There’s something interesting hidden in the word theology itself. Literally, it means the study or discourse about God. And perhaps the word tells us something about the philosophical shift that took place over time. What may have begun as a relationship with the Divine—an experience of presence, mystery, encounter, and participation—gradually became something to be studied. The experience became the subject of reflection, and reflection eventually became philosophy, theology, doctrine, and finally institution.
That shift may seem subtle, but it changes the nature of the relationship. Once God becomes the object of theological study, we begin talking about God rather than simply experiencing or relating to the Divine. We begin defining, categorizing, explaining, defending, and eventually determining what can and cannot be said about God. The mystery starts acquiring boundaries. And once those boundaries become important enough, there is a natural movement toward orthodoxy and heresy, correct belief and incorrect belief, doctrine and deviation.
Perhaps this is one of the great transitions in the history of religion: the movement from experience to explanation. Something living and relational gradually became something that could be systematized. The question shifted from, “What is happening between humanity and the Divine?” to, “What must we believe about God?” Those sound like similar questions, but they are not. The first invites relationship and experience. The second invites a system of thought. And perhaps somewhere along the way, the study of God began to stand between the human being and the God being studied.
Thoughts For Thinkers 