Theology comes from two Greek words, theos (God) and logos (discourse, speech, line of argument), and means simply God-talk—or, more fully, thoughts about God expressed in statements about God. God-thoughts are only right when they square with God’s own thoughts about himself; theology comes good only when we let God’s revealed truth—that is, Bible teaching—penetrate our minds. So theology is an exercise of listening before it is one of talking. It is an attempt to hear what Westminster Confession (I.x) calls “the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture” and then to apply what Scripture says to correct and direct our lives. We bring our doubts and questions to the Bible’s teaching for resolution, and we allow God in and through that same teaching to question us about the way we think and live. The name of theologian is given to those who help with this process.

J. I. Packer, Hot Tub Religion, (Living Books, Tyndale House Publ., Inc., Wheaton, Ill; 1987), p. 2

Theological Maps

Technicalities (sometimes unavoidable in theology, as in any field of scientific study) will be pursued only for the sake of simplicity. Simplicity of principle, once it is achieved, makes for straightforwardness of practice. The best theological maps are clear and have these seven basic qualities.

First, they are accurate in their presentation of material, both human and biblical. Nothing can compensate for failure here.

Second, they are God-centered, recognizing divine sovereignty at the heart of everything and showing God’s control of problematical events, both actual and imaginable.

Third, they are doxological, giving God glory for his glorious achievements in creation, providence, and grace, and encouraging a spirit of joyous, trustful worship and adoration in all circumstances.

Fourth, they are future-oriented, for Christianity is a religion of hope. Often the only sense theology can make of present trends, conditions, and behavior patterns, as they both mark society and touch individuals, is to diagnose them as fruits of sin and hold forth the promise that God will one day wipe them out and unveil something better in their place.

Fifth, they are Christ-related in two ways. On the one hand, they proclaim the centrality of Jesus, our mediator, prophet, priest, and king, in all God’s present dealings with, and future plans for, the human race. On the other hand, they reformulate our notional perplexities by turning them into practical issues of faithfully following the Savior whom we love along the path of self-denial and cross-bearing, according to his own explicit call (see Luke 9:23). They show us how to walk patiently with him through experiences that defeat our minds and feel like death into the experienced reality of personal internal resurrection. This is the biblical way to live the Christian life, and good theological maps lead us right into it.

Sixth, such maps are church-centered. The New Testament presents the church as central in God’s plan. Christians are meant to journey through life not in isolation but in company with fellow-believers, supporting them and being supported by them.

Seventh, good theological maps are freedom-focused. They are tuned in to the decision-making processes of authentically Christian men and women; that is , people who know themselves to be free from the law as a system of salvation yet desire to live by it, first out of love for the law itself, which now delights them with its vision of righteousness; and third out of self-love, since they know that there is no real happiness for them either here or hereafter without holiness.

Theology constantly calls for deliberate, responsible decisions about how we are going to live, and it never forgets that Christian decisions are commitments to action on principle (not out of mindless conformity), undertaken in freedom (not from external pressure or bullying), and motivated primarily by love of God and of justice (not by fear). Good theology thus molds Christian character, neither demeaning nor diminishing us but rather enhancing our God-given dignity.

J. I. Packer, Hot Tub Religion, (Living Books, Tyndale House Publ., Inc., Wheaton, Ill; 1987), pp. 5-7

True

The study of God, His nature, attributes, character, abilities, revelation, etc. True theology is found in the Bible which is the self-revelation of God.

Choosing One’s Faith is Like Choosing a Favorite Song

A pastor I know, Stephey Belynskyj, starts each confirmation class with a jar full of beans. He asks his students to guess how many beans are in the jar, and on a big pad of paper writes down their estimates. Then, next to those estimates, he helps them make another list: their favorite songs. When the lists are complete, he reveals the actual number of beans in the jar. The whole class looks over their guesses, to see which estimate was closest to being right. Belynskyj then turns to the list of favorite songs. “And which one of these is closest to being right?” he asks. The students protest that there is no “right answer”; a person’s favorite song is purely a matter of taste. Belynskyj, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Notre Dame asks, “When you decide what to believe in terms of your faith, is that more like guessing the number of beans, or more like choosing your favorite song?” Always, Belynskyj says, from old as well as young, he gets the same answer: Choosing one’s faith is more like choosing a favorite song. When Belynskyj told me this, it took my breath away. “After they say that, do you confirm them?” I asked him. “Well,” smiled Belynskyj, “First I try to argue them out of it.”

Tim Stafford, Christianity Today, September 14, 1992, p. 36

A Healing Spirit

Labour mightily for a healing spirit. Away with all discriminating names whatever that may hinder the applying of balm to heal your wounds…Discord and division become no Christian. For wolves to worry the lambs is no wonder, but for one lamb to worry another, this is unnatural and monstrous.

Thomas Brooks, quoted in Credenda Agenda, Volume 5 Number 2, p. 3, I.D.E. Thomas, A Puritan Golden Treasury, Banner of Truth, 1989, p. 304

Little is Gained if Opinions are Crammed Into Men

But little is gained if opinions are crammed into men; and this is likely to be the case where they are not permitted to inquire and to doubt. At the same time it must be remembered that no spirit is more unfriendly to that indifference of mind so essential to freedom of inquiry than that which arises in the conduct of controversy. When we become advocates we lay aside the garb of philosophers. The desire of victory is often stronger than the love of truth; and pride, jealousy, ambition and envy, identifying ourselves with our opinions, will lend their aid to pervert our judgments and to seduce us from our candor. A disputatious spirit is always the mark of a little mind. The cynic may growl, but he can never aspire to the dignity of character. There are undoubtedly occasions when we must contend earnestly for the truth; but…we should look well to our own hearts, that no motives animate us but the love of truth and zeal for the highest interests of man.

James Henley Thornwell, quoted in Credenda Agenda, Volume 5 Number 2, p. 3, from Collected Writings, Vol. II, Banner of Truth, 1974, pp. 511-2

Calvinists

And I am afraid there are Calvinists, who, while they account it a proof of their humility that they are willing in words to debase the creature, and to give all the glory of salvation to the Lord, yet know not what manner of spirit they are of. Whatever it be that makes us trust in ourselves that we are comparatively wise or good, so as to treat those with contempt who do not subscribe to our doctrines, or follow our party, is a proof and fruit of a self-righteous spirit. Self-righteousness can feed upon doctrines, as well as upon works; and a man may have the heart of a Pharisee, while his head is stored with orthodox notions of the unworthiness of the creature and the riches of free grace.

John Newton, quoted in Credenda Agenda, Volume 5 Number 2, p. 2, from The Works of John Newton, Vol. 1, Banner of Truth, p. 272

People Have Remodeled Their Ideas

I’m reminded of E. B. White’s comment: “People have recut their clothes to follow the fashion…People have remodeled their ideas too—taken in their convictions a little at the waist, shortened the sleeves of their resolve, and fitted themselves out in a new intellectual ensemble copied from a smart design out of the very latest page of history.” When slavery to fashion invades the church, our latest ideas are yesterday’s fads. We adopt the world’s agenda—just a few years too late. Many churchmen sport theological bell-bottoms.

Against the Night, Charles Colson, p. 151

A Minister Must be Learned and Godly

A minister must be learned, on pain of being utterlyincompetent for his work. But before and above being learned, a minister must be godly. Nothing could be more fatal, however, than to set these two things over against one another. recruiting officers do not dispute whether it is better for soldiers to have a right leg or a left leg: soldiers should have both legs.

B. B. Warfield, quoted in Credenda Agenda, Volume 4/Number 5, p. 16

Systematic

As the name imports, Systematic Theology has for its object the gathering all that the Scriptures teach as to what we are to believe and do, and the presenting all the elements of this teaching in a symmetrical system. The human mind must seek unity in all its knowledge…The method of construction is inductive. It rests upon the results of Exegesis for its foundation. Passages of Scripture ascertained and interpreted are its data. These when rightly interpreted reveal their own relations any place in the system of which the Person and work of Christ is the centre.

A. A. Hodge, quoted in Credenda Agenda, Volume 4/Number 5, p. 1

Theology is Practical

Theology is practical: especially now…If you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones—bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas.

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Baptismal Declaration

I take God the Father to be my chief end and highest good. I take God the Son to be my prince and Saviour.I take God the Holy Spirit to be my sanctifier, teacher, guide, and comforter. I take the Word of God to be my rule in all my actions and the people of God to be my people under all conditions. I do hereby dedicate and devote to the Lord all I am, all I have, and all I can do. And this I do deliberately, freely, and forever.

Baptismal declaration written by Philip Henry, father of Matthew Henry

Plumber and Theologian

An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent theologian. The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in theology because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good theology. Neither its pipes nor its sermons will hold water.

Adapted from John W. Gardner

Resources

•      Perspectives on Evangelical Theology, K. Kantzer, S. Gundry, Baker, 1979, “The Task of Systematic Theology,” K. Bockmuehl, p. 3

•      Studies in Theology, James Denney, Hodder & Stoughton, 1895, p. 1, “The Idea of Theology”

•      The Expositor, W.R. Nicoll, ed., 3rd Series, Vol. 1, 1885, p. 111ff, 176ff, 364ff, 438, “The aim, importance, difficulties, and best method of systematic theology,” J. A. Beet.