The word "theology" is not found on any of the pages of Scripture. Instead Scripture uses terms such as "the faith" (Gal. 1:23; Eph. 4:5; Phil. 1:27), "doctrine" (John 7:16,17; Acts 2:42; Rom. 6:17 [typon didaches]), "principles of the doctrine of Christ" (arches tou christou logon) (Heb. 6:1), "form or pattern of sound words" (hyptyposis hygiaino logos) (2 Tim. 1:13), and "Christ crucified" (1 Cor. 1:23; 1 Cor. 2:2), to describe the body of Christian doctrine that leads to salvation. Theology was first used by pagans to describe the myths and fables of the poets, and the discourses on the worship and the nature of the gods by priests and philosophers. The fact that Scripture does not use it, however, does not automatically disqualify it from Christian usage, neither does the fact that "theology" was a term first used by pagans.
The Church has always claimed that it is lawful to employ terms not found in Scripture in order to clarify or describe doctrines or ideas that are found in Scripture. Turretin writes
II. Although the word "theology" is not in so many words in-written (engraphos autolexei), yet it is not altogether un-written (agraphos). The simple words of which it is composed often occur there: as logos tou theou ("word of God") and logia tou theou ("words of God" ; cf. Rom. 3:2; 1 Pet. 4:11; Heb. 5:12). Therefore it is one thing to be in Scripture as to sound and syllables (or formally and in the abstract); another to be in it as to sense and the thing signified (or materially in the concrete). Theology does not occur in Scripture in the former manner, but in the latter.
III. Although it is not lawful to form any doctrines not in Scripture, yet it is lawful sometimes to use words which are not found there if they are such as will enable us either to explain divine things or to avoid errors. For this purpose, the words "triad," homoousiou, "original sin," and the like have been used by theologians. (Institutes of Elenctic Theology, I.i.2, 3)
Theology, which is defined as both sermo Dei (word of God) and sermo vel ratio de Deo (word or rational discourse about God), is a useful term because the doctrines of Scripture are from God, and they are rational discourses about God and divine things.
2 comments:
I agree that it is appropriate. Another question is, "Should theology be done biblically or systematically?"
When you tackle that one, you can let me know if you have stopped beating your wife. ;-)
Funny you should mention that. I've been reading through Warfield's article "The Task and Method of Systmatic Theology" in order to discuss that very thing later on.
I'm sorry for being slow, usually I'm pretty good at picking things up, but you'll have to let me in on what you mean by beating the wife. I mean we do have our regular beating sessions twice a day, but I don't think you're referring to those.
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