Who Needs Theology?
Jordan McKinney
Recently I have been reflecting on one of the books I read in college to get my degree in ministry. The title of the book was Who Needs Theology? This was a fantastic book that had an amazing premise. It states: “Theology is any reflection on the ultimate questions of life that point toward God. . . No one who reflects on life’s ultimate questions can escape theology. And anyone who reflects on life’s ultimate questions – including questions about God and our relationship with God – is a theologian.” This idea means that all followers of God are theologians. The question becomes, are we good theologians?
It might be a bit intimidating to think of yourself as a theologian, but really we all have beliefs about who God is and our relationship with Him. But if we don’t take this idea serious and have some misguided beliefs, we can miss out on all that God has for our lives. For instance if we don’t fully understand the work of grace in our lives (the idea that we are fully forgiven, not by works but because of God’s goodness, and nothing will change our standing with God) then we might find ourselves trapped in trying to earn or be good enough to gain salvation through works. This, as Paul writes in Romans, leads to death because it is an impossible task.
Now I am not saying you have to become a vocational theologian. What I am talking about is devoting your life to understanding God’s Word and seeing how it shapes our lives. This is the task we all have as followers of Jesus, to know what He said and to live by it. We all bear that responsibility. We might not always agree on some of the smaller issues in the Bible, which has led to different types of churches. But we should know and understand the foundations of our faith so we can help lead and guide those in our traffic patterns who have questions about God and what life with Him is like.
Our theological beliefs really shape how our relationship with God is lived out in our day to day lives. So, to answer the question “who needs theology?” We all need theology!
If you are looking to start diving deeper and don’t know where to start, here are a couple of ideas that might help you on your way. First, you can join a group or Bible study going on here at Evergreen. It is a great way to help form your faith and grow in knowledge of God. You can also find people you know and start studying the Bible together, by opening God’s word and discuss how it is shaping and changing your lives. You can also find books and resources on theology from trusted pastors and leaders. I would recommend “Bible Project” on YouTube, or their free app. And last, for those who really want to dive in, you can take some theological Bible classes from a university, or find opportunities to sit in on lectures.
It all comes down to, how can you grow in your knowledge and understanding of God through His word. Let your love and passion of knowing God help you grow in your faith and help you be a light to those around you!