Introduction

Embarking on an exploration of theology is akin to setting sail into the vast and mysterious ocean of divine understanding. As ancient as it is ever-evolving, this field of study invites us into a profound conversation about the ultimate questions of existence: Who is God? What is the nature of the divine? And crucially, why does this inquiry matter to us individually and collectively? The quest for theological understanding transcends academic exercise, unfolding as a deeply personal journey that weaves into the fabric of human belief, identity, and purpose.

Theology, at its core, is the study of the divine, serving as a bridge between the human and the sacred, striving to articulate the indescribable nature of God and the complexities of religious belief. Yet, defining theology is no simple task, as it encompasses a spectrum of disciplines, perspectives, and traditions, each contributing its unique voice to the chorus of divine study. It is a conversation that spans millennia, engaging theologians, philosophers, scholars, and believers in a shared endeavor to unpack the mysteries of faith, scripture, and spiritual experience.

Why does theology matter? This question lies at the heart of our inquiry. In a world brimming with diversity of thought, culture, and belief, theology offers a framework for understanding the profound questions of life and existence. It challenges us to think critically about our beliefs, to engage with the complexities of faith in a detailed and informed manner, and to consider the implications of our spiritual convictions for our lives and the world around us.

As we navigate the diverse landscape of theological thought, we are invited to reflect on the relevance of theology in our contemporary context. What can ancient doctrines and modern interpretations teach us about living in today’s world? How can theological insights inform our understanding of justice, morality, and community? And how does our engagement with theology shape our response to the pressing issues of our time?

This article seeks to navigate these questions, offering a panoramic view of theological inquiry that is both broad and deep. Through examining the various definitions and dimensions of theology, we aim to uncover the enduring significance of this discipline for everyone, from scholars and practitioners to those embarking on the quest for meaning, purpose, and connection in the human experience. Join us on this journey as we explore theology’s what, how, and why, uncovering how this ancient yet dynamic field of study continues to illuminate the path of human understanding and spiritual exploration.

Theology: Defined

1. Concise Oxford English Dictionary
   theology /Ɵiːˈɒlədʒi/
   ■ noun (plural theologies) the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
   ▶ religious beliefs and theory when systematically developed.
   —derivatives theological adjective theologically adverb theologist noun theologize (or theologise) verb
   —origin Middle English: from French théologie, from Latin theologia, from Greek, from theos ‘god’ + -logia (see -logy).¹
2. Ken Schenck
   Theology is the “study of God,” and Christian theology is the study of God from a Christian perspective.²
3. Roger E. Olson
   Theology is the process of examination and reflection that leads to the construction and reconstruction of doctrines. More correctly and precisely, theology is the process rather than the product. The product is doctrine.³
4. N. T. Wright
   Theology, as N. T. Wright puts it, is “trying to think straight about who God is.”⁴
5. Donald G. Bloesch
   Theology is the diligent and systematic explication of the Word of God for every age, involving not only painstaking study of the Word of God but also an earnest attempt to relate this Word to a particular age or cultural milieu. Theology in the evangelical sense is the faithful interpretation of the biblical message to the time in which we live. It must struggle to elucidate the relevance of the cross and resurrection victory of Jesus Christ for our time and place in history, not simply reaffirm past interpretations or repeat creedal formulas of another era.⁵
6. Donald G. Bloesch
   Theology is the systematic reflection within a particular culture on the self–revelation of God in Jesus Christ as attested in Holy Scripture and witnessed to in the tradition of the catholic church. Theology in this sense is both biblical and contextual. Its norm is Scripture, but its field or arena of action is the cultural context in which we find ourselves. It is engaged in reflection not on abstract divinity or on concrete humanity but on the Word made flesh, the divine in the human.⁶
7. Kevin J. Vanhoozer
   Everyday theology is faith seeking nonreductive understanding.⁷

Modified Definition
Theology is faith seeking a non-reductive understanding of God.⁸
(I removed “Everyday” from the definition and added “of God” to broaden the definition.)

My Chosen Definition of Theology

Theology is “faith seeking a non-reductive understanding of God.” This definition is both concise and profoundly insightful. To grasp the essence of this definition, we must dissect its components.

THEOLOGY

At its linguistic roots, the term ‘theology’ already points towards God. Derived from the Greek, “Theo” translates to “God,” and “Logy” stems from “logia,” indicating study or discourse that already lays the foundation for a study centered around God.

FAITH

Faith is central to theology. The author of Hebrews effectively communicates this by stating, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”⁹ This assurance anchors every belief because, without faith, it becomes impossible to believe in the unseen or unproven. It’s a profound commitment, an unwavering trust in God, guiding our spiritual journey. As the apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians, “for we walk by faith, not by sight,”¹⁰, emphasizing that our spiritual journey is grounded not in the tangible but in faith’s unwavering conviction.

SEEKING

Seeking is an essential pursuit to not only look and find but also to undertake a relentless quest for answers and understanding. This is a journey depicted throughout Scripture as both profound and endless. Jeremiah’s words echo this sentiment: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”¹¹ Such a pursuit is enduring, requiring every fiber of one’s being. As emphasized in Deuteronomy: “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”¹²
This theological exploration is a fluid, constantly evolving journey ingrained with a strong invitation. Isaiah’s statement emphasizes this: “ Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.”¹³ This seeking is about initiating, knocking, asking, and delving deeper into the mysteries of God, as Jesus encourages in Matthew: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”¹⁴
But the act of seeking also acknowledges our human limitations. It’s an experimental, intuitive endeavor where we might “feel” our way toward God. As mentioned in Acts, “that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.”¹⁵
In essence, the act of seeking in theology is not just about attaining knowledge but about forging a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. While guided by faith, it recognizes that this journey will never truly end, will always remain somewhat unsettled, and will inevitably be reshaped as our understanding evolves.

NON-REDUCTIVE

Non-reductive means we do not want to diminish the nature of God by trying to simplify our comprehension. As Scripture reminds us, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”¹⁶ God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and this vast gap between divine understanding and human perception is clearly stated in Isaiah 55:8–9. “‘My thoughts are not like your thoughts. And your ways are not like my ways,’ announces the Lord. ‘The heavens are higher than the earth. And my ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.’”¹⁷ Furthermore, the questions posed in Job 11:7–9 underline the vastness and mystery of God, emphasizing our limitations in truly grasping His essence. “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea.”¹⁸ Indeed, God is mysterious and complex, and we must approach Him with reverence and humility, recognizing that there’s no way to simplify His intricate character.

UNDERSTANDING

Understanding is our ultimate goal in theology. As expressed in Proverbs, it is about inclining our ears to wisdom and applying our heart to understanding God in all His depth and magnitude. “Then you will understand how to have respect for the Lord. You will find out how to know God. The Lord gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.”¹⁹ Chuck Missler, founder of Koinonia House, frequently emphasized the profound words of Jesus: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”²⁰ Listening intently is essential for understanding, especially when striving for a profound and intimate relationship with God, as we seek to comprehend His vast love and nature. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote: “May you have power with all God’s people to understand Christ’s love. May you know how wide and long and high and deep it is. And may you know his love, even though it can’t be known completely. Then you will be filled with everything God has for you.”²¹ This illuminates our endeavor to relate to God personally, where our understanding is not just intellectual but experiential. While we seek to understand Him, we must approach him with humility. God is infinite, and our attempts to understand Him will always be finite. Still, in our pursuit, He graciously reveals facets of His nature to us.

GOD

God, the focal point of our theological pursuits, is at the heart of every spiritual inquiry and understanding. All our endeavors in theology gravitate towards Him. God is not a mere concept but the living, active, and eternal Creator who interacts profoundly with His creation. This God is not to be confined within human-made parameters or understood simplistically, for He is beyond our comprehension. Yet, in His grace, He has revealed Himself to us. In the book of Exodus, when Moses asked for His name, “God said to Moses, “‘I Am Who I Am.’”²² This name captures His self-existence, eternal nature, and incomprehensible essence. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” says the Lord God. “I am the One who is, and who was, and who will come. I am the Mighty One.”²³ God is also relational. He interacts with humanity, guiding, correcting, and loving. The entire narrative of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation is a testament to God’s active involvement in the world, showcasing His love, justice, mercy, and righteousness. John precisely captures this nature of God by stating, “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. How did God show his love for us? He sent his one and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could receive life through him.²⁴

Putting it Back Together
Theology is “faith seeking a non-reductive understanding of God.”

As I have attempted to demonstrate, every word in this definition serves a dual role in encapsulating theology and directly pointing to God. The words Vanhoozer chose, and my minor adjustments converge to provide a well-rounded and precise definition of theology. No nonessential ‘fluff’ exists as each word asserts its essential significance.
Theology, rooted in faith, propels believers on an unending journey of seeking and experiencing the Divine. This relentless pursuit mandates a non-reductive approach, ensuring we never oversimplify the Almighty’s vast and intricate nature. By delving into this quest, we aim not just for knowledge but a profound understanding of God, continually nurturing our relationship with the One who, though beyond all comprehension, remains intimately connected to each of us.

Conclusion: Embracing the Mystery of Theology

As we have journeyed through the multifaceted landscape of theology, we’ve encountered a rich tapestry of definitions and perspectives that, while varied, converge on a singular, profound quest: the pursuit of a non-reductive understanding of God. This exploration, deeply rooted in faith, invites us into an ongoing dialogue with the divine, characterized by humility, wonder, and an unquenchable thirst for more profound insight.

The modified definition of theology that we’ve distilled from these discussions serves as a summary of our exploration and a guiding principle for this enduring quest. It encapsulates a theology that goes beyond mere academic study to embrace a holistic engagement with our entire being, including heart, mind, and soul. This approach recognizes theology as an active, dynamic process of seeking, questioning, and deepening our understanding of God, where every question leads to new depths. Every answer opens the door to further mysteries.

At the heart of this theological pursuit is recognizing God’s infinite nature and our finite understanding. This acknowledgment does not deter our quest but rather enriches it, reminding us that the mystery of God is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced. Our faith, therefore, is not a passive acceptance of creedal formulas but an active engagement with the living God, a journey that is both personal and communal, shaped by scripture, tradition, and our contemporary context.

This non-reductive approach to theology challenges us to resist the temptation to oversimplify the divine. It calls us to approach our study of God with both intellectual rigor and a spirit of humility, acknowledging that our understanding will always be partial yet ever driven by the hope of drawing nearer to the heart of the divine mystery.

In concluding our exploration of theology, we are reminded that theology is ultimately a way of life, a continuous journey of faith-seeking understanding. It is a journey that invites us into a deeper relationship with God, encouraging us to live out our faith in a way that reflects the depth and richness of the theological insights we have gathered. As we move forward, let us embrace the conviction that theology, at its best, goes beyond mere accumulation of knowledge to transform our lives and the world around us through the power of our engagement with the divine.

In this perspective, theology emerges as a journey rather than a destination, characterized by an ever-deepening love and understanding of God. As we continue on this path, let us do so with open hearts and minds, ready to encounter the divine in all its mystery and majesty and willing to be transformed by the journey itself. For in the pursuit of theology, we find God and ourselves continually reshaped and renewed by the profound mystery at the heart of our faith.