Theology describes the study, writing, research, or speaking on the nature of gods, especially in relation to human experience. Typically the concept includes the premise that such study is done in a rational, philosophical manner and can also refer to specific schools of thought - for example, progressive theology, feminist theology or liberation theology.
Theology describes the study, writing, research, or speaking on the nature of gods, especially in relation to human experience. Typically the concept includes the premise that such study is done in a rational, philosophical manner and can also refer to specific schools of thought - for example, progressive theology, feminist theology or liberation theology. The study of theology is usually done in religious institutions where the promotion of religious beliefs is part of the mission.
Most tend to think of theology in the context of modern religions traditions, but the concept dates back to ancient Greece. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle used it in to reference the study of the Olympian gods and the writings of authors like Homer. The earliest theological works in Christianity were written by church fathers who attempted to construct coherent frameworks through which people could better understand the nature of God’s revelations to humanity through Jesus.
As the term is generally used today, theology refers to the systematic formulation of ways to think about God, talk about a religion’s distinctive symbols or concepts, and bring it all together into a coherent system of thought. It shares much in common with both philosophy and religion, often straddling the borders between the two.
Traditional theology took place in cultural contexts that reinforced the assumed truth of the basic religious dogmas which served as the theologian’s subjects of study. The modern world of increased religious pluralism and interfaith dialogue, however, has generally eliminated such assumptions and also undermined the effectiveness of traditional apologetics. Because the world has moved on, theology has had to evolve in order to cope.
Both theology and the philosophy of religion have played important roles in Western culture, but not everyone understands the important differences between them. The motives behind theology and the philosophy of religion are very different, but the questions they ask and the topics they address are often the same.
Most theology is done from the perspective of a committed believer, one who has faith in the dominant texts, prophets, and revelations of a particular religious tradition. Theology also attempts to be a philosophical or even scientific enterprise. How theologians manage to merge the two competing tendencies gives rise to varying approaches to theology overall.
Also known as Via Negativa (Negative Way) and Apophatic theology, negative theology is a Christian theological system that attempts to describe the nature of God by focusing on what God is not rather than on what God is. The basic premise of negative theology is that God is so far beyond human understanding and experience that the only hope we have of getting close to the nature of God is to list what God definitely is not.
Philosophers and theologians have compared various religions to elucidate both their similarities and their differences. Today, though, there is something called 'global theology' or 'world theology' which is the attempt to compare two or more religious traditions from the perspective of one in particular. Also sometimes called 'comparative theology,' it is often a self-consciously partisan enterprise pursued by theologians with specific faith commitments (and agendas).
During the late 1960s and early 1970s a new and important trend in Christian theology developed. Known as liberation theology, this perspective arose in a number of different contexts but all forms were united by a common interest in using Christian principles to 'liberate' people oppressed by things like racism and poverty.
The primary architect of liberation theology in the Latin-American and Catholic context is Gustavo Gutierrez. A Catholic priest who grew up in grinding poverty in Peru, Gutierrez employed Marx’s critiques of ideology, class, and capitalism as part of his theological analysis of how Christianity should be used to make people’s lives better here and now rather than simply offer them hope of rewards in heaven.
The primary architect of Black Liberation Theology in North America is James Cone. A Protestant minister who grew up in Arkansas under the heavy hand of segregation, Cone observed first-hand the way white Christians treated blacks - even after desegregation was ordered by the federal government. The Christian messages of peace and brotherly love contrasted sharply with Christians’ bigoted behavior, and this left a lasting mark on Cone’s thinking.
There is no one person who can be described as responsible for the development of feminist theology. Many women as well as a few men contributed to the growth of critiques of traditional, patriarchal attitudes within Christianity and Judaism that have served to repress women and keep them in a second-class status, not only within religious institutions but in the rest of society as well.
Listed here are the most important sources used in the various articles dealing with theology.
