The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Christian theology:
Christian theology is the study of Christian belief and practice. Such study concentrates primarily upon the texts of the Old Testament and the New Testament as well as on Christian tradition. Christian theologians use biblical exegesis, rational analysis, and argument. Theology might be undertaken to help the theologian better understand Christian tenets, to make comparisons between Christianity and other traditions, to defend Christianity against objections and criticism, to facilitate reforms in the Christian church, and to assist in the propagation of Christianity.
Divisions of Christian theology There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.
Sub-disciplines
Christian theologians may be specialists in one or more theological sub-disciplines. These sub-disciplines are often included in certain job titles such as 'Professor of x', 'Senior Lecturer in y':
Apologetics/polemics – studying Christian theology as it compares to non-Christian worldviews in order to defend the faith and challenge beliefs that lie in contrast with Christianity. Biblical hermeneutics – interpretation of the Bible, often with particular emphasis on the nature and constraints of contemporary interpretation. Hermeneutics takes into consideration the culture at the time of writing, who wrote the text, who was the text written for, etc. Biblical studies – interpretation of the Bible, often with particular emphasis on historical-critical investigation. Biblical theology – interpretation of the Bible, often with particular emphasis on links between biblical texts and the topics of systematic or dogmatic theology. Constructive theology – generally another name for systematic theology; also specifically a postmodernist approach to systematic theology, applying (among other things) feminist theory, queer theory, deconstructionism, and hermeneutics to theological topics. Dogmatic theology – studying theology (or dogma) as it developed in different church denominations. Ecumenical theology – comparing the doctrines of the diverse churches (e.g., Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, the various Protestant denominations) with the goal of promoting unity among them Exegesis – interpretation of the Bible. Historical theology – studying Christian theology via the thoughts of other Christians throughout the centuries. Homiletics – in theology the application of general principles of rhetoric to public preaching. Moral theology, specifically Christian ethics – explores the moral and ethical dimensions of the religious life Natural theology – the discussion of those aspects of theology that can be investigated without the help of revelation scriptures or tradition (sometimes contrasted with "positive theology"). Patristics or patrology—studies the teaching of Church Fathers, or the development of Christian ideas and practice in the period of the Church Fathers. Philosophical theology – the use of philosophical methods in developing or analyzing theological concepts. Pragmatic or practical theology – studying theology as it relates to everyday living and service to God, including serving as a religious minister. Spiritual theology—studying theology as a means to orthopraxy; scripture and tradition are both used as guides for spiritual growth and discipline. Systematic theology (doctrinal theology, dogmatic theology or philosophical theology)—focused on the attempt to arrange and interpret the ideas current in the religion. This is also associated with constructive theology. Theological aesthetics – interdisciplinary study of theology and aesthetics/the arts. Theological hermeneutics – the study of the manner of construction of theological formulations. Related to theological methodology.
Major topics
These topics crop up repeatedly in Christian theology; composing the main recurrent 'loci' around which Christian theological discussion revolves.
Bible (Holy Scripture) – the nature and means of its inspiration, etc.; including hermeneutics (the development and study of theories of the interpretation and understanding of texts and the topic of Biblical law in Christianity) Eschatology – the study of the last things, or end times. Covers subjects such as death and the afterlife, the end of history, the end of the world, the last judgment, the nature of hope and progress, etc. Christology – the study of Jesus Christ, of his nature(s), and of the relationship between his divinity and humanity; Divine providence – the study of sovereignty, superintendence, or agency of God over events in people's lives and throughout history. Ecclesiology (sometimes a subsection of missiology)—the study of the Christian Church, including the institutional structure, sacraments and practices (especially the worship of God) thereof Mariology – area of theology concerned with Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ. Missiology (sometimes a subsection of ecclesiology) – God's will in the world, missions, evangelism, etc. Pneumatology – the study of the Holy Spirit, sometimes also 'geist' as in Hegelianism and other philosophico-theological systems Protology - the study of first things, such as God's creation of the universe. Soteriology – the study of the nature and means of salvation in Christianity. May include hamartiology (the study of sin), God's Law and the Gospel (the study of the relationship between the Divine Law and divine grace, justification, and sanctification.) Theological anthropology – the study of humanity, especially as it relates to the divine. Theology proper – the study of God's attributes, nature, and relation to the world; may include: Theodicy – attempts at reconciling the existence of evil and suffering in the world with the nature and justice of God. Apophatic theology – negative theology which seeks to describe God by negation (e.g., immutable, impassible ). It is the discussion of what God is not, or the investigation of how language about God breaks down. Apophatic theology often is contrasted with "Cataphatic theology".
A traditional pattern
In many Christian seminaries, the four Great Departments of Theology are:
Exegetical theology Historical theology Systematic theology Practical theology
The four departments can usefully be subdivided in the following way: 1. Exegetical theology: Biblical studies (analysis of the contents of Scripture) Biblical introduction Canonics (inquiry into how the different books of the Bible came to be collected together) Biblical theology (inquiry into how divine revelation progressed over the course of the Bible).
2. Historical theology (study of how Christian theology develops over time):
The Patristic Period (1st through 8th centuries) The Ante-Nicene Fathers (1st to 3rd centuries) The Nicene Fathers (4th century) The Post-Nicene Fathers (5th to 8th centuries) The Middle Ages (8th to 16th centuries) The Reformation and Counter-Reformation (16th to 18th centuries) The Modern Period (18th to 21st centuries)
3. Systematic theology:
Prolegomena (first principles) Theology proper The existence of God The attributes of God The Trinity Creation Divine Providence Doctrine of Man (theological anthropology) Christology Soteriology Justification Sanctification Pneumatology (doctrine of the Holy Spirit) Ecclesiology (doctrine of the Church) Eschatology and the afterlife.
4. Practical theology:
Moral theology (Christian ethics and casuistry) Ecclesiology Pastoral theology Liturgics Homiletics Christian education Christian counseling Missiology
Eastern Orthodox theology
One important branch of Christian theology is Eastern Orthodox theology which has these major teachings
Scriptural Interpretation Dogmatics Liturgical Theology and related teleturgics Hymnography Iconography and related Iconology Church history Pastoral theology Homiletics Heresiology Patristics per Consensus Patrum Ecclesiology Sacramental Theology Monastic theology Holy Canons Hagiography Christian Ethics Exorcism
Roman Catholic theology
Another important branch of Christian theology is Roman Catholic theology which has these major teachings:
Biblical canon (involvement of Pope Damasus I [b.305]); Absolution (sacerdotal remittance of sin); The apostolic succession (i.e., of bishops and the Pope from the original Apostles); Christology; Ecclesiology since Vatican II; Infant Baptism; Ecumenism since Vatican II; Ecumenical Councils (as means to bring about change or reform); Icon veneration; Real Presence; Liturgy since Vatican II; Models of the Church (Avery Dulles); Moral Theology/Ethics; Natural Law; Indulgences (i.e., remissions by the Church of some penalties for sin); Mary as defined within Catholic theology (immaculately conceived, Mary as Theotokos [i.e., in Greek, "God-bearer" or "Mother of God"]; as perpetually virgin; the Assumption of Mary); The Pope (i.e., Papal Primacy, Papal temporal power, Papal supremacy, and Papal infallibility); Purgatory (a "holding place" after death where souls are purified before entering heaven); Sacerdotalism (priesthood as intermediary and sacred office; also see priesthood (Catholic Church), Mass (liturgy), and priesthood in Vatican II); The Sacraments; Sainthood, canonization and beatification; Tradition (i.e., its authority relative to Scripture and role of Tradition in Church Councils).
Controversial movements
Christians have had theological disagreements since the time of Jesus. Theological disputes have given rise to many schisms and different Christian denominations, sects and movements.
Pre-Reformation
Alogi – rejected the doctrine of the Logos Arianism – doctrines rejecting Christ's divinity in relation to the God the Father but proposed either "similar in substance", "similar", or "dissimilar" as the correct alternative Antidicomarianites and related Psilanthropism Augustinianism - strong assertion of original sin, important doctrine in the Roman Catholic Church. Apollinarianism - Belief that Jesus had a human body and lower soul (the seat of the emotions) but a divine mind Collyridianism - The belief that the Trinity consists of the Father, Son, and Mary, and that the Son results from the marital union between the other two. Conciliarism - emphasis that Popes were subservient to ecumenical councils Docetism - belief that historical, human bodily existence of Christ was mere semblance without any true reality Donatism - rigorist group holding that the church must be a church of saints, not sinners and that sacraments administered by traditores were invalid. Dyophysitism - doctrines regarding dual natures of Christ's divinity and humanity within single person, culminated with Neo-Chalcedonism Dyoenergism which was opposed to Monoenergism Dyothelitism which was opposed to Monothelitism Free Spirit - belief that its believer could communicate directly with God and did not need the Christian church for intercession. Gnosticism – Broad classification for beliefs that generally rejected the goodness of the physical to emphasize the spiritual, also emphasized salvation through "hidden teachings." Hussitism – Broad classification for beliefs that generally originated from early 15th century Bohemian Reformation that included Utraquists, Taborites, and later Moravian Church Iconoclasm - belief that the veneration of icons was idolatry Iconodulism - belief that the veneration of icons is proper Judaizers - faction of the Jewish Christians, both of Jewish and non-Jewish origins, who regarded the Levitical laws as still binding on all Christians, includes Ebionitism and Nazorean