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Theology is the systematic study of religious tradition and practice, including the effects of religion on daily life and historical evolution of religious belief. It can be studied informally or formally within an academic context, and is not limited to Christianity. Theologians use various methods, including careful reading of scriptures and philosophical reasoning. Many universities offer formal training in theology, and religions with written holy works encourage theological study.
The study of theology is the systematic, academic examination of religious tradition and practice, as well as the effects of religion on daily life and on the historical evolution of religious belief and doctrine. It is possible to study theology within any religious tradition, although religions with a strong history of religious law and scholarship produce more theologians than those who lack these traits. Theology can be studied informally, from religious texts and observations, or formally, within a structured academic context.
Linguistically, the term theology comes from the Greek and first emerged in a recognizably modern form during the early years of Roman Christianity. A very strict definition of the study of theology would include only examining the religious traditions that stem from the Christianity as practiced when the term was coined. This definition includes all modern sects of Christianity, but would have excluded various heretical movements and all non-Christian religions, even those such as Judaism and Islam which have strong ties to Christianity.
A theologian will typically employ a variety of methods to understand faith and religion. Careful reading of scriptural sources, often in combination with the analytical works produced by other theological scholars, is a key part of the process. Many theologians employ philosophical reasoning in an attempt to understand the structure and meaning of religious tradition and experience. Frequently, men and women engaged in the study of theology work to understand changes and developments in the world through the lens of faith and religious tradition.
Theological scholarship can take place in almost any context, and many notable figures in the history of theology have worked outside any established institutional framework. However, most theologians are affiliated with academic institutions. In the Christian tradition, this association dates back to the Middle Ages, when the distant ancestors of modern universities were created as branches of the Catholic Church.
Many universities offer formal training in theology. A theology degree may be based on the study of a single faith or may include a comparative study of multiple religions. Many programs offer theology courses to students regardless of personal religious affiliation.
Religions that place great emphasis on written holy works are particularly likely to encourage the systematic study of theology. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are based on scriptures that contain a mixture of religious teachings and laws. The richness and complexity of this tradition has encouraged much theological study over the centuries, and each of these faiths has developed several competing schools of theological thought. However, the study of theology is not necessarily limited to these bookish religions, and the structures and beliefs of any religious tradition can be subjected to close theological scrutiny.
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