Systematic Theology & Godliness
In our first three reflections on systematic theology, we saw how “theology” refers to the study of God and all things in relation to God – including faith and obedience – in a Christ-focused way. Its two foundations are God himself and Scripture.
The word “systematic” refers to rightly ordering the themes and topics or doctrines we find in Scripture so that they reflect the material order of the reality of God and his works.
Therefore, systematic theology is the discipline of approaching God’s self-revelation systematically, identifying the teachings or doctrines in God’s revelation (God and the things of God), and describing their order and relationships.
Since theology includes the study of both God and the things of God, including faith and conduct, theology must be both theoretical and practical. Paul makes this abundantly clear in the letter to Titus. Doctrine accords with godliness (Titus 1:1). Titus must teach people to live a life which fits with sound doctrine (2:1). James tells us to be doers of the word and not just hearers (James 1:22-27), and Paul calls us to lead a life of worship by transforming our minds (Romans 12:1-2). Good systematic theology should reshape our minds and hearts and lead to godly living.
A Brief Overview of the Typical Reformed System or Order of Theology
A typical reformed system or order of theology must build on three key ideas.
- The two fundamental principles of theology (God and his word)
- The double object of theology (God and the things of God, including faith and obedience)
- The historical order of God’s works as recorded in the bible narrative (creation, redemption and consummation)
These three themes deliver a list of topics that fit together into a general order that traces the biblical testimony of God, his works and our response:
- the doctrine of revelation and scripture;
- the doctrine of God: his attributes, oneness and triunity;
- God’s decree;
- the doctrine of creation and God’s providence;
- the fall;
- the history and contents of God’s covenants with creation and Israel;
- the new covenant and redemption in Christ;
- the nature of faith and obedience;
- the doctrine of the church;
- the consummation and the final judgement.
In the above outline of a typical ordering of a reformed theological system, we can see: the first two principles of theology (God and his word); the overall arrangement of God first followed by the things of God (from the divine decree to creation, providence, and salvation history); and the life of faith (the nature of repentance, church and worship etc.)
This order is the kind that we find in the reformed confessions of faith. The critical thing to notice is that a sound system of theology is not hopelessly abstracted from God and his revelation. Instead, it flows from who God is and what he has done as described in scripture. It also includes our human situation and how we should live. The creeds and post-reformation confessions arise out of scripture in their content and form. This method contradicts modern and post-modern concerns that systematic theology involves imposing an alien order and categories onto the bible text.
In our next blog, we will consider why the practice of systematic theology belongs to the church as a spiritual act of confessing the faith.