| Theology |
| Christian Doctrine Lesson #2 |
| 1. Theology is the study (science of God) The word "theology" comes from two Greek words: THEOS (God) and LOGOS (word, idea, thing, study, science). Theology is the science or study of God, just as biology is the science of life, anthropology is the science of mankind and zoology is the science or study of animals. Theology was once commonly called "divinity" meaning the science/study of divine things. Theoogy is concerned with God, His Word and His works. True theology is based on the Word of God. Theology, then, is simply serious and systematic Bible study. 2. Biblical theology is the theology of indiviual parts of the Bible. The term "Biblical theology" refers specifically to the study of the individual books and authors of the Bible. It is based on exegetical theology, the study of individual words, and sentences. Each book has a distinctive contribution to the Bible, and can usually be summed up in a single sentence (for example, Mark 1:1, John 20:31, and Romans 1:17). Even the four Gospels, which overlap in much of what they say, have distinctive emphases (Matthew: Jesus as King of the Jews; Mark: Jesus as Messiah; Luke: Jesus as Son of Man; John: Jesus as Son of God). All of these are links in the great Bible chain. All complemenet each other; there are no contradictions. Biblical theology is also concerned with the chronological progression and development of God's revelation and work in history, culminating in the revelation of Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-2). 3. Systematic theology is the organization of Bible doctrines into catergories. Systematic theology deals with the Bible as a completed entity. Just as a deck of cards can be dealt out numerically, it can also be catergorized by suits. The "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) concerns the entire message of the Bible, and is more concerned with God as the one Author than with the individual human authors. Serious study of Scripture shows that certain topics are repeated and developed. For example, Jesus engaged in systematic theology in Luke 24:27 when He took His apostles through the Bible on the theme of the Messiah and His work. The Bible contains a system of truth sometimes called "that form of doctrine" (Rom. 6:17) or "the pattern of sound words" (2Tim 1:13). This explains the harmony of all the parts, and shows that many inter-relationships of individual doctrines. God is a god of order (1Cor 14:33, 40). and so is His Word. Among the categories are Christoogy, soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology, etc. 4. Historical theology is the development of theology in church history. Just as Biblical theology deals with the progress of revelation in history, so historical theology deals with the progression of the study of revelation among Christians. But the two are not equal in importance. Church history deals with Christians, events, dates, places, churches, etc. Historical theology deals with theological controversies, theologians, books, councils, etc. Few heresies are really new, but can usually be found via historical theology. Truth and error have debated repeatedly on a host of fronts, Certain truths were discussed and challenged at specific times in particular: the one true God (up to AD 200, the person and divinity of Christ and the Trinity (300-400 AD). Similarily, each Christian engages in his own personal historical theology as he grows in the study of the Bible. 5. Practical theology is the application of theology to Christian living. This form of theology shows the relationship between Biblical principles to personal practice and behavior. It explains the underlying reasons behind Biblical commands and examples. Thus there is a theology of evangelism, prayer, church life, and many others. It is also called theology of spirituality. 6. Tradition is oral teaching. Tradition can be either good or bad.The words PARADOSIS is used in a good sense in 2 Thess. 2:15, 3:6, and possible 1 Pet 1:18. The prophets and apostles and even our Lord Jesus spoke many things not written down in Scripture (see John 20:31 and 21:25). But we have no authoritative record of those things. The Jews had the idea that Moses passed on divine revelation orally to the elders, who in turn passed it down orally to the time of Jesus. But Christ rebuked the idea of placing tradition on the same level as Scripture (Matt 15). This Jewish tradition was later written down as the Mishnah. The Catholic Church repeated the same mistake. Oral tradition may be useful for a short time, but it easily becomes rumors, opinions and "the traditions of men" in contrast to the commandments of God (Col. 2:8, 22). Tradition, therefore, is not a solid foundation for theology; only the Bible is. 7. Religion is the practical theology of worship. Again, the word "religion" can be good or bad. James 1:26-27 gives both. The good sense is that Christianity is the true religion in that it alone provides the true way of worshipping God. All other religions are false. But religion, or the practical exercise of worship, must be based on theology and not the other way around. Christianity is more than rituals and ceremonies. Moreover, the elaborate Old Testament worship ceremonies were replaced with two simple ceremonies, baptism and the Lord's Supper. As a result, now the emphasis is more spiritual. True religion is neither magic or superstition, but the worship of God in Spirit and truth (John 4:24). |
| Adapted from a series by Dr Curt Daniel, Faith Bible Church, Springfield, IL. Revised, edited and adapted by Pastor Victor Edwards, Spurgeon Heritage Church, Holland, MI |