2. what is theology all about
Post on 08-Apr-2018
218 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 1/21
Towards adefinition ofTheology:Nature & Subject ofChristian Theology
by Dr Philip Kariatlis
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49909092/What-is-Theolo -All-About
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 2/21
What is theology all about?
Theo-logia
Is it simply just like any
other academicdiscipline, that one would
study within a universitycampus, such as biology,
psephology, geology?
A mere intellectualinquiry?
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 3/21
Theology???
Oxford Dictionary
“the study of the nature of God and
religious belief”Other definitions
“the rational and systematic study of
religion and its influence; a learnedprofession by specialized courses in religion”
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 4/21
EtymologyΘεολογία - Θεός λόγος = study/doctrine of,
discourse about, God
From this we could conclude that theology is simply ameans for gaining some ‘understanding’ about God.
Transformation– Spirituality
Formation – Theology
Information - Religion
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 5/21
Breadth
Not only concernedwith God but also with
the world and
the world’s relationship
with God
Theology is concerned about ‘all things’ for only such a focuswill do justice not only to God whom we believe is the source
of all things, but also human beings whom we believe areinvolved in all things
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 6/21
The Difficulty of the Task atHand
"noonehasseenGodatany
time"(1Jn4:12)
"dwellinginthelightuntowhichnomancan
approach;whomnomanhasseenorcansee"(1Tim
.
6:16). AlsoStGregor
ytheTheologiantaught:
"WhatGodisinHisnatureandes
sencenohuman
personhaseverdiscoveredor
everwilldiscover.”
StBasiltheGreat(330-379AD)
wrote:
“IknowthatGodis;butwhat
hisessenceis,I
considertobebeyondmyunderstandin
g.”
“the divine is beyond understanding and the only thing that can beunderstood about the Godhead is the fact that it is beyond understanding”
St John of Damascus
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 7/21
The Difficulty of the Task atHand
Ode ix. KatavasiaΘεόν ἀνθρώποις ἰδεῖν ἀδύνατον, ὅν οὐ τολµᾷ Ἀ:έλων ἀτενίσαι τά τάγµατα, διά σου δέ Πάναγνε ὡράθη βροτοῖς, Λόγος σεσαρκωµένος, ὅν µεγαλύνοντες, σύν ταῖς οὐρανίαις Στρατιαῖς, σέ µακαρίζοµεν.For human beings to see God it is impossible, for even the angelic armies do not dare to gazeupon God. But through you, o all-pure Maid, the
Logos appeared incarnate unto mortals, andtogether with the hosts of heaven we pronounceyou blest.
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 8/21
Theology as an ‘encounter’
A reflection on the mysteries of God [τά περί Θεοῦ µυστήρια]
Συν – άντησις not simply ‘faith seeking understanding [fidesquaerens intellectum]’
A bringing together of two opposite realities[created reality with the Uncreated God]
Broadness
An experience of the indwelling presenceof God
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 9/21
Theology as an ‘encounter’
“It is one thing tospeak of God; it isquite another to
know God”St Silouan of Mount
Athos
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 10/21
Theology as an encounter
Theology as experience
Created with uncreated
Broadness Highlights theology’s
existential character
Theology aims to bring a persons before
the mystery of God so that they may
experience the indwelling presence
of
God
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 11/21
Theology as encounter “Theology is the expression of the
Church’s experience of communion with
God”
Kierkegaard Heidegger Experience needs to be interpreted within the context of the
Church
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 12/21
Why an emphasis onexperience???
To show that theology is not simply aprocess of logical deductions [human
rationalisations]
Koinonia / Eccleisal
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 13/21
We encounter God in: The Scriptures “the image of the invisible God” (1Col 1:15) “in whom the fullness of divinity dwelt bodily” (Col 2:9)
The Eucharist As they came near the village to which they were going,
he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged
him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almostevening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in tostay with them. When he was at the table with them, hetook bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Thentheir eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and hevanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Werenot our hearts burning within us while he was talking to uson the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?”That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem;
and they found the eleven and their companions gatheredtogether. They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, andhe has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what hadhappened on the road, and how he had been madeknown to them in the breaking of the bread." (Lk 24.28-35).
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 14/21
Theology is the deeper breath of the entire bodyof the Church, and has prayer as its incentive
power, and the systematic doctrine concerning
the truths of faith as its expression, according to
the variety of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and needs
of the times, to the glory of God and the salvationof the world.
(Archbishop Stylianos)
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 15/21
Ecclesial Character of theology TheologyisbornintheChurchandreturnstoit
ArchimandriteVasileios,HymnofEntry
nottheambitionofaselectfew;ratherauniversalcalling
- allcantheologize-evenanilliterateoldladyprostratingherself
Notaprivateendeavor
Notaprofessionlikeallotherdisciplinesintheuniversitas
litterarum
Writtenwiththeredbloodofthemartyrs
Allgenuinetheologyiscommunalinessence
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 16/21
Ecclesial Character
Implies theology issues from a community;not an individual’s experience
Ecclesial character distinguishes itself fromtheology as studied within a university
Not something recondite to be left to
specialists
Whilst experience is necessary; it must
nevertheless be brought into the communityof faith
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 17/21
The importance of prayer for theology• Theology as relationship with God can only be realized inprayer which is our communion or dialogue with God• Prayer unites us with God • genuine theology presupposes prayer
Evagrius of Pontos"the one who prays is a theologian and the one who is a
theologian prays."
The one who prays is a
theologianBeing a HD student does not
presuppose that you will be
good in theology
the one who is a theologian prays-this statement acts as a measure
of how authentic our theology is-Theology is not a "trade" which
can be divorced from prayer
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 18/21
SystematicArticulation
Whilsttheologyisexistentialitstillneedstobeclearlyarticulated
Useofacademicscholarshipisexpedienteventhoughtitisnotanacademicdisciplineinthestrictsenseoftheword
Calivasarguesthat:”
“theologybecomesseriouslyhandicappedandcoulddeteriorategraduallyintouncritical,repetitiveandsterilepietisticformulations.Ontheotherhand,atheologythatisnotgroundedspirituallycarriesnotconviction.
Theologydoesnotfollowthemethodologiesofthesciences jEpisthvmh =ejpiv +ijsthmi =Istandoverandabovesomething
Theology–moreanexamination,byGod,ofhuman
beings,ratherthananexaminationbyhumanbeingsofGod.
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 19/21
Accordingtotheneeds
- Poverty and oppre
ssion
- Patriarchy and male
domination
- Multiculturalism
- Ecological crisis
- High tech revolutio
n
- Economic rationa
lism
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 20/21
ForthegloryofGodandthe
salvationoftheworld
TheologyshouldultimatelyleadtoavisionofthegloryofGod–qeoptiva, qevwsis
Orthodoxy=correctfaithandcorrectgloryThisinturnbringsaboutourgloryandthanksgiving
toGod
Genuinetheologyunderstoodasglorificationisthereforesalvific
Theimageoftheairplane
8/7/2019 2. What is Theology All About
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2-what-is-theology-all-about 21/21
Theology:
MysoulthirstingfortheLord…My soul thirsts for the Lord and with tears do I seek Him.How can I not seek You since you sought me out first and you gave me the opportunity
to taste the sweetness of Your spirit.And my soul has loved You until the end.The first years of my life …. my soul has come to know the Lord and this it has learntfrom the Holy Spirit: that the Lord loves us very much.Now I have grown old and I prepare for death and for the sake of the people I write the
truth.O my brethren, I get onto my knees and I beg you; believe in God; believe that He the
Holy Spirit exists. It will witness to God in all our Churches and in my soul. I am a great sinner; however I know the endless love and mercy of the Lord on me.The joyous and gentle glance of the Lord has attracted my soul: that the Love of theLord I do not have the powers to describe it since it is ineffably great and wondrous. I
am not able to forget You; my soul feels nostalgia for you and with tears I seek You. (Excerpt from the diary of St Silouan)
top related