There is no such thing as ‘theoretical theology.’

In the world of science, you can make an entire career out of theoretical physics, which differs from experimental physics. The latter involves actually, you know, experimenting with things to test their application and accuracy in the real world. Meanwhile, theoretical physicists casts conjecture so far up the ladder of the abstract that it exists more in the mind and discourse of the university than in reality.
Visit lofty academic institutions and you may still see the quote from an early 1900’s German researcher that reads, “Well yes, it works in practice, but does it work in theory?”
So many things that happen in the world today go against every single ounce of data that predicts otherwise, yet the world still operates the way it does. For example, people still buy lottery tickets en masse despite having a better chance of getting struck by lightning than winning. Some refer to this human tendency to operate against the predicted laws of the world as Homo Economicus.
We can apply that lens to so many areas today, from economics to social and political dynamics, but that’s for another day.
The problem is, when it comes to the area of theology, we often treat it more like a theoretical physics equation than something that masks itself onto every single molecule of our universe.
When we discuss theology and God, we do not discuss theory or logic; we discuss reality itself, held in the hands of a very real God.
This attitude and posture toward theology is called prolegomena, or ‘first things.’ They’re the sort of things that must be discussed and addressed before one gets into the actual discussion of the theological issues. It was the first two weeks of my systematic theology courses. It’s like a slap on the cheek, or a bucket of water to the face that says Wake up! Realize what and Who you’re talking about before you open your fat little mouth! This is no theory that you’re debating; it’s the Ground of Existence Himself!
The Bible repeatedly tells us this same thing.
“Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” -Ecclesiastes 5:2
“Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” -Proverbs 17:28
“Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” -Ice Cube
You can have theoretical physics but there is no such thing as theoretical theology.
God is not a theory.
Reality is not a theory.
Now, this isn’t to say that there are no debates and intricate conversations and all sorts of things to dig into when discussing theology. Rather, it’s an invitation to remember that, in the words of Helmut Thielicke, theology is done in the second person, not the third. What he means is, we can talk about God like a distant, “He is over there doing his thing in heaven” type of voice, or we can speak using “you” language, like God is in the room with us.
Because, spoiler alert, He is.
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Day 7 of 100 Blogs
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