Why study systematic theology? A former classmate of mine, Ra McLaughlin, asks this question, and offers the following (excellent) answer:
Any interpretation of the Bible, any understanding of it at all, is theology. We can't even approach the Bible to read it without carrying with us certain theological assumptions (at the very least, we are assuming that the Bible says something, or that reading the Bible is somehow worth while). If we adopt John Frame's approach (as I do), theology also includes application. In no event is theology/application ever irrelevant, and in no event can we understand the Bible without it.
Further, the biblical authors themselves possessed a certain theological understanding, and they assumed that their audiences likewise possessed certain theological understandings. Apart from studying and learning these theologies we cannot know the contexts or the meanings of their teachings.
While it is possible to have a skewed approach to theology such that one becomes more interested in philosophical debates than in understanding and applying Scripture, it is not possible to have any responsible approach to Scripture without at the same time doing and assuming theology. Interpretation, application and theology are inseparable, symbiotic disciplines.
1 comment:
Theology - like all other ologies - are meant to be practiced. One practices psychology, one goes into the field to do anthropology and so on. Only one I can think of that is not accepted in society as pracrice would be biology - one doesn't do biology, in that sense. But theology, the study of God, to give a literal defintion, if we put it into the context of relationship is a lot like studying a girl (or man in a case). We see her with people, we ask her questions, we see her position on things, how she feels, what she wants.... so that when we study theology, we are doing that smae thing with God in the hopes that our santification grows deeper, so that our training in rightousness can be used more effectively. Systematic is so needed today as we are asked as Christians to respond to a broad range of issues, acts, lifestylesa that require a nuanced approach to compassion, grace, and God's law. Yes God's law/will is clear on a lot of stuff but of course we need wisdom (a fully developed systematic theology, if I can define it as that) to life. Wisdom can be seen in the aged farmer who hasn't read, the career theologian, and the the child. But they are responding in similar ways with a similar foundation - the knowledge of God. We need to think more systematically these daysm, perhaps less "biblically" as the term was defined, more with a broad context, less with a chapter/verse mentality. We need to see grace expended over the whole of the bible so it can be expended over the whole of our lives.
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