Doing Theology
Everyone does theology
You do theology. Whether you’re some form of theist, deist, agnostic, atheist,1 or whatever, you have an opinion about God or deity or ‘higher power’ — and that opinion qualifies as your “theology”. By definition, theology regards a person’s assumed or studied understanding of the supernatural realm and its relationship with the world. So if you hold thoughts or beliefs about God (or not God), you are doing theology!
Doing theology is important
Since everyone in some form or another holds to a theology, its pursuit must be of some importance. For non-atheists especially, knowing about a supreme being can be anywhere from intriguing to life-changing. And if that supreme being endeavors to communicate with we mortals, all the more important that we practice a degree of diligence to understand that communication correctly. Thus, we all should view doing theology as important.
There is no one way of ‘doing’ theology
There are many approaches to studying and investigating the things of God. Here are some examples of ways theology is done in a Christian context:
- Systematic Theology
- Biblical Theology
- Historical Theology
- Practical Theology
- Exegetical Theology
- Doctrinal Theology
- Mystical Theology
- Philosophical Theology
- Process Theology
- Street Theology
- Moral Theology
- Liberation Theology
- Feminist Theology
- Apologetic Theology
- Postmodern Theology
These different approaches each have unique methodologies for doing theology, some with narrower scopes than others. The most popular systematic approach seeks to trace, synthesize, and summarize overarching theological themes across the entirety of Scripture and may include historical and philosophical reflections on those themes. For example, a volume on systematic theology will normally include detailed entries on such topics as Christology (the study of Christ), hamartiology (the study of sin), soteriology (the study of salvation), and eschatology (the study of the end times). Oppositely, the more narrow-focused liberation theology will focus only on portions of the Bible that possibly address involvement in political and civic affairs to address conditions of the poor and oppressed.
Doing Theology — Biasedly
No one is immune from theological biases. Whether from a person’s church tradition, the influence of an esteemed mentor, or life experiences, it is practically impossible to be free of theological pre-conceptions. Most God-thinkers (often subconsciously) bring two distinct biases into the process of thinking about God and studying the Bible: foundational convictions and doctrinal pre-understandings.
Foundational convictions relate to a person’s overall view of the Bible– to what degree it is divinely inspired, if at all, and subsequently, to what degree it should be relied on for truthfulness and authority. Foundational convictions, whether held consciously or subconsciously, will significantly influence a person’s understanding and interpretation of Scripture. For example, a reader that believes only portions of the Bible are inspired will be apt to explain away or outright dismiss portions of the Bible found unreasonable or disturbing.
Pre-understandings, on the other hand, consist of preconceived knowledge, attitudes, ideologies, and methodologies that a reader might impose on biblical texts. For example, a reader who disallows for the existence of miracles, or nature-anomalous events, will probably mythologize or outright dismiss literary claims of suddenly parting seas, virginal pregnancies, and resurrecting corpses.
Ideally, personal biases and pre-understandings should be assumed and tested, weighing them against the full measure of biblical data and rigorously submitting, comparing, and contrasting them to competing ideas within the larger historical and extant Christian community. The biblical interpreter benefits from maintaining a genuine humility, an openness to needing correction, and a readiness to modify convictions with each new exposure to Scripture. A prayerful attitude and reliance on the Holy Spirit are necessary for spiritual and mental guidance and pliability when probing the things of God.
My Own Biases
Regarding my own presuppositions, more than 40 years of study, contemplation, ministry, and dialogue have led me to embrace the following tenets regarding the Bible: it is God’s Spirit-inspired written communication to mankind, it is trustworthy and true, it authoritatively and fully informs all aspects of faith and practice, its supernatural elements are real occurrences, and it embodies an accessible and understandable unified collection of diverse elements.
Regarding my own pre-understandings, I discovered years ago that exposure to fundamentalist and dispensationalist doctrines early in my Christian walk significantly biased my approach to understanding certain Scriptures. Because of these early doctrinal influences from pulpit sermons, radio broadcasts, books and publications, and common lore shared within various Christian fellowships (“street” theology), I once held as heretical pieces of my faith-walk that I now hold dear. My first major paradigm shift occurred upon reading two books by Howard A. Snyder: “The Problem of Wineskins” and “The Community of the King.” Through these books, I was challenged that the biblical model for “doing church”. Years later, I was convinced, through the ministry of John Wimber and theologian Jack Deere of the Vineyard movement, to change my views towards the more demonstrative charismata of the Holy Spirit, and to adopt the now-and-the-not-yet theology of Gerhardus Vos and George Ladd. Presently, the teachings of Dr. Michael Heiser are revolutionizing my understanding of the nature and activity of “divine” spiritual beings, as well as the need to consider Second Temple theology when seeking a fuller understanding of New Testament writings.
As evidenced in my own Christian walk, it is not unusual to sometimes hold an unnecessarily dogmatic or even erroneous understanding of Scriptures, which in turn can unknowingly color interpretive capabilities. I maintain that you and I continue to be unconsciously influenced by erroneous pre-understandings. However, by maintaining an expectant humility, and prayerfully seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can confidently approach the Bible knowing we will there find the mind and Spirit of God.
May God continue to guide us all into a fuller understanding and application of the Bible’s truths!
References and Suggested Reading
Deere, Jack S. Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020.
D’Elia, John A. A Place at the Table: George Eldon Ladd and the Rehabilitation of Evangelical Scholarship in America. Oxford University Press, 2008.
Duvall, J. Scott, and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
Erickson, Douglas R. The Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit: Eschatology and Pneumatology in the Vineyard Movement. Milwaukee: Marquette University, 2015.
Jackson, Bill. The Quest for the Radical Middle. Cape Town: Vineyard International Publishing, 1999.
Snyder, Howard A. The Community of the King. Grand Rapids, MI: InterVarsity Press, 1977.
Snyder, Howard A. The Problem of Wineskins: Church Structure in Technological Age. Grand Rapids, MI: InterVarsity Press, 1975.
Endnotes
1 While theology traditionally assumes a positive predisposition towards the study of God, it can also involve critical and analytical studies of religious texts, practices, and ideas by atheists, or those who do not believe in God. Bart Ehrman is perhaps the most popular contemporary atheist theologian. He identifies as being an agnostic-atheist, meaning he does not claim to know whether God exists while holding a lack of belief in God. [ 5/23/21: https://ehrmanblog.org/on-being-an-agnostic-or-atheist/ ]