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 great libraries and suffocating book lovers sitting on the library floor reading large volumes of works 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 a new and novel idea that only tries to make your life miserable that is surely not biblical. Surely, it is not something for the inexperienced or young 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 hardly 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 met someone like you also in a similar boat, and I wonder 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 that we are not always aware of. So let’s go on a journey and hopefully clear the matter up for you a bit.

“Theology” is a term that has been used since the third century to refer to “speaking of God” or the “science of God.” Theology itself gets to 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 different religious traditions. For Muslims it is about Allah and the teachings of the Qur’an and the other four holy books of their 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 what Christians believe. For polytheistic (many gods) traditions, 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 essentially what theology is and is intended to discuss. It is discussion about God or the gods and the relationship that exists between us and them and us with others.

What makes theology Christian?

Christian theology speaks of God in Christian ways. Christians, think of your faith. The Christian faith is both a matter of reflection and a result of that reflection. Examine why we do the things we do and why. Consider why Protestants uphold 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. There are certainly other ideas out there on the matter as well. Christian theology, however, 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 is about trying to understand why the Christian Church is committed to ideas that seem complicated and sometimes a little implausible. When we look at the question of what theology is, we might consider such difficult concepts about the relationship of Jesus Christ to humanity and divinity. Christians claim that Jesus is 100% human and 100% divine, but some might wonder why say this when it is simpler 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 make faith unnecessarily complicated?

In answering the question of “what is theology”, it is not uncommon to hear a question about theology that unnecessarily complicates the faith. 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 “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 the relationship we have 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 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 to leave that marriage? The answer to this question becomes a little more complicated, because contextual elements are now needed not only from the biblical teaching on marriage and divorce, but its 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 lived things. Sometimes it is necessary to consult Christian history and other writings of that time to find out 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 literature and biblical study.

Another consideration in answering the question that this is complicated is that Christians meet non-Christians. Sometimes non-Christians are interested in the Christian faith and know more about it. They may be curious or unsure what they believe. Perhaps your parents never stressed the importance of religion growing up and feel like they are missing it. Or maybe you’re in a college course debating atheism. Simply saying “because the Bible says so” will not work in these situations. In fact, the curious or agnostics 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 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 belief 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 towards the things of God so that we can properly worship God 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 engaging in theology for the common Christian. An example of this is that it gives a person a deeper enrichment and an appreciation of their own 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 involving 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 of theology.

Another benefit is that there tends to be a kind of emotion that arises 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 commits us to our Creator. It is “a feeling 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, but it is also central to why we do things. It is at the center 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 wounded 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 even 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 proposing some new doctrine, but about approaching that biblical text and giving 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 commit your faith on a deeper level as you grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God, your neighbor. If you have questions or just curious, I encourage you to leave a comment. God bless you and we’ll talk soon.