Wednesday
Oct232013
Theological Term of the Week
Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at 8:02PM 
theological prolegomena
“The issues of theology that need to be learned before one can learn anything further”;1 an introductory section discussing the presuppositions of a theological work; an introduction to systematic theology. Since Christian theology is based on God’s revelation, a theological prolegomena often contains a treatise on the doctrine of revelation; consequently, the term prolegomena is also sometimes used to refer to the doctrine of revelation (example).
- From Francis Turretin on Theological Prolegomena by J. V. Fesko:
What is [theological prolegomena] and to what does it refer? The first term, theological, is made up of the two Greek words, theos (God) and logos (word), and refers to the study of God. The second, prolegomena, is made up of two Greek words, pro (before) and legomena, the participle form of the word lego (I say). Hence prolegomena literally means “before words,” or “sayings.” Within the context of theology, then, theological prolegomena is the term that refers to “the introductory section of a treatise or system of thought in which basic principles and premises are enunciated.” Stated simply, theological prolegomena is the section in a theological work where a theologian’s presuppositions are laid out. For example, What is theology? What is the relationship between God’s knowledge and our knowledge? How does human reason relate to theology?
