- What is Theology?
- What is Doctrine?
- What does “self-giving” love mean?
- What does it mean that God is “dialogical”?
- What is the significance of God’s “freedom”?
- What new thing did you learn about God’s Triune nature?
- What did you learn about, ‘God as “holy”’?
What is Theology?
Don Thorsen defines Theology as “the science which studies God and all that relates to him, including religion and morals.”
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines theology as “the study of religious faith, practice, and experience; especially: the study of God and of God’s relation to the world.”
When I think of Theology, I usually think of a Theologian, which is a person who engages in or is an expert in theology.
What is interesting to me is that in both definitions, theology is the study of “God.” I prefer to think of it as the study of God’s Word, letting His Word and Holy Spirit reveal to me the meaning of God and His word.
1. What is Theology?
• The study of God and everything about God. I would further say that it is the study of God’s Word that enables us actually study God.
2. What is Doctrine?
• Doctrine is formulated based on the understanding of scripture. This can pose an issue if scripture is misinterpreted or mistranslated. A correct understanding of scripture will lead to the correct doctrine.
3. What does “self-giving” love mean?
• The Father loves the Son and gives all that he (Father) has to the Son.
4. What does it mean that God is “dialogical”?
• References God and the Word in the beginning. God is not alone, and it is through His word and conversations that he can interact with humanity.
5. What is the significance of God’s “freedom”?
• God’s freedom to create, love, and redeem sinners is of a free choice, which then extends to the free will that God has given mankind. In either case, this freedom is voluntary and not compelled.
6. What new thing did you learn about God’s Triune nature?
• Something I probably knew, but hadn’t given much thought to, was that Jesus didn’t come to earth to judge, but the Holy Spirit will convict us of sin, righteousness, and judgment upon us. Without the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin, we would not really understand the sin or the gravity of our sin.
7. What did you learn about, ‘God as “holy”’?
• God as holy is the very core that allows God to love us, have mercy on us, and forgive our sins. He calls us to be blessed, because He is holy, all the while knowing that we will never live up to that standard, but loving and forgiving us anyway.
Good work Michael. I am currently doing a sermon series on “The Order of Salvation” and talked about “convicting grace”. It is a grace through the Holy Spirit that the world is convicted of its unbelief. Otherwise, we would not even know our need for salvation. God is always the “first mover”, especially in our salvation.
Welcome to the Week One thread
1. Theology involves everything that has to do with learning about God; everything that humans can and cannot understand. The Word is theology since it is all God breathed.
2. Christian doctrines are created and supported by Scripture. It explains all things that involve God and following Him.
3. God created humans for a relationship with Him. He wants us to know Him intimately and wants to know His children on a deeper level as well.
4. God communicated with believers through His Word. He convicts us and gives us wisdom.
5. God gives every person free will to follow Him or not to follow Him. He wants believers to choose Him because they want to grow a deeper relationship, just as one would with a friend.
6. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one, but they all play different roles in one’s life. God is our provider, Jesus died to save us from our sins, and the Holy Spirit was given to believers to guide us and protect us.
7. God is our Creator and He is the perfect example of how to love others selflessly because God is love. He wants an intimate relationship with His followers.
Well said.
I completely agree with you, Michael, on just number one alone. The more I read God’s Word, the more I actually want to read it!
1. What is theology?
Theology is the study of God, it can take many different expressions between studying Him as any of the three persons of the Holy Trinity, what He has revealed to us through scripture, or the many categories of study in the Christian walk.
2. What is doctrine?
Doctrine is the formulated, conveyed, and understood meaning of what God’s specific revelation has shown about truth.
3. What does self-giving mean?
Self-giving love means the total emptying of ones own desires or ego so that one may even further love another, the fullest of which are founds in the relationships of the persons of the trinity, and God’s relationship with us.
4. What does it mean that God is dialogical?
God’s being dialogical is what sets him apart from the rigid monotheism of the other Abrahamic faiths. In God’s being there are three persons that exist entirely within relationship to one another, by this fundamental being, this characterizes God’s nature as being other-oriented through real relationships with communication.
5. What is the significance of God’s freedom?
God’s freedom or sovereignty identifies Him in His place as the only uncreated being, as well as show us what that means. God has no external pressure to do anything like we may (like the pressure of hunger that drives us to eat), rather He sits alone as being above all things which he created and is free to do as He wills. His freedom is a very part of his nature as God and identifies Him as such.
6. What new thing did you learn about The Trinity?
I gained new insight on the level of dependency each member has in their relationship with the other. While I previously understood that they existed only in relation to the others as we understand them, when Kinlaw quotes Walter Kasper I was astonished by the depth in which we understand that relational existence. Seeing how he discussed how the Son would not exist without the receiving and giving everything from and to Him, including His own beingness in eternity, and likewise The Father in his giving nature cannot exist as such without The Son to give to. It was eye opening to read such an intimate account of the relationship that exists in The Trinity.
7. What did you learn about God as holy?
I was reminded of the depth at which God is holy in His essence. Before I had been thinking about God’s holiness as a descriptor of his essence and character, but when I read Kinlaws description of Isaiah before God, I was reminded that God is not holy as a description of what He is, like you would describe a property something has, like color or how much something weighs, but rather that God in His very essence IS holy. Holiness not just being a description of Him but Him in His being.
Good, Jackson. What do you think of Kinlaw’s view of self-giving love and its significance in understanding God’s will for us?
Totally emptying oneself is so good! It is way too easy for us to allow ego to get in the way and expect to get what we want when we want it.
1. What is theology? Theology is the study of God and all that he is, such as His incarnation, His personality, His desires, His thoughts, and His words. God is love and a disciplinarian. His training in virtue and morals prepares believers for their afterlife through His hope for our relationship with Him and the truth that He exists.
2. What is doctrine? The preposition of faith begins with the chosen collective ideas of faith into the spoken word and on paper. humanity’s adherence to these thoughts creates disciples. Thus, we have a statement of faith that gives definition to a budding belief. This act is a must to counteract opposing beliefs.
3. What does “self-giving” love mean? Self-giving love is rooted in God Himself. It is impossible without Him and the life essence given to Jesus that fills His being allowing Him to pass it on to His disciples. They, in turn, have passed it on to their students. Self-giving love knows no end. It is self-oriented. Love is not only something God feels, but it is also an action he does. Love is His divine life which the three persons of the blessed Trinity coherently share.
4. What does it mean that God is “dialogical”? Communication is the key definition in the word “dialogical.” There is definite communication between the persons of the Godhead. John developed this in his concept of the “Word.” The “otherness” to which John refers is out of our understanding as fallen creatures. God’s goal is a relationship with His creation, loving and communicating through dialogue. In the beginning was God and His Word. So, creation began with a conversation.
5. What is the significance of God’s “freedom”? The role Jesus played in the advancement of the Christian faith would not be easily understood today. Jesus was the martyr of the faith by choice, rather than to comply with cultural regulations. Jesus’ life was one of free and loving obedience to His Father. Jesus’ incarnation and His death on the cross gives us a picture of the life of God, who lives in free dialogue with His Son of self-giving love.
6. What new thing did you learn about God’s Triune nature? The new thing I learned about God’s Triune nature is what Jesus said to the disciples as He prepared them for His departure. He described the Spirit as another Comforter (John 14:16). What Jesus had been to them, the Spirit would be all the more. Those men became children without a parent; alone and afraid. Jesus’ leaving forced them to depend on the invisible Third person of God the Father, which would magnify their faith more than they ever thought possible. They would become the teachers and experience the bond of the Trinity, which is unbreakable.
7. What did you learn about God as “holy”? The miraculous part of God being completely holy is no surprise to me. God created holiness and a desire for us to emulate that trait. Our ability to do that is questionable from day to day. Our humanness can block our progress. To start the process, we must keep our senses focused on God. Primarily, what we see, hear, and think needs prompting by our faith to keep our free will moving in the right direction. We must look in God’s eyes and grasp His hand. That is the only way we can do it, by hanging on to God.
Good work, Sharon. Another way of saying “dialogical” is “communicative”. Theology tends to use Greek roots. Either way, it means that God speaks and he has made us to reason and to speak. We may not hear his audible voice today, but He still speaks. In what ways has God spoken to you personally?