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Systematic Theology Terms

               


             Systematic theology is the term used by theologians to describe the process of determining the Word of God. The goal of systematic theology is to unify religious truths as a self-consistent whole. It looks at the whole of scripture and attempts to organize it by categories and reasonable thought. Systematic theology can be useful when applying any kind of a hermeneutic, and by studying it with the Bible one can gain greater insight into several areas of understanding about God, Christ, man, and several other areas.

                This blog attempts to look at each chapter of the Bible and discover the systematic theology within it. This blog is an invitation to join me in this work of discovery, and the hope is that we will all grow through this study. For those unaware of the terms, the categories for each chapter are listed below. Please note that not every chapter has something to say on every topic.

Bibliology- The study of the Bible. Specifically, it examines misconceptions, dates of the text, locations, author, etc. Bibliology explores controversies within the text, such as the day-age theory of Genesis, and discusses the validity of different claims.

Theology (Proper)- Theology simply means the study of God. While all these categories deal with theology, this category is set apart for the discussion of the nature, attributes, and works of God in general.

Christology- The study of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity.

Pneumatology- The study of the Holy Spirit, His works, and His place as the third person of the Trinity.

Anthropology- The study of man, specifically in this case how man relates to God, his sinful nature, and his path to forgiveness.

Soteriology- The study of salvation. This category simply explores the question, what must man do to be saved? While the answer is simple, this category also explores other areas such as the need for a blood sacrifice, and wrestles with the concept of sola fide.

Eschatology- Typically understood as the study of last things and prophecy. However, it also deals with what happens to us after we die, Heaven, and Hell. 

Ecclesiology- The study of how the Church functions. This category is often overlooked, especially by modern-day Evangelicals, but the Bible speaks on how the Church should function, and this category explores that topic. 

Angeology- The study of angels. This one will only be brought up in a few chapters, but it can be edifying to understand the nature of these beings.

Demonology- Like angelology, this topic will only be brought up in a handful of Chapters, but it's good to understand what we can about how the enemy operates.

Satanology- This one is discussed with a little more frequency, but still not as consistently as some of the other topics. As the name suggests, it's the study of Satan and how he operates.

Heresies- Many times Scripture is used to support any number of heresies. A heresy is best described as teachings about God and Jesus that fall outside of acceptable Christian thought. An example of this would be any kind of denial of Christ's divinity.

                I hope you will join me in this discovery. I've posted for Genesis 1:1 already. Please comment and share so that we can all grow in out faith.


L.F. Johnson

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