Theology is the study of religion from a religious perspective. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos It has been defined as reasoned discourse about God or the gods, or more generally about religion or spirituality. Reason involves the ability to think understand and draw Conclusions in an Abstract way as in Human thinking Discourse (L discursus, "running to and from" means either "written or spoken communication or debate" or "a formal discussion God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality It can be contrasted with religious studies, which is the study of religion from a secular perspective. Religious studies, or Religious education, is the academic field of multi-disciplinary Secular study of religious beliefs behaviors and institutions Secularity ( adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from Religion. Theologians use various forms of analysis and argument (philosophical, ethnographic, historical) to help understand, explain, test, critique, defend or promote any of a myriad of religious topics. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Ethnography ( Greek ethnos = people and graphein = writing is a genre of writing that uses Fieldwork to provide a descriptive History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology Understanding (also called intellection) is a psychological Process related to an abstract or physical object such as Person, situation or An explanation is a description which may clarify causes context, and Consequences of a certain object and a phenomenon such as a process, a The word critic comes from the Greek el κριτικός ( el-Latn kritikós) "able to discern" which in turn derives from the word Many Wikipedia articles on religious topics are not yet listed on this page It might be undertaken to help the theologian:

• understand more truly his or her own religious tradition,^[1]
• understand more truly another religious tradition,^[2]
• make comparisons between religious traditions,^[3]
• defend or justify a religious tradition,
• facilitate reform of a particular tradition,^[4]
• assist in the propagation of a religious tradition,^[5] or
• draw on the resources of a tradition to address some present situation or need,^[6] or for a variety of other reasons. The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of Comparative religion is a field of Religious study that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes myths rituals and concepts among the world's religions Proselytism is the practice of attempting to convert people to another opinion and particularly another religion

The word 'theology' has classical Greek origins. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c The term was first used by Plato in The Republic (book ii, chap 18), and is compounded from two Greek words theos (god) and logos (rational utterance). Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece The Republic ( Greek: / Politeía, meaning "political system" Latin: Res Publica, meaning "public business" or Theos may refer to Theos ( is the Greek word for " Deity, God " see God (word, Names of God grc-Latn Logos (ˈloʊːgɒs ( Greek, logos) is an important term in Philosophy, Analytical psychology, Rhetoric and Religion It was gradually given new senses when it was taken up in both Greek and Latin forms by Christian authors. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It is the subsequent history of the term in Christian contexts, particularly in the Latin West, that lies behind most contemporary usage, but the term can now be used to speak of reasoned discourse within and about a variety of different religious traditions. ^[7] Various aspects both of the process by which the discipline of ‘theology’ emerged in Christianity and the process by which the term was extended to other religions are highly controversial.

History of the term

See the main article on the History of theology, particularly for the history of Jewish, Christian and Islamic theology. This is an overview of the History of Theology in Greek thought Christianity, Judaism and Islam from the time of

The word theology comes from late middle English (originally applying only to Christianity) from French théologie, from Latin theologia, from Greek: θεολογία, theologia, from θεός, theos or God + λόγος or logos, "words", "sayings," or "discourse" ( + suffix ια, ia, "state of", "property of", "place of"). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. A word is a unit of Language that carries meaning and consists of one or more Morphemes which are linked more or less tightly together and has a Phonetic A saying is something that is said notable in one respect or another Discourse (L discursus, "running to and from" means either "written or spoken communication or debate" or "a formal discussion The Greek word is literally translated as "to talk about God" from Θεός (Theos) which is God and logy which derives from logos, though this raises the question of the meaning of the word "God". grc-Latn Logos (ˈloʊːgɒs ( Greek, logos) is an important term in Philosophy, Analytical psychology, Rhetoric and Religion ^[8] The meaning of the word "theologia"/"theology" shifted, however, as it was used (first in Greek and then in Latin) in European Christian thought in the Patristic period, the Middle Ages and Enlightenment, before being taken up more widely. The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century

Averroes, like many important Muslims who wrote about God, was a writer on "Kalam". Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed " The virgin birth of Jesus is a religious Tenet of Christianity and Islam which holds that Mary miraculously conceived Jesus while The crucifixion of Jesus is an event recorded in all four Gospels (;;) which takes place after his arrest and trial and includes his scourging Within the body of Christian beliefs the resurrection of Jesus is a core event on which much of Christian doctrine and theology depend Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship The term New Covenant (; Greek:, diathēkē kainē is used in the Bible (both in the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament) to refer The Twelve Apostles (Greek apostolos, "someone sent out" e This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed account of Christianity from the beginning of the current era ( AD) to the present Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Books of the Bible are listed differently in the canons of Jews and Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox Slavonic Orthodox Georgian Armenian Apostolic A Biblical canon or canon of scripture is a list or Set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as Scripture by a particular religious The biblical apocrypha (from the Greek word ἀπόκρυφος meaning hidden) are books published in an edition of the Bible whose canonicity Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument SSC RF "Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Termonuclear Research" or TRINITY for shprt Троицкий Институт инновационных и термоядерных In many religions the supreme Deity ( God) is given the title and attributions of Father. Christian views of Jesus consist of the teachings and beliefs held by Christian groups about Jesus including his divinity humanity and earthly life In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance This is an overview of the History of Christian Theology from the time of Christ to the present Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections Christian tradition is a collection of Traditions of practice or belief associated with Christianity. Early Christianity is commonly defined as the Christianity of the three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus ( c This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service See also Evangelism, Christianization A Christian mission has been widely defined since the Lausanne Congress of 1974 as that which The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Denominationalism|List of Christian denominations|Church (disambiguation A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name structure and doctrine within A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Prayer is an important theme in Christianity, and there are several different forms of prayer Ecumenism (also oecumenism, œcumenism) refers to initiatives aimed at greater Religious unity or cooperation Christianity and other religions appear to share some elements Christian movements are theological, political or philosophical interpretations of Christianity that are not generally represented by a specific church Christian music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life A Liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used (whether recommended or prescribed by a Christian congregation or The liturgical year, also known as the Christian year, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches which determines when Christian symbolism is defined as the investing of outward things or actions with an inner meaning the expression of Christian ideas Christian art is Art produced in an attempt to illustrate supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Throughout the History of Christianity, a wide range of Christians and non-Christians alike have offered criticisms of Christianity, the Church, and Christians Abū 'l-Walīd Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Rushd (Arabicأبو الوليد محمد بن احمد بن رشد better known just as Ibn Rushd (ابن رشد and in European Kalām (علم الكلام is the Islamic philosophy of seeking Islamic theological principles through Dialectic. His school of Averroism had a significant influence on Christian theology. Averroism is the term applied to either of two philosophical trends among scholastics in the late 13th century, the first of which was based on the

Adi Shankara (centre), 788 to 820, founder of Advaita Vedanta, one of the major schools of Hindu philosophy. Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the

• The term θεολογια theologia is used in Classical Greek literature, with the meaning "discourse on the gods or cosmology". Cosmology (from Greek grc κοσμολογία - grc κόσμος kosmos, "universe" and grc -λογία -logia) is study ^[9]

• Aristotle divided theoretical philosophy into mathematike, physike and theologike, with the latter corresponding roughly to metaphysics, which for Aristotle included discussion of the nature of the divine. Aristotle (Greek Aristotélēs) (384 BC – 322 BC was a Greek philosopher a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. Metaphysics is the branch of Philosophy investigating principles of reality transcending those of any particular science ^[10]

• Drawing on Greek sources, the Latin writer Varro influentially distinguished three forms of such discourse: mythical (concerning the myths of the Greek gods), rational (philosophical analysis of the gods and of cosmology) and civil (concerning the rites and duties of public religious observance). Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Marcus Terentius Varro (116 BC &ndash 27 BC also known as Varro Reatinus to distinguish him from his younger contemporary Varro Atacinus, was a Roman ^[11]

• Christian writers, working within the Hellenistic mould, began to use the term to describe their studies. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. It appears once in some biblical manuscripts, in the heading to the book of Revelation: apokalypsis ioannoy toy theologoy, "the revelation of John the theologos". A Biblical manuscript is any handwritten copy of a portion of the text of the Bible. The Book of Revelation, also called Revelation to John, Apocalypse of John ( pronounced, from the Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου There, however, the word refers not to John the "theologian" in the modern English sense of the word but - using a slightly different sense of the root logos meaning not "rational discourse" but "word" or "message" - one who speaks the words of God, logoi toy theoy. ^[12]

• Other Christian writers used this term with several different ranges of meaning.
  • Some Latin authors, such as Tertullian and Augustine followed Varro's threefold usage, described above. Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Anglicised as Tertullian, (ca ^[13]
  • In patristic Greek sources, theologia could refer narrowly to devout and inspired knowledge of, and teaching about, the essential nature of God. The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian Church ^[14]
  • In some medieval Greek and Latin sources, theologia (in the sense of "an account or record of the ways of God") could refer simply to the Bible. Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin ^[15]
  • In scholastic Latin sources, the term came to denote the rational study of the doctrines of the Christian religion, or (more precisely) the academic discipline which investigated the coherence and implications of the language and claims of the Bible and of the theological tradition (the latter often as represented in Peter Lombard's Sentences, a book of extracts from the Church Fathers). Scholasticism was the dominant form of theology and philosophy in the Latin West in the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th 13th and 14th centuries Doctrine (Latin doctrina) is a codification of beliefs or "a body of teachings quot or "instructions" taught principles or positions as the In its most general sense discipline refers to systematic instruction given to a Disciple. Peter Lombard or Petrus Lombardus; (c 1100 — July 20, 1160 in Paris) was a scholastic theologian and Bishop and author The Four Books of Sentences ( Libri Quattuor Sententiarum) is a book of theology written by Peter Lombard in the twelfth century ^[16]
• It is the last of these senses (theology as the rational study of the teachings of a religion or of several religions) that lies behind most modern uses (though the second - theology as a discussion specifically of a religion's or several religions' teachings about God - is also found in some academic and ecclesiastical contexts; see the article on Theology Proper). Theology Proper is the study of God in a Christian Trinitarian system and includes the study of the Holy Spirit ( Pneumatology) and

• 'Theology' can also now be used in a derived sense to mean 'a system of theoretical principles; an (impractical or rigid) ideology'. ^[17]

Theology and religions other than Christianity

In academic theological circles, there is some debate as to whether theology is an activity peculiar to the Christian religion, such that the word 'theology' should be reserved for Christian theology, and other words used to name analogous discourses within other religious traditions. Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument ^[18] It is seen by some to be a term only appropriate to the study of religions that worship a deity (a theos), and to presuppose belief in the ability to speak and reason about this deity (in logia) - and so to be less appropriate in religious contexts which are organized differently (i. See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always Reason involves the ability to think understand and draw Conclusions in an Abstract way as in Human thinking e. religions without a deity, or which deny that such subjects can be studied logically). (Hierology has been proposed as an alternative, more generic term. SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. )

Analogous discourses

• Some academic inquiries within Buddhism, dedicated to the rational investigation of a Buddhist understanding of the world, prefer the designation Buddhist philosophy to the term Buddhist theology, since Buddhism lacks the same conception of a theos. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Buddhist philosophy deals extensively with problems in Metaphysics, phenomenology, Ethics, and Epistemology. Jose Ignacio Cabezon, who argues that the use of 'theology' is appropriate, can only do so, he says, because 'I take theology not to be restricted to discourse on God . . . I take "theology" not to be restricted to its etymological meaning. In that latter sense, Buddhism is of course atheological, rejecting as it does the notion of God. '^[19]

• There is, within Hindu philosophy, a solid and ancient tradition of philosophical speculation on the nature of the universe, of God (termed Brahman in some schools of Hindu thought) and of the Atman (soul). Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. The Ātman ( IAST: Ātman Sanskrit: आत्मन्‍ is a philosophical term used within Hinduism and Vedanta to identify the Soul The Sanskrit word for the various schools of Hindu philosophy is Darshana (meaning, view or viewpoint). Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Darśana ( Darshan, दर्शन is a Sanskrit term meaning "sight" (in the sense of an instance of seeing or beholding from a root Vaishnava theology has been a subject of study for many devotees, philosophers and scholars in India for centuries, has in recent decades also been taken on by a number of academic institutions in Europe, such as the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Bhaktivedanta College. Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, founded in 1997, is an independent academy for the study of Hindu Culture, Religion, Languages Bhaktivedanta College located in the rural Ardennes region of Belgium, is a Vaishnava College administered by ISKCON. See also: Krishnology

• In Islam, theological discussion which parallels Christian theological discussion is named "Kalam"; the Islamic analogue of Christian theological discussion would more properly be the investigation and elaboration of Islamic law, or "Fiqh". Krishnology (also spelled Krishnaology) is an academic Neologism. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Kalām (علم الكلام is the Islamic philosophy of seeking Islamic theological principles through Dialectic. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. Fiqh ( Arabic: فقه, fɪqəh is Islamic Jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the Sharia Islamic law—based directly on the 'Kalam . . . does not hold the leading place in Muslim thought that theology does in Christianity. To find an equivalent for "theology" in the Christian sense it is necessary to have recourse to several disciplines, and to the usul al-fiqh as much as to kalam. ' (L. Gardet)^[20] A number of Muslim theologians such as Alkindus, Alfarabi, Avicenna and Averroes (see Averroism) have had a significant influence on the development of Christian theology. ( أبو يوسف يعقوب إبن إسحاق الكندي) (c TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Abū Nasr Muhammad ibn al-Farakh al-Fārābi ( Nastaliq:) or Abū Nasr al-Fārābi TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> ( Persian /ابو علی الحسین ابن عبدالله ابن سینا (born Abū 'l-Walīd Muḥammad ibn Aḥmad ibn Rushd (Arabicأبو الوليد محمد بن احمد بن رشد better known just as Ibn Rushd (ابن رشد and in European Averroism is the term applied to either of two philosophical trends among scholastics in the late 13th century, the first of which was based on the

• In Judaism the historical absence of political authority has meant that most theological reflection has happened within the context of the Jewish community and synagogue, rather than within specialised academic institutions. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Nevertheless Jewish theology has been historically very active and highly significant for Christian and Islamic Theology. Once again, however, the Jewish analogue of Christian theological discussion would more properly be Rabbinical discussion of Jewish law and Jewish Biblical commentaries. Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic

Theology and the Academy

Theology has a significantly problematic position within Academia that is not shared by any other subject. Most universities founded before the modern era grew out of the church schools and monastic institutions of Western Europe during the High Middle Ages (e. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects Monasticism (from Greek μοναχός, monachos, derived from Greek monos, alone is the religious practice in which one Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The High Middle Ages was the period of European history in the 11th 12th and 13th centuries (AD 1000&ndash1299 g. University of Bologna, Paris University and Oxford University). The University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna UNIBO) is one of the oldest continually operating degree-granting universities in the world The historic University of Paris (Université de Paris first appeared in the second half of the 13th century The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the They were founded to train young men to serve the church in Theology and Law (often Church or Canon law). Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society Canon Law, the Ecclesiastical law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system with all the necessary elements courts lawyers judges a fully articulated At such universities, theological study was incomplete without Theological practice, including preaching, prayer and celebration of the Mass. A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. Ancient Universities still maintain some of these links (e. g. having chapels and chaplains) and are more likely to teach Theology than other institutions. A chapel is a holy place or area of Worship for Christians, which may be attached to an institution such as a large church, a College, a A chaplain is typically a Priest, Pastor, ordained Deacon, Rabbi, Imam or other member of the Clergy serving a group of

During the High Middle Ages theology was therefore the ultimate subject at universities, being named "The Queen of the Sciences", and serving as the capstone to the Trivium and Quadrivium that young men were expected to study. In medieval universities, the trivium comprised the three subjects taught first Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. The quadrivium comprised the four subjects or arts taught in Medieval universities after the trivium. This meant that the other subjects (including Philosophy) existed primarily to help with theological thought. Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language

With the Enlightenment, universities began to change, teaching a wide range of subjects, especially in Germany, and from a Humanistic perspective. The Age of Enlightenment or The Enlightenment is a term used to describe a phase in Western philosophy and cultural life centered upon the eighteenth century Humanism is a broad category of ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appealing to universal Theology was no longer the principal subject and Universities existed for many purposes, not only to train Clergy for established churches. Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given Religion. An established church is a church officially sanctioned and supported by the government of a country e Theology thus became unusual as the only subject to maintain a confessional basis in otherwise secular establishments. However, this did not lead to the abandonment of theological study.

Eventually, several prominent colleges/universities were started to train Christian ministers in the U. S. Harvard, Georgetown University, Boston College, Yale, Princeton, and Brown University all began in order to train preachers in Bible and theology. Georgetown University is a Jesuit Private university located in Georgetown Washington D For similarly-named academic institutions see Education in Boston MA. Princeton University is a private Coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. Brown University is a highly esteemed private University located in Providence, Rhode Island and is a member of the Ivy League. However, now some of these universities teach theology as a more academic than ministerial discipline.

With the rise of Christian education, renowned seminaries and Bible colleges have continued the original purpose of these universities. Chicago Theological Union, Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Creighton University Omaha, University of Notre Dame in South Bend IN, University of San Francisco, Criswell College in Dallas, Southern Seminary in Louisville, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Wheaton College and Graduate School in Wheaton, Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, London School of Theology, as well as many others have influenced higher education in theology in philosophy to this day. Criswell College is a Christian college and divinity school in Dallas, Texas. London School of Theology (formerly London Bible College) is an evangelical Theological college based in Northwood in the London Borough

Theology is generally distinguished from other established academic disciplines that cover similar subject material (such as intellectual history or philosophy). An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of Knowledge which is taught or Researched at the college or university level Intellectual history refers to the History of the people who create discuss write about and in other ways propagate Ideas Although the field emerged from Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language Much of the debate concerning theology's place in the university or within a general higher education curriculum centers on whether theology's methods are appropriately theoretical and (broadly speaking) scientific or, on the other hand, whether theology requires a pre-commitment of faith by its practitioners.

While theology often interacts with and draws upon the following, it is generally differentiated from:

• Comparative religion/Religious studies
• Philosophy of religion
• History of religions
• Psychology of religion
• Sociology of religion

All of these normally involve studying the historical or contemporary practices or ideas of one or several religious traditions using intellectual tools and frameworks which are not themselves specifically tied to any religious tradition, but are (normally) understood to be neutral or secular. Comparative religion is a field of Religious study that analyzes the similarities and differences of themes myths rituals and concepts among the world's religions Religious studies, or Religious education, is the academic field of multi-disciplinary Secular study of religious beliefs behaviors and institutions Philosophy of religion is a branch of Philosophy that is concerned with the philosophical study of religion including arguments over the nature and existence of God religious The History of religions ( Religiongeschichteschule, school of religious history was a 19th century German school of thought which was the first to systematically Psychology of religion is the psychological study of Religious experiences Beliefs and activities The sociology of religion is primarily the study of the practices Social structures historical backgrounds development, universal themes and

Even when it is distinguished from these other disciplines, however, some hold that the very idea of an academic discipline called theology, housed in institutions like Universities, is an inherently secular, Western notion. Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from Religion or religious beliefs Noting that 'reasoned discourse about religion/God' is an idea with a very particular intellectual pedigree, with at least some roots in Graeco-Roman intellectual culture, they argue that this idea actually brings with it deep assumptions which we can now see to be related to ideas underlying 'secularism': i. e. , the whole idea of reasoned discourse about God/religion suggests the possibility of a common intellectual framework or set of tools for investigating, comparing and evaluating traditions - an idea with a strong affinity for a 'secular' world view in which religions are seen as particular choices, set within an overarching religiously neutral public sphere. They argue that even those who pursue this discourse as a way of deepening their commitment to and expertise in their own tradition, perhaps even so as to become promoters and propagators of it, often do so in a way which underlines this same 'secular' atmosphere - by assuming the communicability of their religious views (as explored and explained by theological discourse) within a neutral intellectual market-place.

Still, some maintain that theology is a field of study presupposed by a particular worldview of faith.

Theological studies in different institutions

In Europe, the traditional places for the study of theology have been universities and seminaries. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is a specialized and often live-in Higher education institution for the purpose of instructing students Typically the Protestant state churches have trained their clergy in universities while the Roman Catholic church has used seminaries as well as universities for both the clergy and the laity. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. However, the secularization of European states has closed down the theological faculties in many countries while the Catholic church has increased the academical level of its priests by founding a number of pontifical universities. A faculty is a division within a University. The concept of a university with different faculties for different subjects dates back to Al-Azhar University, which had

In some countries, some state-funded Universities have theology departments (sometimes, but not always, universities with a medieval or early-modern pedigree), which can have a variety of formal relationships to Christian churches, or to institutions within other religious traditions. These range from Departments of Theology which have only informal or ad-hoc links to religious institutions (see, for instance, several Theology departments in the UK) to countries like Finland and Sweden, which have state universities with faculties of theology training Lutheran priests as well as teachers and scholars of religion - although students from the latter faculties can also go on to typical graduate careers such as marketing, business or administration, even if this is frowned upon by some. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther

Quotations

• Theology is "faith seeking understanding (fides quaerens intellectum). " - Anselm of Canterbury
• "We can no more have exact religious thinking without theology, than exact mensuration and astronomy without mathematics, or exact iron-making without chemistry. Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 &ndash April 21, 1109) was an Italian medieval Philosopher, theologian, and church official " - John Hall
• "Theology is the effort to explain the unknowable in terms of the not worth knowing. Reverend John Hall DD LLD was Pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church from 1867 until he died in Bangor Northern Ireland in 1898 " - H. L. Mencken
• "An authentic theology will not allow man to be obsessed with himself. " - Thomas F. Torrance in Reality and Scientific Theology
• "Theology announces not just what the Bible says but what it means. Thomas Forsyth Torrance ( 30 August 1913 &ndash 2 December 2007) was a 20th century Protestant Christian Theologian " - J. Kenneth Grider in A Wesleyan-Holiness Theology (Kansas City: Beacon Hill, 1994), p. J Kenneth Grider (born in 1921 died Dec 6 2006 is a Methodist Christian theologian and former seminary professor primarily associated with the followers of 19.
• "I have no use for cranks who despise music, because it is a gift of God. Music drives away the Devil and makes people gay; they forget thereby all wrath, unchastity, arrogance, and the like. Next after theology, I give to music the highest place and the greatest honor. " — Martin Luther, quoted in Martin Marty, Martin Luther, 2004, p. Martin Luther (November 10 1483 February 18 1546 was a German Monk, theologian, university professor Father of Protestantism, and church reformer Martin Emil Marty (b February 5, 1928, West Point Nebraska) is an American Lutheran religious scholar who has written extensively 114.
• "Whatever a theologian regards as true must be false: there you have almost a criterion of truth. " - Friedrich Nietzsche, The Antichrist
• "Theology is a science of mind applied to God" - Henry Ward Beecher

See also

Footnotes

1. ^ See, e. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15 1844 August 25 1900 ( was a nineteenth-century German philosopher and classical philologist The Anti-Christ (Der Antichrist (also could be translated as The Anti-Christian is a book by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, originally published in 1895 This is an article about Henry Beecher the American clergyman Agnosticism ( Greek: α- a-, without + γνώσις gnōsis, knowledge after Gnosticism) is the philosophical view that the Ascetical theology is the organized study or presentation of spiritual teachings found in Christian Scripture and the Church Fathers that help the faithful to more Atheism Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections Christian Theology is discourse concerning Christian faith Christian theologians use biblical Exegesis, rational analysis and argument Constructive theology is the re-definition of what has historically been known as Systematic theology. Sam Harris (born 1967 is an American Non-fiction writer and Philosopher. "Creationism" can also refer to Creation myths in general or to a concept about the origin of the soul. An entheogen, in the strictest sense is a Psychoactive substance used in a religious or shamanic (or entheogenic) context Exegesis (from the Greek 'to lead out' involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text, especially of a Holy Feminist Theology is a movement generally in Christianity, Judaism and New Thought, to reconsider the traditions practices Scriptures Formal principle and material principle are two categories in Christian Theology to identify and distinguish the authoritative source of theology (formal Heresy is an introduced change to some system of belief especially a religion that conflicts with the previously established canon of that belief SACRED was a Cubesat built by the Student Satellite Program of the University of Arizona. This is an overview of the History of Theology in Greek thought Christianity, Judaism and Islam from the time of Liberation theology is a school of Theology within Christianity, particularly in the Roman Catholic Ethics is a branch of Philosophy dealing with right and wrong in human behavior The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" Natural theology is a branch of Theology based on Reason and ordinary Experience, explaining the gods rationally as part of the physical world Neurotheology The Latin phrase Odium theologicum (literally meaning "theological hatred" is the name originally given to the often intense anger and Hatred Perfection is broadly a state of completeness and flawlessness Philosophy of religion is a branch of Philosophy that is concerned with the philosophical study of religion including arguments over the nature and existence of God religious Process theology is a school of thought influenced by the metaphysical Process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947 In Christianity Propitiation is a theological term denoting that by which God is rendered propitious i Queer theology refers to the application of Queer studies to theology Scholasticism was the dominant form of theology and philosophy in the Latin West in the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th 13th and 14th centuries Sola fide ( Latin: by Faith alone also historically known as the doctrine of justification by faith is a doctrine that distinguishes most Systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly rational and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs Theogony ( Greek: Θεογονία theogonia = the birth of God(s is a Poem by Hesiod describing the origins and genealogies Theological aesthetics is the interdisciplinary study of Theology and Aesthetics, and has been defined as being "concerned with questions about God g. , Daniel L. Migliore, Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004)
2. ^ See, e. g. , Michael S. Kogan, 'Toward a Jewish Theology of Christianity' in The Journal of Ecumenical Studies 32. 1 (Winter 1995), 89-106; available online at [1]
3. ^ See, e. g. , David Burrell, Freedom and Creation in Three Traditions (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1994)
4. ^ See, e. g. , John Shelby Spong, Why Christianity Must Change or Die (New York: Harper Collins, 2001)
5. ^ See, e. g. , Duncan Dormor et al (eds), Anglicanism, the Answer to Modernity (London: Continuum, 2003)
6. ^ See, e. g. , Timothy Gorringe, Crime, Changing Society and the Churches Series (London:SPCK, 2004)
7. ^ See, for example, Contemporary Jewish Theology: A Reader, ed Elliott Dorff and Louis Newman (Oxford: OUP, 1998), Ignaz Goldziher's Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law (Princeton University Press, 1981), Roger Jackson and John J. Makransky's Buddhist Theology: Critical Reflections by Contemporary Buddhist Scholars (London: Curzon, 2000), and Jose Pereira, Hindu Theology (New Delhi: Sundeep Prakashan, 1991)
8. ^ According to [2], "divine" coms ultimately from an Indo-European word meaning “shining. ”
9. ^ Lidell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon''.
10. ^ Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book Epsilon.
11. ^ As cited by Augustine, City of God, Book 6, ch. 5.
12. ^ This title appears quite late in the manuscript tradition for the Book of Revelation: the two earliest citations provided in David Aune's Word Biblical Commentary 52: Revelation 1-5 (Dallas: Word Books, 1997) are both 11th century - Gregory 325/Hoskier 9 and Gregory 1006/Hoskier 215; the title was however in circulation by the 6th century - see Allen Brent ‘John as theologos: the imperial mysteries and the Apocalypse’, Journal for the Study of the New Testament 75 (1999), 87-102.
13. ^ See Augustine reference above, and Tertullian, Ad Nationes, Book 2, ch. 1.
14. ^ Gregory of Nazianzus uses the word in this sense in his fourth-century Theological Orations; after his death, he was himself called 'the Theologian' at the Council of Chalcedon and thereafter in Eastern Orthodoxy - either because his Orations were seen as crucial examples of this kind of theology, or in the sense that he was (like the author of the Book of Revelation) seen as one who was an inspired preacher of the words of God. Gregory of Nazianzus (329 – January 25 389) (also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen) was a 4th-century Archbishop The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth Ecumenical council. It was held from 8 October to 1 November 451 at Chalcedon (a city of The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world (It is unlikely to mean, as claimed in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers introduction to his Theological Orations, that he was a defender of the divinity of Christ the Word. ) See John McGukin, Saint Gregory of Nazianzus: An Intellectual Biography (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2001), p. 278.
15. ^
    

    Albert the Great, patron saint of Roman Catholic Theologians
    See e. g. , Hugh of St. Victor, Commentariorum in Hierarchiam Coelestem, Expositio to Book 9: 'theologia, id est, divina Scriptura' (in Migne's Patrologia Latina vol. Jacques Paul Migne (25 October 1800 - 24 October 1875 was a French Priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works encyclopedias The Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 175, 1091C).
16. ^ See the title of Peter Abelard's Theologia Christiana, and - perhaps most famously, of Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica
17. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1989 edition, 'Theology' sense 1(d), and 'Theological' sense A. The Summa Theologica (or the Summa Theologiae or simply the Summa, written 1265 &ndash 1274) is the most famous 3; the earliest reference given is from the 1959 Times Literary Supplement 5 June 329/4: 'The "theological" approach to Soviet Marxism. . . proves in the long run unsatisfactory. '
18. ^ See, for example, the initial reaction of Dharmachari Nagapriya in his review of Jackson and Makrasnky's Buddhist Theology (London: Curzon, 2000) in Western Buddhist Review 3
19. ^ Jose Ignacio Cabezon, 'Buddhist Theology in the Academy' in Roger Jackson and John J. Makransky's Buddhist Theology: Critical Reflections by Contemporary Buddhist Scholars (London: Routledge, 1999), pp. 25-52.
20. ^ L. Gardet, 'Ilm al-kalam' in The Encyclopedia of Islam, ed. P. J. Bearman et al (Leiden: Koninklijke Brill NV, 1999).

External links

• Pictures of Seminary in Namur (Belgium) - Features by Jean-Michel Clajot, Belgian photographer
• Conservative Theological Research
• The Theologian: the internet journal for integrated theology
• Christian Classics Library
• University course: Entheogens — Sacramentals or Sacrilege?