Introduction
Religion in general, is clearly part of the world in which we exist. In the course you are about to commence, our interest lies specifically with one such religious tradition, Christianity. As a starting point, read the following two statements.
“Generally, religions speak about faith in some ultimate reality. The faith of Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and Christians trusts that all life somehow comes from a God who is creative, the power force involved in the world, the mysterious architect of the future of the universe”.
Brennan R Hill, Paul Knitter & William Madges, Faith, Religion and Theology: A Contemporary Introduction, rev. ed. Mystic CT: Twenty-Third Publications, 1997, 167.
“Christians would argue that their faith in God . . . is a response to God’s invitation in Jesus Christ to find in God their source of meaning, security, hope, and vision. Indeed, Christians believe that the very desire for something more, which might seem to be merely a human desire, manifests the truth that human beings can be fulfilled only in union with God”.
Richard Lennan, (ed) An Introduction to Catholic Theology, New York/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1998, 59.
These two quotations point to the fact that the concepts of religion and faith are closely interrelated. It is in the context of the link between these two concepts that our current question, ‘what is theology?’ can be addressed
The word theology is a Greek phrase that literally means study of god. Listed below are a number of definitions of what ‘doing’ theology entails. As you read through them jot down a few points about what they suggest is the function of theology. Response sheet
“Theology is faith seeking understanding”. (St Anselm)
“Theology may be defined as the study which, through participation in and reflection upon religious faith, seeks to express the content of this faith in the clearest and most coherent language available”.
John Macquarrie, Principles of Christian Theology, rev.ed. London: SCM Press, 1986; New York: Simon & Schuster, 1985, 1.
“Theology is concerned with our experience of God, particularly our experience of God as a community of faith. It is the effort to understand and interpret the faith experience of a community, to bring it to expression in language and symbol”.
Thomas P. Rausch, in The College Student’s Introduction to Theology, ed. Thomas P Rausch Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical press, 1993, 12.
“The commitment to theology requires a spiritual effort to grow in virtue and holiness”.
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian, Middlegreen; St Paul Publications, 1990, art. 9.
Listed below are the websites of three educational institutions where theology is a formal area of study. Read each statement regarding to the study of theology.
Villanova University
http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/theology/undergrad/whytheology.htm
Heythrop College London
http://www.heythrop.ac.uk/index.php/content/view/36/389/
In the light of this reading and the definitions provided above, write your own brief description of what is theology. Response sheet
Summary
We have reached the half way mark. We have begun to refine our focus from a discussion of religion in general to an inquiry into a specific religious tradition, Christianity. In the next part our attention turns to one of the central sources for Christian theological reflection: Scripture.