Theological Term of the Week

Historical Theology
The study of the history and development of Christian doctrine; the study of the history of what the church has believed. 

• From Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine  by Gregg Allison, eight benefits to understanding historical theology:

1. Historical theology helps the church distinguish orthodoxy from heresy.

2. Historical theology provides sound biblical interpretation and theological formulations.

3. Historical theology presents stellar examples of faith, love, courage, hope, obedience and mercy.

4. Historical theology protects against the individualism that is rampant today among Christians.

5. Historical theology not only helps the church understand the historical development of its beliefs, but enables it to express those beliefs in contemporary form.

6. Historical theology encourages the church to focus on essentials, that is, to major on those areas that have been emphasized repeatedly throughout the history of the church.

7. Historical theology gives the church hope by providing assurance that Jesus is fulfilling his promise to his people [to build his church].

8. Historical theology [enables us] to enjoy a sense of belonging to the church of the past.1

Learn more:

1. GotQuestions.org: What is historical theology?
2. Theopedia: Historical theology
3. Tim Chester: Why study historical theology
4. Sam Storms: What is Historical Theology?
5. Sam Storms: Historical Theology Series

Related terms:

• Biblical Theology
• Systematic Theology

Filed under Theology

1From Why study historical theology by Tim Chester

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it, giving you credit for the suggestion and linking back to your blog when I do.

Clicking on Theological Terms in the navigation bar above will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms in alphabetical order.

Theological Term of the Week

Messiah
A biblical title (Hebrew) meaning “annointed.” The equivalent Greek title Christ is used frequently in the New Testament. 

• Used in Scripture:

One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. (John 1:40-42a ESV)

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (John 4:25-26 ESV)

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Theological Term of the Week

Systematic Theology
The theological discipline that seeks to summarize what the whole Bible teaches us on any particular subject.

• From Biblical versus Systematic Theology? by Donald Macleod:

The premise of Systematic Theology …  is the unity of Scripture: what the Westminster Confession (1:5) calls ‘the consent of all the parts’. This in turn rests on the premise that all Scripture was breathed out by God, and while he may breathe out variety he will not breathe out contradiction. Precisely because Scripture in its entirety is the word of God it is the revelation of one saving will and of one plan of salvation. Systematic Theology assumes this unity, takes the whole of divine revelation as its field, and seeks to collate all that God has told us so far, striving towards the point where it can say to the church, ‘This is the whole counsel of God. This is what you are to preach.’ 

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