We are All Theologians

This is the continuation of my series on the nature of theology that is a serialization of a paper I wrote called "Theological Blogging" for GodBlogCon05.

The first three parts are:

What is theology?

What is theology, part 2?

A Working Definition of Theology?

Taking this a bit farther,, everyone is a theologian because everyone applies the Scripture to life.   One of the complaints often raised about traditional theology is that it goes beyond the Scripture.  In its more formal and academic incarnations, theology culls the data of Scripture and summarizes Scriptural teaching into propositional statements that come to be known as creeds, confessions and statements of faith.

Because these creeds, confessions and statements of faith are summaries of Scriptural teaching and not always direct quotes from Scripture, it is right to point out that they do not carry the same weight or authority as Scripture.  We who are the most ardent of inerrantists gladly affirm that it is the Scripture that is authoritative, not our theological statements.

Yet to say that these statements are not inerrant is not to say they aren't useful.  Further, what academics and professional theologians do formally is not substantially different from what all Christians do informally.  To be sure it is different in degree, but not in substance because all Christians routinely make summary statements of Scripture that are not direct quotes from the Scriptures.  All of us routinely go beyond the Scripture in the same way the professional theologians do, by summarizing Scriptural teaching instead of merely quoting the Scriptures.

We use many simple summary statements of Scripture in casual conversation.  For instance, none of the following terms and phrases are found "as-is" in Scripture.

"Second coming of Christ."

"Assurance of salvation."

"Believers baptism" or "infant baptism."

"Once saved always saved."

"Inerrancy of Scripture."

"Substitutionary Atonement."

"No creed but Christ."

Their adherents believe that all of these things are taught in Scripture,  though they are not verbatim quotes from Scripture.  Each one of these statements is a theological statement, a summary of Scriptural teaching on a particular matter. 

When John Frame defines theology as "the application of the Word of God by persons to all areas of life," he is, in a very real sense, describing what Christians have always done throughout the ages.

Thus, the question is not "will I be a theologian?" Rather it is "will I be a good theologian?"

Comments

[Ben Gray]

Very true. Let me add one to your list of theological ideas that are not found "as-is" in Scripture: Trinity.

[Mark Daniels]

Amen! to your concluding statement, David!

Mark Daniels

[Steve]

Superb. I stongly echo this. Having spent four years studying theology in a non-faith based college, I know that while you can learn and gain lots that is valuable, it can easily be/become distant from our own lives, and from the bible. There is absolutely no substitute for what we are all called to do, study the bible, and apply what we find in our lives.

Steve