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Theology is the organized study of religion. Given the overwhelming influence exercised by Christianity, especially in pre-modern Europe, Christian theology permeates much of Western culture and often reflects that culture.
Sub-disciplines of Christian theology include:
- Angelology - the study of created spirit beings, including angels, demons, and Satan
- Anthropology - the study of humanity, especially as it relates to the divine
- Bibliology - the study of the Bible in itself, and of its inspiration
- Christology - the study of Christ, of his nature(s), and of the relationship between the divine and human in Christ Jesus
- Ecclesiology - the study of the Christian Church, including her institutional structure, her sacraments and practices (especially the worship of God)
- Eschatology - the study of the last things, last days or end times
- Hamartiology - the study of sin
- Pneumatology - the study of the Holy Spirit
- Soteriology - the study of salvation
- Theodicy - the study of the nature of evil
- Theology proper - the study of God
See also History of theology
The history of Christian theology interwines with Church history and covers important developments in philosophy and in the history of ideas. Specific issues such as heresy, Arianism, and the Protestant Reformation are of particular importance.
There are several methods to the study of theology. They are, in no particular order:
- Biblical Theology - studying theology as it is presented and develops through the Bible by focusing on progressive revelation.
- Systematic theology - studying theology by topic.
- Historical theology - studying theology as it has developed (and is developing) in history.
- Dogmatic theology - studying theology (or dogma) as it developed in different church denominations.
- Pragmatic or practical theology - studying theology as it relates to serving as a religious minister.
- Apologetics - studying Christian theology as it compares to other worldviews in order to give a defense of faith and to challenge others' beliefs.
- Narrative theology - studying a narrative presentation of the faith rather than dogmatic development.
- Biblical hermeneutics - studying the Bible according to different sets of prescribed rules or principles of interpretations (also closely related to exegesis).
Schools of Christian theologyEdit
Amongst the schools mentioned here some concern only one of the subdisciplines mentioned above and others concern several of the subdisciplines mentioned above.
- Black theology
- Calvinism (aka Reformed theology)
- Covenant Theology (aka Federalism)
- Feminist theology
- Liberation theology
- Moderate Calvinism
- New Covenant Theology
- Orthodox Christianity
- Process theology
- Roman Catholicism
- The Story of Christianity by Justo L. Gonzalez (1984, 1985, 1999, ISBN 1565635221)
- The History of Christian Thought by Jonathan Hill (2003, ISBN 0745950930 and 0830827765)
- Christian Theology: An Introduction by Alister McGrath (ISBN 0631225285)
- Christian Theology Reader by Alister McGrath (ISBN 063120637X)
- Systematic Theology, an ecumenical trilogy by Thomas Oden
- Christian anarchism
- Christian ecumenism
- Christian worship
- List of Christian theologians
- List of Methodist theologians
- Wesleyan Quadrilateral
- Christian theological controversy
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