In many Christian circles, Theology is perceived to be an inaccessible, dry, dull discipline which the preserve of old academics in ivory towers. In some Pentecostal or Charismatic parts of the church, Theology is seen as something which (if pursued ardently) might “quench the Spirit” causing someone to become too “heady” and coldly unemotional in their dealings with God. Among other Christians who are wired towards doctrine or academia, theology is a huge part of their worship and spiritual life. The great British, 19th century preacher Charles Spurgeon called it “the Queen of the Sciences”.

So then – what actually is theology?

Theology is the study of God, His nature, character and dealings with the world. For the sake of clarity, this blog post will be referring specifically to Christian theology as revealed through the Bible (since theologies exist for other religions too e.g. Islamic theology). It provides the Christian (and even non Christians) with clear, accurate descriptions about who God is, what He is like, His attributes and His interactions with His creation. As with most areas of study, it has numerous sub-categories, some of which are listed and briefly defined below:

  • Theology Proper – a study of God and His attributes, with a specific emphasis on God the Father (the First Person of the Trinity).
  • Christology – a study of the Person and Work of the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ.
  • Pneumatology (pronounced new-matt-ology) – a study of the Person and Work of the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
  • Eschatology- a study of the last things (or the End Times), the Resurrection of the dead, Christ’s Second Coming, Heaven, Hell, the New Creation and the Final Judgement.
  • Historical Theology – a study of the development of key Christian doctrines throughout history and the figures instrumental to them.
  • Systematic Theology – a concise, orderly approach, collating everything the Bible says on specific doctrines of the Christian faith (e.g. the Cross, judgement etc).
  • Biblical Theology – tracing the development of key themes throughout the Bible and their significance (e.g. sacrifice – from God killing an animal to cover Adam and Eve after they sin, to Abel giving a better sacrifice than Cain, Noah sacrificing to God post flood, the sacrificial system in the Mosaic Law all the way to the ultimate sacrifice in Jesus Christ).
  • Soteriology – a theology of salvation
  • Hamartiology – a theology of sin, the flesh and indwelling sin.
  • Theologies on various topics such as marriage, sex, singleness, work, business, finances, the arts etc.

So what? Who cares? Why is theology important?

Theology and growing in sound doctrine are essential for the Christian for at least the following 4 reasons.

1. Because we want to know, love and worship God rightly.

Pursuit of a person or thing is proof of genuine desire for that person or thing. A man ardently pursues the woman he loves (or vice versa!). When a student loves their course of study, they’re happy to explore it in great depth. Likewise, as believers, growing in biblical and theological understanding is a sign of spiritual maturity (as well as intimacy with God and the fruit of the Spirit). God commands us to love Him with all of our hearts, soul, strength and minds. We as humans hate being misrepresented or misunderstood. When we fail or refuse to grow theologically, we open ourselves up to idolatry (worshipping a false image or idea of God) and are likely to misrepresent Him to others. To cling to wrong ideas about God without repentance is a grave error. Bad theology is like driving on a busy motorway with a muddy windscreen. The obscured view endangers both driver and passengers. Good theology is the equivalent of cleaning the mud from the windscreen to drive safely. As well as now being able to see obstacles on the road, the driver can now also appreciate the beauty of the sunset ahead of him or her! When done right, sound doctrine both protects us from false views of God and causes us to see, appreciate and enjoy His beauty much more deeply. Everyone is a theologian (since we all have ideas about God). The question is – are we good theologians or bad ones?

2. Theology is necessary for evangelism and discipleship

It’s difficult to share our faith in God with others if we’re not growing in both intimacy and understanding of God. When sharing the Gospel with friends, family or work colleagues, we may get asked challenging questions about what we believe. If we are ill equipped (and refuse to study or read further), it may hinder our witness for Christ. In addition, our ability to help others grow in Christ is weakened if we remain stagnant in our understanding of God. The writer of Hebrews tells his Jewish audience, “by now, many of you should be teachers”, rebuking their failure to grow. By refusing to grow theologically and biblically, our efforts to disciple other Christians may at best be less effective and at worst, harmful. One obvious area of discipleship is parenting. The primary objective of the godly parent is to share the Gospel with their children, pray for them and if they convert, nurture them in knowledge and love of God. A parent can only do this to the extent that they’re growing in their own experience and knowledge of God themselves. The greater our understanding of God and His word, the better we will be at sharing and defending the Gospel and helping others grow in Christ.

3. Theology is essential for spiritual discernment

Many of the New Testament letters were written (in part) to refute false teachings and ideas about Christ which had arisen in the few years after Christ’s Ascension. There was a very heavy emphasis on this throughout the Epistles (e.g. 2 John warns against those who denied Jesus’s bodily Resurrection, 1 Cor explains the Resurrection, Galatians warns against adding works to salvation etc). The best way to spot a fake banknote is to be well acquainted with what a real one looks like. Likewise, one of the best ways to spot and reject falsehood about God is to grow in an accurate understanding about Him. Jesus Himself regularly corrected the false teachings (and understanding) of the Pharisees and even His own disciples at times. Cultivating discernment about spiritual truth is an important part of following Christ.

4. Theology is immensely practical

Sadly, a wrong perception of theology exists which suggests that it is dull, heady and completely irrelevant to everyday life. However, knowing and experiencing God’s attributes or certain doctrinal truths can greatly enhance your life! The doctrine of the Resurrection can help a person deeply grieved by the loss of a loved one – knowing that they are in the presence of Christ and will be raised up to be with God at the Last Day. The doctrine of the Incarnation (e.g. God the Son becoming human) can give greater comfort to someone facing persecution because they know that Jesus experienced persecution and He knows, cares and is able to strengthen them through it. The truth of God’s love can cause a person struggling with insecurity or inadequacy to grow in self confidence and self acceptance knowing that they’re loved by the only One who truly matters – their Creator! Cultivating a deeper understanding of Christ’s sacrificial death for our sin can encourage someone to imitate Him by giving and serving others sacrificially. The Psalmist writes “You have made known to me the path of life. In Your Presence there is fullness of joy and at your right hand, pleasures forever more”. When we learn, study and apply God’s word and meditate on His attributes (whilst relying on His Spirit), we grow in wisdom, learn to navigate life’s complexities well and experience the flourishing that God intends for our lives. To neglect theology is to hinder our own wellbeing. Due to some of the unfamiliar terminology and stuffy perceptions of theology, many Christians find it daunting. But one of the key aims of this blog is to make theology accessible, enjoyable and (as best as possible), easier to understand. Join me on this journey as we explore our rich faith in greater depth!