I don’t know what comes to mind when you hear the word ‘theology’, but for many people the topic of theology can be a daunting, confusing and unclear subject.
For some, theology brings to mind the image of a university. It’s a word which conjures up pictures of cerebral debates, academic lectures, and long lines of ancient books. For others, theology brings to mind a feeling of confusion; of things not quite making sense, of things being more complicated than they should be. And, for others, theology might well remind you of religious arguments; those times (online or in person) where debates end up descending into bitter conflicts and personal insults.
Real, true theology is nothing like this! The English word ‘theology’ derives from two Greek words; theos, which means ‘God’, and logos, which means ‘word’. Theology is, therefore, at its root, the practice of talking about God. Any time we talk about, study or reflect on God we are engaging in theology. It has far less to do with arguing and far more to do with God. It has far less to do with academia and far more to do with the our walk with God and our pursuit to understand and grow with Him each day.
This means that theology takes many forms. It’s not just something that’s reserved for a select few or an intellectual elite. It’s something that impacts on our whole lives. Whether it be in our Bible reading, through a conversation with a friend, a church service or academic study, any time that we enter into thoughts and discussions about God we are entering into the world of theology. It’s an all-encompassing, far-reaching endeavour to simply know more about God.
The great myth is that theology is reserved for a select few. Many people believe that, in order to be ‘good’ at theology, you have to have a certain level of education or a certain level of intelligence. Others think that theology is only reserved for the ‘religious’ or the most pious of religious practitioners. But nothing could be further from the truth!
The Bible is clear that we are all theologians and that we can all do theology, regardless of our walk of life and academic ability. Every human is invited to know God, to learn more about him and to grow in our relationship with him. We are all invited to do theology, as theology is the method by which we understand more about who God is and unpack more of the goodness and greatness of God.
As we read in 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” You are a priest in the kingdom of God; called for such a time as this and invited to a place of authority as a follower of Jesus.
The most important thing to remember is that theology is all about knowing God. When entering into the world of theology we can sometimes allow our endeavours to get hi-jacked by other motives, often when we detach theology from the context of prayer and worship. But the task of theology is simple: through theology we can know God more fully.
While theology may well help to win arguments and it may well increase your subject knowledge in academia, the task of real theology is that of knowing God. Theology should lead us to a deeper reverence, a wider understanding and a broader revelation of who God is. It’s not about just getting better head knowledge, but also about growing a deeper relationship with our creator.
At Access Theology, we exist to equip people with tools and resources to grow in their knowledge of God and their understanding of theology. And we truly believe that theology should be accessible to all.