1. Definition of Theology

The word “Theology” comes from two Greek words; ‘Theos’ and ‘logos’. ‘Theos’ means “God” while ‘logos’ means “word” or “discourse”. Etymologically, therefore, theology means word or discourse about God, or, in a simpler language, the study of God. Generally speaking, there are probably as many different definitions of theology as there are theologians. In a broad sense, theology has been defined as the science of God and of the relations between God and the universe. The implication of this definition is that theology gives account, not only of God, but of those relations between God and the universe in view of which we speak of creation, providence etc. It is only when we consider the relations of finite things to God, that the study of them furnish material for theology. God is known through His works and His activities. Theology, therefore, gives account of these works and activities in so far as they come within our knowledge. All other sciences require theology for their complete explanation.

Theology may be defined comprehensively as the study of God, His existence, purposes and relations with the universe as revealed in scripture and nature.

2. The Aim of Theology

The aim of theology is to find out facts about God and His relations to the Universe and to show the connection between them as a body of truth.

In defining theology as a science, we indicate its aim. Science does not create; it discovers. Theology answers to this description of science. It discovers facts and relations, but it does not create them.

Science is not only the observing, recording, verifying and formulating of objective facts. It is also the recognition and explication of the relations between the facts and the synthesis of both the facts and rational principles which unite them in a comprehensive, rightly proportioned and organic system.

3. Sources of Theology

God himself, in the last analysis, must be the only source of knowledge with regards to his own being and relations. Theology is therefore a summary and explanation of the content of God’s self-revelations. These are; first, the revelation of God in nature, secondly and supremely, the revelation of God in the scriptures. To substantiate this fact, someone said: “To whom shall I give greater credit concerning God than to God himself?” Another person said: “To know God without God is impossible; there is no knowledge without him who is the prime source of knowledge”. Again another said “God reveals truth in several spheres; in universal nature, in the constitution of knowledge mankind, in the history of our race, in the sacred scriptures, but above all in the person of Jesus Christ our Lord” Thus, man can only know God by his self-revelation through nature and the scriptures.

4. Limitations of Theology

Wayne Grudem, in his systematic theology identified five limitations of theology. He points out that theology derives its material from God’s two-fold revelation. However, theology does not profess to give an exhaustive knowledge of God and of the relations between God and the universe. These limitations are as follows:

(i) The Finiteness of Human Understanding.

This implies that the finite human mind cannot fully comprehend the infinite God.  (Job 11:7; Romans 11:33). Every doctrine, therefore, has its inexplicable side. “A science without mystery is unknown; a religion without mystery is absurd.” “A finite being cannot grasp even its own relations to the infinite.”

(ii) The Inadequacy of Language

This implies that human language is inadequate to express spiritual things. Since language is the medium through which truth is expressed and formulated, the invention of a proper terminology in theology, as in every other science is a condition and criterion of its progress. The scriptures recognize a peculiar difficulty in putting spiritual truths into earthly language (I Corinthians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 12:4).

(iii) The Incompleteness of Man’s Knowledge of the Scriptures.

Since it is not the mere letter of the scriptures that constitutes the truth, the progress of theology is dependent upon hermeneutics, or in the interpretation of the word of God. (Psalm 119:18).

(iv) The Silence of Written Revelation.

For our discipline and probation, much is probably hidden from us, which we might even with our present powers comprehend. Take for instance the silence of scripture with regard to the life and death of Mary the virgin. (John 13:7).

(v) The Lack of Spiritual Discernment Caused by Sin.

Since holy affection is a condition of religious knowledge all moral imperfections in the individual Christian and in the church serves as a hindrance to the working of a complete theology.

5. Conditions necessary for the Study of Christian Theology:

In order to get the best from the study of theology the following conditions are indispensable.

(i) Experience of Salvation

 The experience of personal conversion from sin is an indispensable condition for the study of Christian theology. This is because only a renewed heart can properly feel its need of divine revelation or understand that revelation when given (I Corinthians 2:11-16; Psalm 25:14; 36:11). A carnal mind cannot understand the things of the Spirit. Someone said: ‘it is the heart that makes the theologians’

(ii) The Enlightening Influence of the Holy Spirit

The study of Christian theology requires the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Hence a student of Christian theology must depend wholly on the leadership and enlightening influence of the Holy Spirit to understand the things of God properly. (I Corinthians 2:11-12; I John 2:7).

(iii) Knowledge of the Original Languages of the Bible.

In its original form, the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic languages, while the New Testament was written in Greek. This means that the various versions of the Bible we have today are translations from the original. For the student of theology, therefore, knowledge of these original languages can facilitate the understanding of theological concepts contained in the scriptures in its basic form.

(iv) Possession of An Intuitional Mind

The theologian must have insight as well as understanding. Though he needs, a logical disposition of mind, he must equally accustom himself to ponder on things relating to God and His relation with the universe. Only the renewed heart can properly feel its need of divine revelation, or understand that revelation when given. (Psalm 25:14; Psalm 36:1).

(v)  A Disciplined Mind.

Only such a mind can patiently collect the facts, hold in its grasp many facts at once, deduce by continuous reflection their connecting principles, and suspend final judgment until its conclusions are verified by scripture.

6. Divisions of Theology

There are various divisions of theology which are interdependent. The boundary lines between these various disciplines often overlap at the edges, and parts of one study blend with the other. However, we shall consider the most prominent ones.

(i) Biblical Theology

Biblical theology aims at arranging and classifying the facts of revelation, confining itself to the scriptures for its source of materials, and treating of doctrine only so far as it was developed at the close of the apostolic age. It does not turn to other sources such as experience or tradition to construct theology. Rather, biblical theology seeks theological formulation in some constructive holistic and unified manner or what one finds in the Bible. Biblical theology can be divided into Old Testament and New Testament theologies.

(ii) Historical Theology

Historical theology traces the development of biblical doctrines from the time of the Apostles to the present day, and gives account of the results of this development in the life of the church. By doctrinal development we mean the progressive unfolding and apprehension by the church of the truth explicitly or implicitly contained in scripture. Historical theology is called the History of doctrine. It is also sometimes called Church History.

(iii) Dogmatic Theology:

This branch of theology is concerned with tenets of faith such as creeds, beliefs, practices as found in churches. Church dogma tends to lend weight to the traditions of the church as distinct from Biblical theology which lays emphasis on the Bible. Dogmatic theology is concerned with what the church says and not actually with what the Bible says.

(iv) Philosophical Theology

Philosophy as an ancillary discipline examines the grounds of beliefs of religions in order to determine the soundness of their foundations. 

(v) Systematic Theology

Systematic  theology take the material furnished by Biblical and Historical theologies, and with these materials seeks to build up into an organic and consistent whole all our knowledge of God and of the relations between God and the universe; whether this knowledge be originally derived from nature or from scriptures.

Systematic theology is, therefore, theology proper, of which Biblical and Historical Theologies are the incomplete and preparatory stages. Systematic theology begins not with symbols (confession and creeds) as Dogmatic Theology does, but with the scriptures. It asks first, not what the Church has believed, but what is the truth of God’s revealed word. It examines the word with all the aids which nature and the Spirit have given it, using Biblical and Historical Theologies as its servants and helpers, but not as its masters.