What is Theology All About?

If theology is to have – and it certainly has – a rightful place in any academic curriculum and the life of a Catholic university, it cannot afford to be merely a haphazard presentation of the truths of the faith or a series of free-wheeling discussions on the relevance of Christianity today. Like chemistry, history, psychology, or any other subject, theology must be properly a study and as such, ought to be characterized by some method or order.

Many students today deepen their study of theology with reliable resources such as a good Study Bible or a well-structured Introduction to Theology textbook, tools that help them appreciate the discipline beyond classroom discussions.

I hesitate to call it a “science” or “discipline” inasmuch as these words often evoke the image of an esoteric body of truths cultivated by thinkers locked in their ivory towers. But if science is to be understood as a methodic study of our inquiry into a significant question or phenomenon, then there is no justifiable reason for depriving theology of the title of an academic discipline—provided that it is not divorced from the practice of Christian living.

The God-Question as Cosmological

The Cosmological Problem of God

It is possible to raise the question of God as a cosmological problem: “Does God exist—Is there a God whose existence explains the fact of the cosmos?” Isaac Newton, for example, imagined God as correcting the planets’ course. What Newton failed to see was that his tools lacked the accuracy of modern mathematics and astronomy. Reflecting on this today may inspire students to maintain a theological journal; many use tools like a theology notebook or journal to record insights on faith, science, and personal experience.

Often in the past, when scientific knowledge was at its infancy, men appealed to God to fill in the gaps of knowledge. But as science progressed, the “God of the gaps” became less meaningful to modern thinkers.

The God of Deism

Aristotle’s Prime Mover influenced the later Deists, who saw God as a Watchmaker who created the universe and then stepped back. Such an impersonal God remains inadequate for Christian theology. Students who want to explore the philosophical roots of this question may benefit from classic works in existential philosophy such as Gabriel Marcel, widely available in print like Marcel’s writings on existential mystery.

Theology and the Cosmological Question

Theology has no interest in an impersonal God of the gaps. Theology seeks the God who cares, who intervenes, who loves, and who reveals Himself concretely in history.

The God-Question as Religious and Existential

The Existential Question

There is another way of raising the problem of God: as a religious and existential question. “Who are you, really?” This question confronts us in our deepest joys and pains—moments of decision, sickness, failure, or death. It is the question of meaning, destiny, and purpose.

It is a question that assumes a social and political dimension as well. Beneath all the debates about systems and structures lies the deeper cry: “What is it to be a human person in the Philippines today? What is our destiny as a people?”

Gabriel Marcel reminds us that such existential questions are mysteries, not problems. They involve us. They touch our identity and future.

Sin and Guilt as Social Problems

As I seek meaning, I encounter my limits—weakness, finitude, and moral failure. The social dimension of sin becomes evident in injustice, poverty, exploitation, and systemic inequality. The evil I do participates in the wider disorder of humanity.

The Question of God in Human Experience

At this point the question of man becomes the question of God: “Is there a God who gives meaning? Who forgives? Who orders history?” The search for God is intertwined with the search for self, but Christian faith affirms something more profound: God searches for us.

Religious experience is not merely man seeking God but man discovering that God has already reached out. This knowledge does not depend on intellect but on openness of heart.

Theology then becomes reflection on this experience of God’s self-revelation.

Revelation and the Task of Theology

God reveals Himself throughout history. My personal experiences are part of a long stream of divine revelation culminating in Jesus Christ. He is the perfect revelation of God. To know God, we look not to abstract theories but to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The record of this revelation is contained in Scripture, safeguarded and interpreted by the Church. Thus theology must remain rooted in the Bible and guided by the Church’s Magisterium.

Theology is therefore the methodic reflection on human experience in light of God’s revelation.

But reflection alone is not enough. Theology must lead to transformation, discipleship, and Christian service. The danger is becoming intellectually brilliant yet spiritually unmoved. The real test of theology lies not in the classroom but in life—how we love, lead, and serve.

Theology today must integrate orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxis (right action). The study of Church, morality, social justice, and liberation must form Christians who act responsibly in family life, economics, politics, and social development.

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