The Nature and Task of Systematic Theology

INTRODUCTION

The nature and task of systematic theology is to turn the investigation of God’s Word into an opportunity to unfold His attributes and revelations for His people.   Just as an archeologist digs up an entire area to determine the history of the people and culture in that area, systematic theologians excavate God’s Word in order to reveal the fullness of His holiness and His desire to be in relationship with us.

Systematic theology opens up a window into God’s truth for a postmodernistic society that doesn’t believe in absolute truth. Postmoderns do believe in the process of discussion and debate.  A well-prepared Christian can use the skills of reasoning along with the science of systematic theology to share God’s absolute truth in such a way that might lead to conversion.

IMPORTANCE OF THEOLOGY

In the original Greek, “theo” means “God” and “logy” means “word.”  When you put them together, “theology” means, “study of God”.  In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis talks about the fact that Christians should always want to have the most information possible about the God that they have given their lives over to.  Lewis compared theology to a map.  It weaves together experiences of Christians with the stories of the Bible and the details of doctrine.  He closes the chapter on theology by pointing out how practical theology is because everyone who reads enjoys discussing what they have read.  “Consequently, if you do not listen to Theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones – bad, muddled, out-of-date ideas. For a great many of the ideas about God which are trotted out as novelties to-day are simply the ones which real Theologians tried centuries ago and rejected. To believe in the popular religion of modern England is retrogression – like believing the earth is flat.”

There are many advantages to studying theology, but in order to understand this science, you must first understand what it does.  Theology is biblical, systematic, cultural, contemporary, and practical. When you look at theology in general, there are four main types according to Erickson.  He explores biblical theology, historical theology, systematic theology, and philosophical theology.

Systematic theology utilizes biblical, historical, and philosophical theology. Erickson defines biblical theology as setting forth the message of biblical books by author or other scheme of grouping.  It is also defined as theology understood from the point of view of the biblical writers themselves.

Historical theology traces the church’s faith throughout the various eras of church history.  It is usually arranged by topics.  Philosophical theology is studying theological topics largely without use of the Bible, but using the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning and what can be known about God from observing the universe.

The word theology itself refers to the study of God. When used in a broader sense, the word may include all the other doctrines revealed in Scripture. Now, God is the Supreme Being who has created and even now sustains all that exists, and theology seeks to understand and articulate in systematic manner information revealed to us by him. Thus, theology concerns itself with ultimate reality. Since it is the study of the ultimate, nothing is more important. Because it contemplates and discusses the ultimate, it in turn defines and governs every area of life and thought. Therefore, as long as God is the ultimate being or reality, theological reflection is the ultimate human activity.

A doctrine consists of a set of propositions relating to a certain theological topic – it is the biblical teaching on a given subject. Theology then refers to the study of Scripture or the systematic formulation of doctrines from Scripture. A truly biblical doctrine is always authoritative and binding, and a system of theology is authoritative only to the extent that it reflects the teaching of Scripture.

Many warn against studying theology for its own sake. The anti-intellectual spirit of the age has so infiltrated the church that they refuse to believe that any intellectual activity possesses intrinsic value. To them, even knowing God must serve a greater purpose, probably a pragmatic or ethical one. Although the knowledge of God ought to affect one’s conduct, it is nevertheless a mistake to think that the intellectual enterprise of theology serves a purpose that is greater than itself. Christians should affirm that since to study theology is to know God, and knowing God is the highest purpose of man, theology therefore possesses intrinsic value. This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

There is no higher purpose for which the knowledge of God intends to reach, and there is no higher purpose for man but to know God. Theological knowledge produces moral demands and other effects in one’s life, but these are not higher purposes than the
theological task of knowing the verbal revelation of God.

WHAT IS SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY?

One branch of theology is systematic theology, which is defined as the study of God that is put into a particular system.  According to Charles Ryrie, “Systematic theology correlates the data of biblical revelation as a whole in order to exhibit systematically the total picture of God’s self-revelation.  Systematic theology may include historical backgrounds, apologetics and defense, and exegetical work, but it focuses on the total structure of biblical doctrine.”   Augustus Hopkins Strong uses astronomy and geology to illustrate this point.  He says that both of those sciences put together facts that at first glance, seem to have no order.  Strong points out that systematic theology does the same with the facts of Scripture.

Systematic theology is built on the foundation of the Word of God and is developed through historical, scientific, philosophic, and ethical studies in order to form the most complete account of the Christian faith.  It takes all the pieces of the puzzle and puts them together in such a way to present the whole picture of who God is. Paul Tillich said, “Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt.”

Systematic theology is torn between two distinct conceptions of its project.  One conception, a particularly modern one, is dominated by the categories of experience and interpretation. The Scriptures, Church Fathers, early Councils and so on are interpretations of a particular experience, and the theological task is to reinterpret that experience in a way which communicates that experience to the present. You can trace the origins of this position to the philosophy of Emmanuel Kant and his distinction between phenomena and noumena. For Kant, knowing is a projective act of the mind upon the phenomena, while the true noumenal reality remains beyond our reach. This position rules out the possibility of truth and replaces it with an endless cycle of interpretation and reinterpretation. Many theologians have adopted either explicitly or implicitly such a stance in their theological writings.

The second conception, which draws on a longer lineage, is dominated by the categories of truth and meaning. What is communicated is not simply an experience, but a truth whose meaning remains one of inexhaustible mystery. On this view the doctrines of the Church are not an interpretation but a judgment. They are a judgment on the truth contained within the Scriptures. The theological task is then expressed in the classical adage of Saint Anselm of Canterbury, one of “faith seeking understanding”, of accepting the revealed truth with gratitude and then exploring its meaning, and deepening our understanding of it. Following Augustine, this conception would argue that “unless you believe, you will not understand”.  The faith of the theologian is fundamental to the theological task because without faith theology has no proper apprehension of its object.

HISTORY OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

In the Eastern Church, systematic theology dates back as far as 700 with the works of John of Damascus.  The Western Church has had a variety of systematic theologians dating back to Peter Lombard in 1100 and Thomas Aquinas in 1221.

Other notable systematic theologians include Saint Augustine of Hippo, Origen, Catherine of Sienna, Pope Benedict XVI, Martin Luther, Karl Barth, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards.  Most of these names are very familiar because they have been the leading voices in shaping the Christian Church both in Europe and in the United States.

Jonathan Edwards was one of the most well known leaders of the Great Awakening and is called by some to be America’s most important theologian.  His most famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” is a wonderful representation of systematic theology because of the way it looks at the wrath of God towards sin and reveals the provision of God in salvation.  He systematically proved that God hates sin, but loves sinners.

ADVANTAGES OF STUDYING THEOLOGY SYSTEMATICALLY

Dr. James Boyce wrote a book called Abstract of Systematic Theology that was first published in 1887.  His first chapter deals with the science of theology and closes with his thoughts on the advantages of studying theology systematically.  The first advantage of studying theology systematically is that we can find out everything about each point the Scriptures address.  Second, we can compare all of our findings, which allows us to see limitations in our research.  Third, we recognize that our facts rely heavily on God’s revelation and direct us to Him.  Fourth, we can’t add our own opinions, it would taint the research.  Next, when studying theology systematically, God’s revelation is made clear by how closely the entire Bible works together.  The final point he makes is that the sum of all the advantages of studying theology systematically is that in the end, we value each of the doctrines of God because they are true and have been revealed to be true through our thorough study of each part of His Word combined with God’s special revelation.

Wayne Grudem says, “Systematic theology is any study that answers the question, ‘What does the whole Bible teach us today?’”   Systematic theology affords Christians the opportunity to study the Bible and apply it to everyday life.  It allows you to look at the Bible as a library of sixty-six books full of examples of God’s attributes that is conveniently bound into one volume.

CURRENT USE OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

Systematic theology is popular in today’s society because many people prefer to study God’s word topically.  Some Christians are intimidated by the Bible and would prefer to study only certain topics that they are interested in.  There are even Bibles that have been put together by systematic theologians that place all of the passages concerning a particular doctrine together.  This is a great resource if it causes Christians to want to dig deeper into God’s Word.  It can be dangerous if Christians don’t go further and instead just accept the opinions of the person gathering the passages.  Christians must keep in mind that the Bible is God’s inspired Word for His people.  Even though it is broken down into books, chapters, and verses, the Word of God is still meant to be a total work that produces changed lives.

CONCLUSION

According to our text, systematic theology is defined as the attempt to reduce religious truth to a coherent and relevant whole for the church.   I have a background in student ministry and “coherent” and “relevant” are two of the hottest buzz words these days when dealing with middle and high school students.
I really like the quote by Origen that talks about the combination of information it takes to communicate the Christian faith; “God gives the truth in single threads which we must weave into a finished texture.”   Theology is not a spectator sport, it requires planning, preparation, and persistence to truly understand doctrinal issues in such a way that the investigator will be able to present the truths they uncover to those who may not be open to Christ.

I am reminded of the stories of Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell.  Both of these men were atheists who set out to prove that there was no way that God could exist.  After much research and discussion, they surprised themselves by proving that there was no way that God didn’t exist!  The Word of God makes sense and appeals to those who are of great intellect.  Now both Strobel and McDowell are some of the most well known Christian apologists of our day and they are able to communicate God’s truth in a way that is convincing to non-believers.

Systematic theology is recognized as the most scientific form of theology because it follows a reliable method and deals with a product.  Millard Erickson talks about the goals of systematic theology being the edification of the believing community, the proclamation of the gospel, and the preservation of truth in partnership with the experience of faith.

I don’t think that systematic theology can be complete without the contributions of biblical, historical, and philosophical theology.  Erickson also talked about the fact that Christian philosophy cannot be obtained without a partnership with biblical scholarship and theology.  Each of these disciplines are closely related and work together to help communicate the person of God.

Most of my ministry opportunities are with middle and high school students.  Systematic theology is helpful to me because it is concise and has its foundation on the fact that God can be known and that we can know truth.  It is easier to train students to have a biblical worldview that relies on absolute truth than it is to reteach adults that there is such a thing as absolute truth in our society.  Systematic theology is also easier to communicate because there is a pattern that is easy to organize.  It consolidates the major points from the other three types of theology into usable information that can easily be shared with others in a teaching and discipling model.

The nature and task of systematic theology is to turn the investigation of God’s Word into an opportunity to unfold His attributes and revelations for His people.   In order for Christians to be able to reach a lost and dying world for the glory of God, we must be willing to dig into God’s Word to unearth the glorious riches found within and communicate them in such a way that will cause people to hunger and thirst for His righteousness.

Bibliography

Berkhof, Louis.  Systematic Theology.  Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 1996.

Boyce, Rev. James Petigru.  Abstract of Systematic Theology.  1887.

Edwards, Jonathan.  Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.  Pensacola: Christian Life Books, 2003.

Erickson, Millard J.  Christian Theology.  Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1983.

Doran, Robert M. What is Systematic Theology?  Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2005.

Finney, Charles G.  Finney’s Systematic Theology.  Grand Rapids: Bethany House Publishers, 1994.

Franke, John R. The Character of Theology: An Introduction to Its Nature, Task, and Purpose.  Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005.

Grenz, Stanley J.  Theology for the Community of God.  Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

Grudem, Wayne.  Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine.  Grand Rapids: InterVarsity Press, 1994.

Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. New York: Collier Books, 1943.

Ryrie, Charles C.  Basic Theology.  Colorado Springs: Chariot Victor Publishing, 1986.

Ryrie, Charles C.  Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth.  Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1999.

Strong, Augustus Hopkins.  Systematic Theology.  Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1907.

Tabb, Mark.  Theology.  Colorado Springs: The Navigators, 2006.

Tillich, Paul.  Systematic Theology, vol. 1.  Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1951.

Warfield, Benjamin Breckenridge.  “The Task and Method of Systematic Theology.” The American Journal of Theology, xiv (1910): 192-205.

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