Theology 1000: Understanding Theology - PDF

Theology 1000 Proposed Definition -​ A rational discourse and prayerful reflection on Understanding the mystery of the na...

Theology 1000 Proposed Definition -​ A rational discourse and prayerful reflection on Understanding the mystery of the nature of God, his teaching and relationship with humanity and the rest of Theology creation — revealed in the history of salvation, founded in the history of salvation, founded in the Sacred Scriptures and teachings of the Is Theology a Science? Church sci - ence (Latin: scientia - knowledge) Faith -​ The intellectual and practical activity What is Faith? encompassing the systematic study of the -​ Complete trust or confidence in someone or structure and behavior of the physical and something. natural world through observation and -​ Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a experimentation religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather William of Auxerre (French Scholastic Theologian) than proof. “Just as other sciences have their principles and -​ Meaning-making conclusions, so it is with theology; but the principles of -​ A way of seeing one’s self in relation to others theology are the articles of faith, for an article of faith is using a shared meaning and purpose. a principle not a conclusion.” Etymologically: Is Theology the ‘Queen of All Sciences’? Greek: -​ It was considered the highest and most -​ pistis (faith, belief, firm, persuasion, assurance, comprehensive form of knowledge during the firm conviction, faithfulness) Middle Ages, encompassing both natural and -​ pistueo (believe -to trust in and rely upon, divine realms. commit to the charge of, confide in, have a -​ Integrate religious beliefs with reason with mental persuasion) reason and explore fundamental questions. Latin -​ A strong connection between the Church and -​ fides (faith) education influenced it. -​ fidere (to trust) Theology and Religion Scriptural Definition Theology “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the -​ Faith, Seeking, Understanding evidence of things not seen.” -​ A rational and reflective study of the nature of Hebrew 11:1 the divine and his relationship with humanity Catholic Understanding and the world. 1.​ Faith is a Personal and Communal Response to Religion God -​ The institutional system of beliefs and worship -​ Personal adherence to God as expression of a personal and communal faith -​ Free assent to the whole truth that God has and relationship with the divine. revealed. Etymology 2.​ Faith is a Gift from God and requires our Greek response -​ theos - God 3.​ Faith is necessary for Salvation -​ logos - science/study/Word of God/principle of -​ The foundation of our relationship with God divine reason and creative order. -​ Without faith, we cannot accept God’s grace, follow Christ, or receive eternal life First used by Plato (4th century BC: in the Republic) 4.​ Faith is both trust and obedience “discourse on God.” -​ To obey (from the Latin ob-audire, to ‘listen to’ or ‘hear’) -​ To submit freely 5.​ Faith must be Lived and put into Action Is faith necessary in living a meaningful life? Stages of Faith Development (Fowler) 1.​ Faith gives life meaning by connecting us to Pre-stage: Infancy and Undifferentiated Faith God Stage One: Intuitive-Projected Faith -​ Faith helps us understand our purpose Stage Two: Mythic-Literal Faith -​ It reassures us that life has an ultimate goal Stage Three: Synthetic Conventional Faith beyond earthly success — union with God Stage Four: Individuative-Reflective Faith 2.​ Faith provides hope and strength in difficult Stage Five: Conjunctive Faith times Stage Six: Universalizing Faith -​ Without faith, suffering can feel meaningless Catholic Teachings -​ It allows people to endure suffering with hope -​ Faith is essential, but it must be lived out and resilience through love and good works -​ Sees trials as opportunities for spiritual growth -​ Salvation is by grace, but we must cooperate 3.​ Faith guides morality and relationships with that grace through good work -​ It provides a moral compass, helping us make -​ Grace: ‘favor, the free and undeserved help that just and compassionate choices God gives us to respond to his call to become -​ It encourages us to serve others, leading to children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the deeper relationships and fulfillment divine nature and eternal life. It is a participation 4.​ Faith gives an eternal perspective beyond earthly in the life of God.’ life -​ Judgment will be based on how we have love -​ Without faith, meaning is often limited to this and deserve others (Matthew 25) world What is the role of Faith in Theology? -​ The belief that life doesn’t end in death 1.​ Faith as the starting point of theology -​ A vision of eternal joy and justice beyond -​ Faith precedes theology, it is not just an earthly struggles intellectual exercise but a response to God’s ​ revelation ​ Faith anchors life in a deeper purpose. It -​ Theologians begin with faith and seek to provides hope, moral guidance, and an eternal understand it more deeply perspective. It also helps us endure suffering and find joy 2.​ Faith and Reason work together in Theology beyond material success. -​ CCC 159 - “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the How does faith develop? contemplation of truth.” James W. Fowler III ​ -​ An American theologian who was a Professor of ​ Faith is the foundation of theology. Theology Theology and Human Development at Emory seeks to understand, clarify, and articulate faith using University reason and revelation. Faith allows theologians to -​ A minister in the United Methodist Church approach God’s mystery with humility while seeking Stages of Faith (His Book) truth. -​ published in 1981 -​ He sought to develop the idea of a It is influenced by their master story, the center developmental process in “human faith”. of their values and images, such master story is used to -​ These stages of faith development were interpret events in life and provides answers to along the lines of Jean Piaget’s theory of fundamental questions: What is life? Where did life cognitive development and Lawrence begin? Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. “Faith, without works, is dead.” — St. James Summary ​ What does ‘knowledge of God’ imply? -​ Faith is a mystery -​ To know God is a dynamic, experiential, -​ develops/matures in time (James Fowler’s and relational activity Stages in Faith Development) -​ Involving the whole person and finding -​ A gift and a responsibility expression in a lived response of loving -​ Both personal and communal obedience to God’s will -​ Expressed in concrete acts of love, compassion, -​ Without loving action, God is not and mercy to our fellow human beings and the known. rest of God’s creation Theologizing Theologizing Other definitions of Theology -​ The process of engaging in a prayerful reflection a.​ St. Anselm of Canterbury using one’s personal experience in relation to Benedictine monk, abbot, philosopher, and one’s faith enlightened by the Sacred Scriptures theologian of the Catholic Church, who held the and the teachings of the Church office of archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to -​ Hopefully, it leads not just to understanding but 1109 to an encounter with life, with God (deepening Definition: Faith seeking understanding (fides of one’s relationship with Him) quaerens intellectum) -​ The process of reflecting on, interpreting, and b.​ Thomas Aquinas systematizing religious beliefs and experiences Italian Dominican friar, Catholic priest, and in light of theological principles. Doctor of the Church -​ Engaging with sacred texts, traditions, and Definition: A science of faith human experiences to deepen one’s -​ Sacred doctrine is a science because it proceeds understanding of faith and its implications for from principles established by the light of a life higher science, namely, the science of God and What is tradition? the blessed. -​ A set of beliefs, practices, rituals, texts, ethical -​ Sacred science is established on principles teachings, and community structures that are revealed by God passed down within a faith community over time -​ It embodies the historical, cultural, and Theology as Scientia Probabilis theological heritage of a particular religious -​ form of knowledge with a probable group certitude Key Aspects of Theologizing -​ Faith: more than opinion but less than 1.​ Interpretation knowledge, for it has more certitude -​ Understanding and explaining religious than opinion doctrines, scriptures, and traditions ​ Theology as a Subalternate Science 2.​ Contextualization -​ Proceeds from a superior science: the -​ Applying theological insights to contemporary knowledge that God possesses issues, cultures, and communities -​ The knowledge that comes to us through 3.​ Critical Reflection God’s revelation -​ Engaging with different perspectives, including c.​ Richard McBrien philosophy, science, and social realities Catholic priest and the Crowley-O’Brien 4.​ Spiritual Formation Professor of Theology at the University of Notre -​ Deepening personal faith and guiding religious Dame in South Bend, Indiana, United States practice Definition: Process whereby our knowledge of 5.​ Dialogue God is expressed concretely in loving obedience -​ Engaging with other religious and philosophical to God’s will traditions to expand theological understanding Why Theologize? 4.​ Revisioning -​ To deepen and strengthen more one’s -​ Finding new horizon/understanding/meaning in understanding and relationship with God, one’s the context of one’s present life situation in self, others, and the rest of creation relation to one’s self, to God, to fellow human -​ To strengthen more one’s commitment to the call beings, and to the rest of God’s creation to be loving (holy) and the mission to serve -​ The decision, action, or response stage How to Theologize? -​ For the person to see life with new eyes of faith, -​ Prayerfully reflecting and rationalizing on the that is, conversion human experiences in relation to the mystery of “What is God calling me to do through this faith in Relationship with a living God, experience? What is God’s call and invitation relationship with other human beings and for me?” creation, using the sacred scriptures, sacred Theology and Philosophy tradition, and the teachings of the church Theology -​ Faith: a relationship and a mission -​ Searches human and divine truths using faith The Process of Theological Reflection and divine revelation -​ There are many methods in doing theologian Philosophy reflection (but refer to John Trokan) -​ Searches human and divine truths using reason John Trokan’s Model in Theologizing Key Differences 1.​ Retrieving a significant experience 1.​ Source of Knowledge 2.​ Retelling the experience in story form -​ Theology: primarily based on divine revelation, 3.​ Reframing experiences sacred texts, and religious tradition. It seeks to 4.​ Reconnecting the experience to the Christian understand God, faith, and spiritual realities story -​ Philosophy: relies on reason, logic, and human 5.​ Revisioning experience to explore fundamental questions Revised Model in Theologizing about existence, knowledge, ethics, and reality 1.​ Retrieving/Recalling a Significant Experience 2.​ Subject Matter -​ Significant for you -​ Theology: deals with God, religious beliefs, -​ Experience where you felt changed or affirmed doctrines, and their implications for human life -​ Felt God’s presence -​ Philosophy: explores broader metaphysical, -​ When? Where? With whom? Why? epistemological, ethical, and existential -​ Recall the dialogue and interaction of the event questions without necessarily depending on -​ Reexperience your feelings when it happened religious faith 2.​ Retelling the Experience 3.​ Methodology -​ “If an experience has religious significance, it is -​ Theology: uses exegesis (interpretation of sacred because of its inner impact. It is the inner impact texts), tradition, and religious authority of an event which is gradually sorted out and alongside reason claimed in the retelling process” (Shea, 1982, -​ Philosophy: uses critical thinking, dialectics, and p.27) logical analysis independent of religious 3.​ Reframing/Reflecting frameworks -​ The experience in the light of faith or 4.​ Objective reconnecting with experience to the Christian -​ Theology: aims to deepen understanding of story (relationship with God, teaching of the divine truth and guide religious practice Church, Sacred Scriptures or Sacred Texts) or -​ Philosophy: seeks wisdom and understanding of the on-going search for meaning in life reality through rational inquiry -​ Attempt to reconstruct the personal experience 5.​ Relationship from a theological perspective -​ Theology: starts from Faith -​ Philosophy: starts from Reason ​ What is the Role of Human Experience and the Sacred Scriptures in Theologizing? -​ Theologizing starts with the human experience -​ The Sacred Scriptures become the basis of reference points for theologizing to happen. This is where the human experience is interpreted or reflected in the light of God’s revelation Theologizing leads to a deeper understanding of faith, discernment of life’s meaning and purpose, and eventually to personal conversion and social transformation