The word theology can be traced back to an amalgamation of two separate Greek words: θεος (god) and λογος (word). At its most basic, theology is exactly what the name implies: it allows people to have a word about God. More broadly, the study of theology is intended to bring religious leaders to the point in their education where they can easily discourse on the various subjects of religion, with recourse to the thoughts and works of religious leaders who came before them, much like any other serious academic subject. While theology is in itself a field of study that can provide enough scholarly material for a lifetime, it is also divided into a number of other categories, all of which focus on one particular aspect of religion and faith. Systematic theology is the process of applying logic (or order) to theology, in a manner which both ratifies it and makes it clearer how theology can relate to the human condition. In this respect, systematic theology – being one of the subdivisions of the main subject – is perhaps the most important of them all; possibly even to the point of leaping over theology in its importance.
Where theology as a whole teaches its students about the history and chronology of the bible and historical reactions to it, systematic theology takes the bible as a single, finished product, and works from there. “The truth is both that biblical theology is systematic and that systematic theology is biblical”, meaning that the two disciplines are intertwined so intricately that they are, more or less, simply different ways of applying the same knowledge. Theology in general, and biblical theology in particular, interprets the bible’s timeframe as something which should be an ongoing consideration in any serious study of the bible. Such an outlook on the bible will naturally affect how it is both taught and viewed, since the thoughts and morals of any Biblical character must be taken into consideration. The insistence of theology on viewing the world as existing in an explicitly Biblical narrative timeline is something which immediately turns all debate on morality and ethics into something more immediate, since the world we live in now is one in which the morals are alive. The insistence, in theology as a whole, on seeing the Bible as something which provides an ongoing chronological framework stands in direct contrast to systematic theology equal insistence that the Bible should be viewed as something which exists as a fixed point. In terms of systematic theology, the Bible is a book which was written at a certain point of time, and then unequivocally finished at a certain point in time. In this regard, while the morals and stories of the Bible should serve as a guiding light to people who follow the Jewish or Christian religions, systematic theology does not require that they adhere entirely to the morals of the times, recognising that society is different.
In the world of theology, there is quite often an inherent preference for systematic theology over biblical theology, or simple theology. This could be put down to the differences in creed that are found in the various Christian sects; this viewpoint is corroborated by Macleod when talking about the variety which can be found in theology as a whole.
Exegesis is the foundation of both Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology. What is the relation between these two disciplines? And should Evangelicals, with their renowned passion for what is 'biblical', now abandon Systematic Theology and focus exclusively on Biblical?
The differences between systematic theology and theology as a whole can quite neatly be expressed by which sects of Christianity favour which interpretation. As shown above, Evangelicals prefer the theological interpretation which views the Bible as the living word of God, while other sects take the view that systematic theology is more valuable to them, given that it allows them to guide their flocks without needing to reference both old and new morals.
The facts of history thus afford conclusive evidence that the instinct of the Christian world, or rather the instinct of mankind, has not been mistaken in attributing extreme importance to those variations in faith
Simply put, systematic theology is, given its propensity to allow students to view the Bible as a fixed point in time, rather than an ongoing set of values and stories which should be adhered to, much easier to integrate into the modern lifestyle. Where theology asks people to see the Bible as something which needs to be viewed as entirely valid in the present day, systematic theology allows them to acknowledge that the Bible was a product of its times. While the teachings in it are important, they can be fit to modern morals and understandings, rather than the other way round.
The different variations in theology allow for a greater variety of interpretation of the texts. As mentioned, theology as a whole allows people to say the word of God, and while this is an admirable goal, it does have the side-effect of putting the Bible on a pedestal to be held above modern morals and ethics. While systematic theology perhaps does not require so much learning in the field of history, it is nonetheless more suited to the needs of believers today, because it allows people more free reign to adapt the stories and metaphors to their own needs. Theology is perfect for Evangelicals in particular because they view the Bible as the ineffable word of God; a theology which allows them to interpret their own lives in favour of the morals of the times in which it was written is therefore a blessing. To Christian sects which are modern in their outlook, systematic theology acts in direct opposition – by seeing the Bible as a product of its time, it gives people scope to use the Bible as a means of finding solace or wisdom, but also allows for the fact that the world has changed since it was written.
Bibliography
Macleod, Donald. “Biblical Versus Systematic Theology?” Reformation 21. Sept. 2014. http://www.reformation21.org/articles/biblical-versus-systematic-theology.php
Macleod, Donald. “What is Theology About?” Reformation 21. Sept. 2014. http://www.reformation21.org/articles/what-is-theology-about.php
Warfield, Benjamin. “The Indispensableness of Systematic Theology to the Preacher” The Master’s Seminary Journal 7, 2 (1996): 241-249.
