God is the celebration and contemplation of ideas for engaging others for the sake of the Kingdom of God. We read and study the scriptures and other Christian writings or videos for ideas and insights to help in that process and respond to challenges. That is a commitment to theology.

Another benefit is that there tends to be a kind of emotion that comes up when one struggles with God. Augustine once exclaimed this very idea when he said that theology was an eros of the mind. Anyone familiar with the Greek and the words for “love” or even familiar with human intimacy will know that this is where the term erotic comes from. Theology is an erotic sensation that involves us with our Creator. It is “a sense of longing to understand more about the nature and ways of God.”

And finally, the most important benefit of theology that I can think of is that it has a transformative impact on people’s lives. This not only happens to us personally as we learn and grow, it is also central to why we do things. It is the core of Christian outreach and social services that are carried out in certain ways. That is why the many food banks that exist are sponsored and run by churches and Christian organizations. It is about saying that there is a God who loves others and calls us to be His hands and feet in a hurt and lost world.

Final thoughts

I hope you have come to understand that answering “what is theology” is something important to grapple with. Having this understanding is critical before we attempt to broach any other topic or talk about any other topic. We must be clear not only what we believe, but why we believe it. It is not about trying to change what the Bible says or to propose some new doctrine, but to involve that biblical text and give an account of what we believe. I am excited to see what the future of the Church of God will be and I hope this will encourage you and help you to commit your faith on a deeper level as you grow in wisdom and stature and in favor of God, your neighbor. If you have questions or are just curious, I encourage you to leave a comment. God bless you and speak soon.