Why study theology?

Taking time to study theology when there is so much ministry to do can seem wasteful. We are caught up in all the good that God has called us to do in the place where he’s put us. And we love it!!! So why would we pause this to sit around reading books and thinking?

Here’s another perspective. Maybe we are already doing theology amid everyday life and ministry. Every day we make sense of the world around us, and this guides how we live and think. As people of faith, this meaning-making activity cannot be anything other than theological.  So, the study of theology is in fact a way of taking stock of what we are doing and thinking already.

Simple activities like recycling, listening to a neighbour and contributing to a homeless charity become invested with theological meaning when done by people of faith.

As Christians involved in ministry in a specific context, we often find that the small seeds of hope that we plant are grown by God. He is the one giving the hope – we just drop a few inadequate looking seeds into the ground. This means that seeking to live out our Christian calling entails not just doing stuff, but looking out for where God’s hope is already at work and joining in.

But how do we spot God at work? What does it mean to identify divine action within a workplace, school, community or church? It takes time to discern what God is doing in our context. Theological reflection is a practice that creates a space for integrating the bible, church tradition, doctrine and other theological learning into our ministry practice. This is key for doing ministry theologically and sensitively within the context and staying attuned to the movement of God.

Instead of thinking of theology as words in a book, instead, consider that it may be more like a choral quartet. Each person sings a part that comes together into one musical piece. At times, theology in a context has been described as working on four levels, all at the same time. There is the formal voice of scholarly theology, which is joined by the voice of espoused theology – what people say they believe about God. Additionally, there may be a normative voice – the sense of what should be believed about God. Joining the chorus is a voice that operates in the background, unspoken at times but deeply embedded in faith practice.   All these voices come together in a situation, and studying theology can help us to pick apart the voices to understand them and the context better.

So, a desire to live more fully aware of all the theology happening around us is one argument for studying theology. But I think there is better reason: Curiosity about the one to whom I am devoted.

You see, theology is essentially the study of God. And God is big, mysterious, and often unknowable. The study of theology expands my imagination about who God is.

Anselm of Canterbury is a highly influential 11th century theologian, known as the ‘doctor of the church’.  I remember catching my breath when I read his written prayer which describes his starting point for doing theology:

‘Speak now, my whole heart; speak now to God: I seek Your countenance; Your countenance, O Lord, do I seek. So come now, Lord my God, teach my heart where and how to seek You, where and how to find You.’  

For him, his personal faith was what called him to seek a deeper understanding of God.  Because he already believed, he longed to seek God’s face.

Theology does engage my intellect, but I use all my senses to notice the presence and movement of God in everyday life. It is divine revelation to ordinary people like me. This means that my emotions, experiences and sense of self all affect the way I know and imagine God.

So, what better way could there possibly be to spend one’s time than to deepen one’s knowledge and love for God? And, with Anselm, we trust that God will teach our hearts.

If you are interested in having your own opportunity to study theology, mission and ministry then check out all the courses we offer at Ridley Hall

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Bibliography

[1] You can read more about the Four Voices ofTheology in Cameron, Helen, Deborah Bhatti, Catherine Duce, James Sweeney, andClare Watkins. 2010.Talking About God in Practice: Theological ActionResearch and Practical Theology. London: SCM Press.

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[2] ‘Arousal of the mind for contemplating God’. Proslogion. 2000.in Complete Philosophical and Theological Treatises of Anselm of Canterbury.Translated by Jasper Hopkins and Herbert Richardson. Minneapolis, MN: Arthur J.Banning Press, p. 90.

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