[TruthTalk] Theology definition and kinds of Theology.htm

[Lance Muir]

Title: Theology definition and kinds of Theology

Theology definition and kinds of Theology       Theology is a Greek word,  theos, "God", + logos, "rational discourse", "knowledge", "study", "science", so, literally, Theology is the science of God, as Biology is the science of life. Aristotle already spoke about three sciences: Mathematics, Philosophy and Theology.     Theology, then, is the systematic study of God and His divinity, the science concerning God ... the study and analysis and knowledge that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe, like creation, providence, salvation... yes, and it lies in the very essence of theology to be the doctrine not only of God and of faith, but also of religion. It is this triple function which gave rise to the old adage of the School: Theology teaches of God, is taught by God, and leads to God.     By extension, the study of theology also refers to the study of other religious topics, hundreds!: Soul, heaven, hell, love, faith, hope, life, avarice, greed, anger, fear, sacraments, laws...     1- Natural Theology: Based on knowledge of the natural world and on human reason.     In fact, St. Paul says that anyone who proclaims himself an atheist is a fool and without excuse:        18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1).     2- Revealed Theology: Based on the the revelations of God to humans (in the Bible, for example). In a higher and more perfect sense we call theology that science of God and Divine things which, objectively, is based on supernatural revelation, and subjectively, is viewed in the light of Christian faith or any kind of divine faith. Theology thus broadens out into Christian doctrine and embraces not only the particular doctrines of God's existence, essence, and triune personality, but all the truths revealed by God.             Psalm 19 tells about the two books of God:             - 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.  4 Their voice  goes out into all the earth,  their words to the ends of the world.             - 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.     3- Dogmatic Theology: Based on the teachings and dogmas of a church. Catholic Theology, for example, is based on reason, the Bible, and the dogmas of the church... and even from personal revelations to mystics.     4- Personal Divine Revelation: God can and often does reveals Himself to one person, from Moses to St. Paul, or to you or to me... there are thousands of people who claim to have seen an emissary of God or heard from Him... and it may be a good subject to know more about God Himself.     All the ancient cultures have left us a kind of altar or cemetery, never an animal, not even a monkey, has left us neither.     Other kinds or methods of Theology:     - New Theology: A movement away from orthodox or fundamentalist theological thought, originating in the late 19th century and aimed at reconciling modern concepts and discoveries in science and philosophy with theology.     - Crisis Theology: A neo-orthodox theology, advocated by Karl Barth and others, emphasizing the absolute necessity of faith and divine revelation in transcending the personal crisis, common to all humankind, that arises from the contradictions inherent in human nature and in the social order. Also called theology of crisis.     - Dialectical Theology: A form of neo-orthodox theology emphasizing the infinite tensions, paradoxes, and basic ambiguities inherent in Christian existence, and holding, against rationalism, that God is unknowable to humans except through divine grace and revelation dialectical theology.     - Process Theology: A form of theology that emphasizes the close relation of human beings, nature, and God.     - Liberation Theology: A 20th-century Christian theology, emphasizing the Biblical and doctrinal theme of liberation from oppression, whether economic, social, racial, sexual, or political.     - Mystical Theology, the branch of theology dealing with mysticism and mystical experiences.     - Moral Theology, the branch of theology dealing with principles of moral conduct.     - Pastoral Theology, the branch of theology dealing with the responsibilities of members of the clergy to the people under their care. Also called poimenics.     - Religions Theology: Practically, every religion or cult or sect has its own special theology:             - Mythical Theology:  Greeks, Romans, Hindus, Celtics, Japan, China, American Indians, Africans, Australia, myths. legends, folklore...             - Nature Theology: Pagans, Witchcraft, Wicca... different than Natural Theology             - Christian, Jewish, Muslims... dozens of religions Western and Eastern religions... even Buddhism!, because Buddha never mentioned God nor soul, but many Buddhists now have made a God out of Buddha, with its special theology, even a Buddhist can became a Buddha, a god!.     Other Divisions of theology:     Theology can be divided up in any number of ways. Many of these divisions have originated in the study of the Christian religion, although some have been adapted and extended to apply to other religions, or to the study of multiple religions.     1- Sub-disciplines: Theology can be divided up into academic sub-disciplines, often into some division like this: Biblical or Scriptural Theology - focused on the investigation and interpretation of a religions' scriptures, Historical Theology - focused on the intellectual history of the religion Systematic Theology (or doctrinal theology) - focused on the attempt to arrange and interpret the ideas current in the religion. Comparative religion - focused on the comparison of common themes among different religious traditions Practical Theology - dedicated to the practical application of theological insights. Generally includes the sub-disciplines of pastoral theology, homiletics, and Christian education, among others.     2- By Topics: Theology can also be divided up by topic (or by 'loci'): theology proper - God or the divine: attributes, nature, and relation to the world. Often includes discussion of creation and providence. See the nature of God in Western theology. theodicy - Attempts at reconciling the existence of all the evil and suffering in the world with the nature and power of the God or gods of the religion. christology (normally only in Christianity) - Jesus Christ, the nature of Christ, the relationship between the divine and human in Christ, redemption, salvation... pneumatology - the Holy Spirit or divine Spirit; sometimes also 'geist' as in Hegelianism and other philosophico-theological systems; anthropology - nature of humanity harmatiology (often considered under 'soteriology') - sin soteriology - the nature and means of salvation bibliology (a less common term than most of the others) - the Bible, the nature and means of its inspiration, etc.; hermeneutics is the study of proper biblical interpretation (exegesis). ecclesiology - the church missiology (often a subsection of ecclesiology) - missions, evangelism, etc. eschatology - literally, the study of 'last things' or 'ultimate things'. Covers subjects such as death and the afterlife, the end of history, the end of the world, the last judgment, Heaven, Hell, the nature of hope and progress, etc. Covenant theology, an interpretive grid that understands God's plans in the Old and New Testaments as being a result of God's covenant with his chosen people. This movement is an alternative to Dispensationalism. angelology (less common than it used to be) - angels, the unseen world demonology (much less common than it used to be) - Satan, demons, evil spirits     3- By Modes: Theology can also be divided up into different modes, including, natural theology - the discussion of those aspects of theology that can be investigated without the help of revelation, scriptures or tradition (sometimes contrasted with "positive theology") - the discussion of those aspects of theology apophatic theology (or negative theology; sometimes contrasted with "cataphatic theology") - the discussion of what God is not, or the investigation of how language about God breaks down dialectical theology, A form of neo-orthodox theology emphasizing the infinite tensions, paradoxes, and basic ambiguities inherent in Christian existence, and holding, against rationalism, that God is unknowable to humans except through divine grace and revelation.     4- By Movements: Theology can also be divided up into various movements, including Ecumenical theology Evangelical theology Liberal theology Paleo-Orthodoxy Postliberal theology Postmodern theology Revisionist theology Transcendental Theology Feminist theology Womanist theology Liberation theology Black theology Holocaust theology (In response to the horrors of the Holocaust, many theologians (especially Jewish theologians) were prompted to take a harder look in terms of issues around theodicy; the theological works that were created as a response to the Holocaust have been termed Holocaust theology.).     Some authors claim that false or erroneous theology cannot lay claim to the name of theology. For this reason, they claim, pagan mythology and pagan doctrines about the gods, must at once be set aside as false theology. The theology of heretics also, so far as it contains grave errors, must be excluded, they claim... however, it is theology!... only God knows the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14580a.htm   Art Galleries of Religions and Christianity World Religions and 101 Cults The Jerome Bible Commentary, book by book 1,093 prophecies and types of the Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus and His Church Other Web Sites of Dr. Dominguez (over 400 in English and Spanish) Public domain text. May be distributed freely. No rights reserved. Home   E- Mail to: J. Dominguez, M.D.