Plato used the Greek word theologia (θεολογία) with the meaning "discourse on god" around 380 BC in Republic, Book ii, Ch. 18.[1]Aristotle (384–322 BC) divided theoretical philosophy into mathematike, physike and theologike, with the last corresponding roughly to metaphysics, which, for Aristotle, included discourse on the nature of the divine.[2]
In patristic Greek Christian sources, theologia could refer narrowly to devout and inspired knowledge of, and teaching about, the essential nature of God.[3]
The Latin author Boethius, writing in the early 6th century, used theologia to denote a subdivision of philosophy as a subject of academic study, dealing with the motionless, incorporeal reality (as opposed to physica, which deals with corporeal, moving realities).[4] Boethius' definition influenced medieval Latin usage.[5]
In the Renaissance, especially with Florentine Platonist apologists of Dante's poetics, the distinction between "poetic theology" (theologia poetica) and "revealed" or Biblical theology served as a steppingstone for a revival of philosophy as independent of theological authority.
It is in this[which?] last sense - theology as an academic discipline involving the basis of rational study of Christian teaching - that the term passed into English in the fourteenth century,[6] although it could also be used in the narrower sense found in Boethius and the Greek patristic authors, to mean rational study of the essential nature of God – a discourse now sometimes called theology proper.[7]
From the 17th century onwards, it also became possible to use the term "theology" to refer to study of religious ideas and teachings that are not specifically Christian (e.g., in the term natural theology which denoted theology based on reasoning from natural facts independent of specifically Christian revelation[8]) or that are specific to another religion.
"Theology" can also now be used in a derived sense to mean "a system of theoretical principles; an (impractical or rigid) ideology".[9]
Theological development
Indian theology
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The 16th-century Protestant reformation, in the spirit of Renaissance humanism, paid great attention to the study of biblical text, accompanied by outbursts of popular theology in personal religious fervor[11] and by the refinement of rigorous systematic theology. The resulting tradition of multiple Christian sects served as a background to revivals in the 18th and 19th centuries, when some of the old "heresies" (such as Arianism and other non-Trinitarian beliefs), once apparently stamped out by the earlier ecclesiastical authorities, received more attention and sometimes became elements in further schisms.
^Aristotle, Metaphysics, Book Epsilon. 16 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
^Gregory of Nazianzus uses the word in this sense in his fourth-century Theological Orations 2006-08-07 at the Wayback Machine; after his death, he was called "the Theologian" at the 451 Council of Chalcedon and thereafter in Eastern Orthodoxy—either because his Orations were seen[by whom?] 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. (It is unlikely to mean, as claimed in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 2006-07-16 at the Wayback Machine 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.
^"Boethius, On the Holy Trinity" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-11-11.
^G.R. Evans, Old Arts and New Theology: The Beginnings of Theology as an Academic Discipline (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980), 31–32.
^Oxford English Dictionary, 1989 edition, 'Theology' sense 1(d), and 'Theological' sense A.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."
^ Zakai, Avihu (22 July 2010). "Regina Scientiarum - Theology as the 'Queen of Sciences'". Jonathan Edwards's Philosophy of Nature: The Re-enchantment of the World in the Age of Scientific Reasoning. T & T Clark theology. London: A&C Black (published 2010). p. 56. ISBN9780567226501. Retrieved 19 July 2021. [...] in the medieval scholastic world, theology was defined as the "Queen of Sciences" [...].
^Whitney, James Pounder (1907). The History of the Reformation (reprint ed.). S.P.C.K. (published 1958). p. 36. Retrieved 19 July 2021. In the Middle Ages, as at all times, popular theology had on many points outrun authorised theology: the fifteenth century was overladen both in bold speculations and practical details by the results of past generations.
External links
Look up theology in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikiversity has learning resources about School:Theology
Chattopadhyay, Subhasis. "Reflections on Hindu Theology" in Prabuddha Bharata or Awakened India 120(12):664-672 (2014). ISSN 0032-6178. Edited by Swami Narasimhananda.
history, theology, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citatio. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article is written like a personal reflection personal essay or argumentative essay that states a Wikipedia editor s personal feelings or presents an original argument about a topic Please help improve it by rewriting it in an encyclopedic style August 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The history of theology has manifestations in many different cultures and religious traditions Contents 1 Terminology and connotations 2 Theological development 2 1 Indian theology 2 2 Christian theology 2 3 Islamic theology 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksTerminology and connotations Edit Plato left and Aristotle in Raphael s 1509 fresco The School of Athens Plato used the Greek word theologia 8eologia with the meaning discourse on god around 380 BC in Republic Book ii Ch 18 1 Aristotle 384 322 BC divided theoretical philosophy into mathematike physike and theologike with the last corresponding roughly to metaphysics which for Aristotle included discourse on the nature of the divine 2 In patristic Greek Christian sources theologia could refer narrowly to devout and inspired knowledge of and teaching about the essential nature of God 3 The Latin author Boethius writing in the early 6th century used theologia to denote a subdivision of philosophy as a subject of academic study dealing with the motionless incorporeal reality as opposed to physica which deals with corporeal moving realities 4 Boethius definition influenced medieval Latin usage 5 In the Renaissance especially with Florentine Platonist apologists of Dante s poetics the distinction between poetic theology theologia poetica and revealed or Biblical theology served as a steppingstone for a revival of philosophy as independent of theological authority It is in this which last sense theology as an academic discipline involving the basis of rational study of Christian teaching that the term passed into English in the fourteenth century 6 although it could also be used in the narrower sense found in Boethius and the Greek patristic authors to mean rational study of the essential nature of God a discourse now sometimes called theology proper 7 From the 17th century onwards it also became possible to use the term theology to refer to study of religious ideas and teachings that are not specifically Christian e g in the term natural theology which denoted theology based on reasoning from natural facts independent of specifically Christian revelation 8 or that are specific to another religion Theology can also now be used in a derived sense to mean a system of theoretical principles an impractical or rigid ideology 9 Theological development EditIndian theology Edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it July 2021 Main article Hindu theology Christian theology Edit Main article History of Christian theology Christian theology in scholastics of the Middle Age regarded as the queen of sciences 10 first developed on the bases of Judaism and of Greek thought Initially concerned with shaping and defining the new faith of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth theological thinkers moved into issues of establishing church government and of preserving doctrinal unity orthodoxy by identifying and condemning heresies The definitive establishment of a canon of scripture became important and as Christianity moved into a role as a state religion in the 4th century in Armenia in the Roman Empire and in Ethiopia the working out of relationships with secular authority became important The 16th century Protestant reformation in the spirit of Renaissance humanism paid great attention to the study of biblical text accompanied by outbursts of popular theology in personal religious fervor 11 and by the refinement of rigorous systematic theology The resulting tradition of multiple Christian sects served as a background to revivals in the 18th and 19th centuries when some of the old heresies such as Arianism and other non Trinitarian beliefs once apparently stamped out by the earlier ecclesiastical authorities received more attention and sometimes became elements in further schisms Recent Christian theological movements include Liberation theology liberal theology and fundamentalism Islamic theology Edit This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it July 2021 Main article Islamic theologySee also EditOutline of theologyReferences Edit Liddell and Scott s Greek English Lexicon Aristotle Metaphysics Book Epsilon Archived 16 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine Gregory of Nazianzus uses the word in this sense in his fourth century Theological Orations Archived 2006 08 07 at the Wayback Machine after his death he was called the Theologian at the 451 Council of Chalcedon and thereafter in Eastern Orthodoxy either because his Orations were seen by whom 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 It is unlikely to mean as claimed in the Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers Archived 2006 07 16 at the Wayback Machine 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 Boethius On the Holy Trinity PDF Retrieved 2012 11 11 G R Evans Old Arts and New Theology The Beginnings of Theology as an Academic Discipline Oxford Clarendon Press 1980 31 32 See the note in the Oxford English Dictionary entry for theology See for example Charles Hodge Systematic Theology vol 1 part 1 1871 Oxford English Dictionary sense 1 Oxford English Dictionary 1989 edition Theology sense 1 d and Theological sense A 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 Zakai Avihu 22 July 2010 Regina Scientiarum Theology as the Queen of Sciences Jonathan Edwards s Philosophy of Nature The Re enchantment of the World in the Age of Scientific Reasoning T amp T Clark theology London A amp C Black published 2010 p 56 ISBN 9780567226501 Retrieved 19 July 2021 in the medieval scholastic world theology was defined as the Queen of Sciences Whitney James Pounder 1907 The History of the Reformation reprint ed S P C K published 1958 p 36 Retrieved 19 July 2021 In the Middle Ages as at all times popular theology had on many points outrun authorised theology the fifteenth century was overladen both in bold speculations and practical details by the results of past generations External links Edit Look up theology in Wiktionary the free dictionary Wikiversity has learning resources about School Theology Wikiquote has quotations related to theology Theology on Encyclopaedia Britannica Chattopadhyay Subhasis Reflections on Hindu Theology in Prabuddha Bharata or Awakened India 120 12 664 672 2014 ISSN 0032 6178 Edited by Swami Narasimhananda Theology public domain audiobook at LibriVox Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title History of theology amp oldid 1135603139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
