It is often wondered whether theology is of any use - isn't it just semantics and hair-splitting? "Let's just get on with living" people can be heard to say. I recently read a delightful article in the Irish Theological Quarterley called 'Theology as a Road to Sanctification?' in which the author discusses various parts of Aquinas' Summa Theologiae, particularly those in which the vocation of the theologian is considered. She writes:
"One is reminded of where Thomas wrote of sacra doctrina that it ‘bears, as it were, the stamp of the divine knowledge which is one and simple, yet extends to everything.’ Hence, God ‘teaches knowledge’ and it seems that the knowledge that is taught is a sacra doctrina. This is verified as Thomas continues his consideration of the acquisition of knowledge and explains the close relationship between that which is understood and the one doing the understanding. God, when God moves the intellect, ‘impresses on the student the likeness of the thing understood.’ The effect is not that the student comes to comprehend God, but that God might be better understood, and that the student might become holy."
In short, the process in which God acts to move the intellect to understand is one of sanctification, and thus theology is a holy exercise. Which is not to say that everything calling itelf 'theology' is thereby holy, but that the giving over of one's intellect into submission to sacred truth is not an unnecessary, superfluous act. It directs one's mind and action to that end for which we are created, and toward which we are being saved.
I was then reading St. Athanasius' work De incarnatione verbi dei, or 'On the incarnation of the word of God'. The introduction, surprisignly, was written by C.S. Lewis of all people, and he commends the study of such theological works with this beautiful image:
"For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others. I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."
So, everyone take a pipe to your next home group or bible study!
Sanctifica eos in veritate; sermo tuus veritas est.
Friday, February 06, 2009
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3 comments:
I too, as you know have changed my view on theology. I used to object to theology. I think I objected because so many zealous Christians have gone to Seminary and come out the other side, almost flat with their faith destroyed. Hence we call seminaries, "cemetries" which is pretty arrogant.
As I read more I realise my view of the scriptures was actually an inaccurate and quite arrogant one. I find things that mean a scripture was a lot simpler than I thought or more relevant to the Jew than I know. It brings a humbling deeper rooted relationship with God that is less sexy but poses greater riches than my previous evangelical fundamentalist conservative view.
For example, we've been talking about salvation in homegroup. How were the Jews saved before Jesus (they say they were in the OT), and how were people saved by Jesus whilst he was alive if he hadn't yet died? If we take our traditional view of salvation from hell and add it to what we find in the aforementioned study, we have a much more radical view on what God and Jesus has done for us and exactly what the Kingdom of Heaven means to us right here and now!
God is great! To anyone in homegroup that reads this though don't forget the 3 most important things of being a Christian... "Love God, your neighbour and your enemies". Theology can't replace that but it will enhance it to depths of love you cannot imagine!
'sexy' is not a hermeneutical category :-)
mum said,
I agree with you. It happens when I read the old Masters like Thomas Watson - he unfolds a marvellous piece of knowledge of God which fills my spirit with wonder and that causes me to spend some time praising God for this new piece of understanding I have discovered about Him.By the way, hello, my son, I hope you are well.
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