What Good is Theology?

"Lord Teach Us"

There is a Peanuts comic that has Lucy and Linus staring out a window, looking at a torrential downpour. Lucy, with much anxiety, confesses that she fears that it will never stop raining- perhaps it will flood the whole world. Linus reassures her that such a thing could never happen. He explains that in Genesis God proclaimed that he would never flood the earth again and that he put the rainbow in the sky as a sign for reassurance. Lucy then, happily satiated from these fears, proclaims that Linus’ words have put her mind at ease. Linus responds, “Sound Theology has a way of doing that.” Indeed, sound theology does. It listens to the instruction of Holy Spirit and seeks to faithfully live that out for the edification of the believer, the church, and the world

So what really is the point of theology anyways? I know that in many circles the word “theology” has a bad reputation. It is often viewed as a way to dissect and perhaps even analyze to death one’s faith. So to begin, we must first define what theology is not– it is not a replacement or an alternative to a personal relationship with Jesus. It is not the foundation of the faith that we have. The faith is founded and rooted in the person Jesus Christ. Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith. Theology is simply trying to make sense of this faith as it is lived out, thought over, and articulated by the faithful. Anselm, the early bishop of Canterbury, once described theology as “faith seeking understanding.” I find this definition to be very helpful. I believe that all good theology, in its diverse traditions and denominations, is best lived out when it seeks to be this– a faith in Jesus seeking to be lived out and understood in our world. It always, and must, start from faith.

We see the disciples do this precise thing after hearing and responding to the call of Jesus. These people were called and made a decision to follow Jesus. However they often got stumped concerning certain teachings of Jesus. Their actions show us that they sought to understand this calling that they had received. They approached Jesus out of these quandaries and asked him to explain what he meant concerning many parables as well as some of Jesus’ actions (see Matt 13:10; Luke 11:1-11, John 13:6). When wondering how to pray, they came to Jesus and asked him to teach them. When unsure about parables, they asked him to explain them. When unsure as to why he predicts the collapse of the Jerusalem, they ask for clarity. In these instances we see that integral to being a disciple means being a learner- being curious, inquisitive– it is a faith seeking to understand. Theology then is the servant of faith and not vice versa.

Theology then, in its purest form is an attempt to connect faith in Jesus to faithful living. The living out the faith interpreted through scripture, through the speaking of the Holy Spirit as lived within a community of fellow believers, then is nothing short of discipleship. To be a person seeking to be a disciple of Jesus, we are then beckoned to be theologians. Therefore the congruency or overlap of discipleship and theology cannot be overstated. To do one without the other is either futile or impossible.

In response to faith, we come to believe in Jesus and live out the life that he has for us. The task of the Christian then is to be a disciple- one that approaches Jesus in prayer asking him to teach us. The Holy Spirit then speaks to us, through the word of the Bible. However, scripture must be read and interpreted in a community of believers. Theology and discipleship therefore holds Church community as a prerequisite. Christian communal living is the place in which theology and discipleship are able to be taught, lived out, corrected, and articulated.

Each redeemed person within the church then is a living and breathing theologian. We are people of faith, coming to God asking him to teach us. We are people of faith seeking understanding. And as his Spirit speaks to us individually and communally, we are brought deeper and deeper into his presence. A presence that is Holy and pure. A presence that teaches us more and more how to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind… and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

I pray that we may be such a community of faith that vigorously seeks understanding.

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