I am currently working on an introduction to theology for the laity. I hope it will prove beneficial for new Christians and young folks wanting to deepen their faith.
If we have ever come across the word “theology,” our first impression, unless we are predisposed to pursue these subjects, is to view theology as a very impersonal enterprise. But the type of theology we are after is “a theology that reflects upon the God whom Christians worship and adore.”[1] Doing theology is an act of charity to the world. What theology ought to do is change us, so that we are better prepared to change others.
The work of theology ought to make us better students, better husbands and wives, better children, and better laborers in the kingdom of God. Theology is the Christian’s daily workout. When you stop doing it, you become frail and open to sickness and disease.
Theologizing is what we are after, not so much as an exercise to strengthen our intellectual prowess, but as an exercise to serve our fellow church-men. We love best when we know God most.
[1] Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction (Oxford, Blackwell, 2001) 137.
