Systematic theology seeks to create consistent systems of beliefs within Christianity, drawing on biblical texts and philosophy. It focuses on individual topics rather than historical development and may lead to philosophical theology. Other theological viewpoints, like process theology, may also fall under systematic theology.
Systematic theology is a branch of Christian studies that attempts to develop consistent systems of statements about various topics within the Christian faith. This is a large study that encompasses a wide range of beliefs and methodologies. In practice, it often combines elements of both biblical theology and philosophical theology.
Like biblical theology, systematic theology usually draws on biblical texts for most of its source material. A major goal of biblical theology is to trace the historical development of doctrines and ideas in the Bible, especially the progressive revelations about the nature of God throughout the Bible. Systematic theology, on the other hand, tends to focus more on individual topics than on the historical development of thought on those topics.
For example, the goal of a particular systematic theology work might be to explain biblical claims regarding redemption. Many different passages in the Bible deal with the concept of redemption, but few, if any, systematically define and explain redemption. A systematic theologian could compare and analyze all of these various texts with the goal of defining a system of redemption that takes all of them into account.
At times, however, the attempt to reconcile the various texts can lead the systematic theologian outside of what is explicitly stated in the Bible. For example, many, if not most, conceptions of Christian theology hold to some form of trinitarian doctrine: the belief that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three persons who make up one God. While there is some biblical support for this doctrine, the word “Trinity” itself never appears in the Bible. To defend or refine doctrines relating to the Trinity, then, systematic theology very often branches off into the field of philosophical theology. Philosophical theology uses the rules of logic, rather than explicit biblical teaching, to make claims about the nature of God.
Other theological viewpoints could also fall under the broad umbrella of systematic theology. For example, process theology is a systematic theory that posits that both God and humanity change over time. Some critics of process theology believe that it flatly contradicts biblical teaching, which is generally not allowed in systematic theology.
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