Theology:

   
A  Theandric  Endeavour  
Theology as the knowledge of divine things is an exhalation,
an outflowing and an effulgence that comes from God Himself

Α
Ω

To b
, spiri e count
res t e
es i
all d y”
not l ual know d worth
f ie w y
e
o
sire heolog ithin ledge d of
d our o
e
“Th race of t pow es
er

the g
What do we mean by
‘theandric’?
Theology:    
Gift  of  God’s  Revelation  

  God s  initiative  consists  in:  

  Creating  the  world  out  of  nothing  (Creation)  
  His  continual  care  for  the  world  in  sustaining  and  
providing  for  it  (Providence)  
  His  bestowal  of  the  natural  laws  
  His  gift  of  covenanting  –  διαθήκη  -­‐  from    διά  -­‐  τίθημι  
  His  incarnation  
  Establishment  of  the  Church  
  His  gift  of  the  sacraments  

 
 
Theology as Gift
  St Thalassius
  “the
desire of all desires, the
grace of theology”

  Origen
  “to be counted worthy of
spiritual knowledge does not
lie within our power”

Theology as the knowledge of divine things is

an exhalation (atmis), an outflowing (aporroia)
and an effulgence (apaugasma)   that comes
from God Himself
 Theology as Gift

  St Irenaeus K u r
v i o" , o t{ i Qeovn
n hJma ' " o J
  jEdivdaxe a ta i , m h v o u c
j iv Qeou'
"v du n
v
eijdevnai oujdei tevstin, a[neu mhv
u
didavxanto" to Qeovn.
s
v k e s q a i t o n
v
ginw
g h t u s t h at n o one
tau
The Lord has s s G o d H im s elf is
d unle
can know Go at is to say, without
th
the teacher; to b e k n own.”
n o t
God, God is

Christ is the Teacher par excellence: He proclaims,

instructs and promises to send the Comforter

 “Theology  is  that  grace  given  from  above  
which  bestows  upon  us  the  gift  of  true  
knowledge,  the  grace  to  see  God  and  all  His  
works  which  He  has  created”  
  Theology  primarily  a  gift  from  above  
  HOWEVER,  the  importance  of  our  desire  is  also  stressed  
  Our  desire  giving  birth  to  genuine  knowledge  
  Theology  is  the  means  whereby  our  intellect  [because  we  
have  so  desired]  has  been  taught  to  see  things  theo-­‐
centrically  
REFLECTION


A THEOLOGIAN

A theologian therefore is the one


who reads through the lines
Surely a calling for ALL



of material things
since this experience of life

and sees reality

in all its fullness


in all of its dimensions
cannot be taught.

- that is as it really is.



We just have to open our eyes

A sensitive person therefore

as His children


seeing everything in life


to acknowledge



as miraculous.
His all abiding presence



in ALL.

Theology as God’s Revelation

  Revelation – central in Christian theology;

inextricable link between theology and
revelation

  “themystery was made known to me by

revelation ["the mystery was made known
to me by revelation [κατά ἀποκάλυψιν
ἐγνωρίσθη µοι τό µυστήριον].” [Eph 3:3]
Revelation
a n if es ta tio n
s d is c lo sure, m
  Signif ie
e L a tin – re v elatio
  From th
  Ἀποκάλυψ
ις
s a lv if ic a c tions in
lf -re v ea li ng and
  God’s se
the world
God’s self-communicative action by which
He freely makes known the hidden purpose
of his divine will, disclosing himself to the
world and indeed inviting human beings into
personal fellowship with him.
 Personal Dimension of
Revelation
  "...the
Word became flesh and lived
among us, and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son, full of
grace and truth… The law indeed was
given through Moses; grace and truth
came through Jesus Christ. No one has
ever seen God. It is God the only Son,
who is close to the Father’s heart, who has
made him known." (Jn 1:14, 17-18).
 Personal Dimension of
Revelation
  Karl
Barth’s
analogy of the sun
  Transformative experience

God revealed through:

a)  Nature
b)  the fact He created the person in His
image and likeness
c)  Jesus Christ
Through Nature
  Natural/ordinary revelation
"Look at the th
e beauty of th
the course of t e skies,
he sun, the rou
moon, the milli nd
ons of stars, the
harmony and
rhythm of the w
(e.g. the recur orld
ring seasons, d
night) the fruits ay and
of the earth, th
vastness of the e
air, the ceasele
motion of the w ss
aves, the horiz
the beauty of on…
each unique fa
gifts of friendsh ce, the
ip with our frien
variety of colo ds, the
urs, the variety
different smells of
… this great e
festival of life… ndless
.”
 Through Nature
  "[God] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before
the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there
was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains
and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the
LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an
earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;
and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in
the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When
Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and
went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then
there came a voice to him that said, “What are you
doing here, Elijah?” (1Kings 19:11-13)
Image and Likeness
every person is an epiphany of God

 Revelation through Jesus Christ
  Matthew 11:27 – the Son reveals the
Father
  Luke 10:21-22 – the Son reveals the Father
  John 16:12-15 – the Holy Spirit reveals the
Son
“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by
the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also
created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact
imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful
word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the
right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior
to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
(Heb. 1.1-4)
 Jesus Christ

  1. Reveals God
  2. is the bearer of salvation
  3. defines the shape of our
reconciled life in God with
respect to our fellow
human beings and indeed
the entire created realm
Revealer Father
Ephesians 1: 3-14
Revelation Son
Revealedness Holy Spirit
Theology as our Human
Response
Our resolute commitment and
act of thanksgiving
  “leteverything that breathes praise
Yahweh” (Ps 150:6)
  “We praise you, we bless you, we worship
you, we give thanks to you.”

Why should our commitment be necessary for

the theological task??
Our response in the
formulation of God’s truths
Language – a vehicle for the reception and
transmission of theological truths

  δεῖγὰρ καὶ αἱρέσεις ἐν ὑµῖν εἶναι,

ἵνα [καὶ] οἱ δόκιµοι φανεροὶ
γένωνται ἐν ὑµῖν

Indeed, there have to be factions

among you, for only so will it
become clear who among you
are genuine. (1Cor. 11:19 )
Acts 2:42

 “Theydevoted themselves to the

apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the
prayers.”

Ἦσαν δὲ προσκαρτεροῦντες τῇ διδαχῇ

τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ τῇ κοινωνίᾳ, τῇ
κλάσει τοῦ ἄρτου καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς.