The "t" word
Of set purpose, I do my best to avoid using the word theology.
By contrast I love the word doctrine.
At the moment we are exploring Christian doctrine - its uses and dangers, primary and secondary doctrines, the creeds and councils and so on - in monthly talks for everyone at our small little local church.
My do I love doctrine!
My shelves bow with doctrine books.
Unfortunately most of them are mistitled:
"Systematic Theology" by Mr Grudem should read "Christian Doctrines"
"Systematic Theology" by that Berkhof chap should also read "Christian Doctrines"
Misprint "Manual of Theology" by Dagg should read "Christian Doctrines"
(Not going to drag the other heavy chaps off the shelves to emphasize the point.)
Surely, someone protests, this is a debate about semantics, and in particular the interchangeability - or otherwise - of two English words - doctrine and theology.
I wish it was, but it isn't.
It really isn't.
Here are ten reasons we should abandon the word theology and its human cognate, theologian, and limit ourselves to the words doctrine and teacher.
#1 The t word is not in the Bible
The t word is not in the Bible - that on its own is reason enough to shun it. The Bible uses words like "truth", "doctrine" and "teaching," but never theology.
"But we happily use the word Trinity which is not in the Bible?"
There's a world of difference between the use of the word Trinity and the other t word.
The word "Trinity" is our attempt to describe in brief what the whole Scriptures teach about the character of God. We needn't use the word Trinity. We could say instead "There is only One God. Nevertheless there are Three who are God. But there are not three Gods, for the Three are One." But that would be clumsy.
Trinity is shorthand for a wonderful inscrutable Bible truth, a truth we can state but not understand.
But in the case of imposter t, we have good Bible words such as teachings, truths and doctrine; there is no need to introduce a new one.
#2 The t word is a worldly word
Theology belongs to the large class of secular "ologies", biology, anthropology, biotechnology, etc.
In the same way that biology is the human attempt to understand the living world, and anthropology the human attempt to comprehend mankind, so theology is the human attempt to understand God.
Theology is a part of the vast human enterprise to understand the "other."
Where man is the subject and the "other" is the object.
Doctrine by contrast is different. It does not stand over God assuming that human reason can whip its object into some kind of logical shape, it stands under God wondering if it can fathom anything at all, given the vast disparity between minds and beings; and marvels worshipfully at crumbs of divine truth from Scripture.
Theology stands over God, doctrine bows at his feet.
Of course someone will reply "theology doesn't have to stand over God." Well then why not dissociate from all other global ologies which do?
Why not revert to the simple word doctrine?
#3 The t word is a university word
Theology has a dry, scholastic, academic and university feel about it.
(Not to mention a lifeless air: just ask the man on the street what he thinks about the t words).
But the church is a very different entity to the university. In the church there are no professors, no faculties, no research papers, no degrees, no experts, no festschrifts (see how clever I am? You can google it, but I wouldn't bother), nothing like that in the church of the New Testament.
Why confuse the ordinary person trying to understand the Gospel with scholastic claptrap?
The Gospel is for everyone, not just for those who have been 'headucated'. Cooks, carpenters and cleaners shouldn't have to learn additional difficult words when they already have to master glorious great Bible words such as justification and redemption.
And most seriously, why pander to one tiny portion of society and create a stumbling block to the majority? (Only a third of brits have degrees, the majority don't).
#4 The t word makes people proud
Apart from our thoughtless use of the word, this is the main reason the word and its cognates are used in the evangelical church: it's all about boasting.
Chests puff up at the thought of being referred to as a theologian. Highfalutin language comes out, irrelevant to spiritual growth, but invaluable to status formation.
Knees bow to those who have letters after their name.
Why not be called a "teacher" rather than a "theologian?" The answer is obvious the instant the question is asked.
The whole purpose of using the t word is to boost one's worldly position.
Prestige is the name of the game.
"That fellow over there is a mere run-of-the-mill pastor, poor soul. And see her over there? - just a Bible teacher, wee lass. But I am a Theologian - and capital T while you're at it."
Since Christmas is around the corner, here's the humble birth of Jesus in theological terms: "The uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor."
Put that one on your outreach cards!
And since pride and arguing are inseparable twins, where the one is found, so too is the other.
You must have heard about the Third Law of Theology? For every theologian there is an equal and opposite theologian!
#5 Theology is left-brain
Theology is an intellectual pursuit that appeals to a narrow group of believers, especially those who tend to be so-called left-brain.
Logical
Analytical
Orderly
Cerebral types love to use this word and enjoy the torrent of enigmatic terms that flow from it.
Doctrine is for everyone. Theology for just a few.
We all want spiritual depth but not when nomenclature excludes whole groups of people.
We're all encouraged to leave elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, but nowhere are we encouraged to go to university to attain it.
#6 "I've got a good t, I am safe."
The 20th century prophet (small p) AW Tozer, complained that his generation of evangelicals were asleep beside the highway of good theology.
That is a real danger today: it is easy to take security in having the right theological books on our shelves and the right big-shot theologians in our circles, but be stone dead in our hearts.
"I've got Berkhof and Grudem on my shelves, I'm OK."
#7 Theology gives the impression that truth is specialist
Every believer should be keen on truth, and most believers identify with the desire to know Christ better. But the t word gives the impression that one needs to be a specialist to grasp truth.
I've not been trained in psychology so I can't help my troubled fellow man.
I don't have a degree in geology, so I shan't bother trying to appreciate beautiful gems.
I've not studied theology, so I can't possibly know anything about God.
#8 Theology gives the impression that knowledge of God is intellectual knowledge
While we need truth and doctrine to grow in our walk with the Lord, we must never confuse knowledge of God with knowledge of truth.
Knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ comes about through walking with him through trial, joy, temptation, disappointment, success and failure.
It's as much - or more - relational than it is rational. Heart more than head.
Nicodemus-like, we can know Berkhof back to front and still be a total stranger to Christ.
#9 The t word sends the wrong message about our great task
The great task of the church is to make disciples of all nations. That task is not accomplished by filling heads with knowledge in a classroom-like setting.
It's accomplished Jesus-like by spending much time with new converts so that they can see Christ in our lives as much as hear truth from our lips.
The command of the Lord is to make disciples how? By "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
A teaching that leads to obedience, to a changed life, not a learning that leads to the mere acquisition of knowledge.
#10 Error often enters the Church through academic institutions
It is sobering to discover that many of the most liberal institutions in the USA (and elsewhere) began on sound biblical foundations.
It's no surpise at all.
For an institution that apes the world is bound to end up like the world.
How do errors most often - and most easily - enter the church? Through clever chappies whose writings - at the time - seem unassailable.
In our day NT Wright is a tragic example of this tendency to be swayed by brains (see here for my analysis). Why do people respect Mr Tom, oops Dr Tom? Because he's written three inscrutable tomes, which no-one has or can read but everyone thinks "wow he must be the real deal with all that foxey language" and here's the corollary, "therefore what he says must be right."
(These three tomes sit on my shelves; I began one of them years ago and gave up a few pages in, not because they were difficult but because they were paint-dryingly boring).
On some doctrines Wright is Right.
On many others Wright is Wrong.
Ah - but he's clever.
So he must be right.
Our approach to clever chaps who like to be looked up to as Theologians should be this: don't fuss about them; put them on the shelf and let the next generation judge them.
Sometimes it takes a while for clever errors to be unpicked. Besides, remember, most of one age's celebrity books are charity shop fodder in the age that follows.
Certainly, don't bow or be overawed by them. Just keep on preaching the same old same old Gospel.
"Teachings" "Truths" and "Doctrines" are all we need
The inspired words "teachings", "truths" and "doctrines" are all we need in our great task to make disciples, to build up the saints, and to present everyone perfect in Christ.
These words are Bible words, simple words, universal words - and most of all - humble words.
So away with the t words!
So Do Theologians Exist?
So what shall we do with the vast machinery of "theology" that infects - pollutes? - the evangelical world today?
Pride resolutely prevents it being abandoned, at least not in our age of ease.
We need to stop calling anyone a "theologian." There are no theologians in the New Testament Church of Jesus Christ. There are teachers, and preachers, but no theologians.
Theologian is an imposter office in the church of Jesus Christ.
Someone has to say it.
We need to stop giving any special weight or authority to those who wish to self-identify as T men. Just because a man (or woman) calls themselves a theologian does not mean we should treat their words pope-like ex-cathedra.
Remember - the local Christian butcher may know more of God than them Ts. Acquaint thyself with true greats.
I have little doubt that a true reformation of the church today would dismantle the whole proud apparatus of this wretched system and return us to the purer church of the New Testament.
But that's unlikely to happen until persecution knocks on, or probably, knocks down, our door.
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