A Practical Primer on Theological Method: Table Manners for Discussing God, His Works, and His Ways

by Glenn R. Kreider, Michael J. Svigel

Around a table sit men and women with distinct The Interpreter, the Theologian, the Virtuous, the Philosopher, the Scientist, the Artist, the Minister, and the Historian. Each is ready to engage in a passionate discussion centered on God, his works, and his ways. Regardless of which role you play at the same table, you're invited. You simply need to pull up a chair and join the conversation. But how? What do you say when you take your seat? Where do you start? What are the "rules" of the dialogue? A Practical Primer on Theological Method will help you answer these questions. This primer is not only a "how-to" manual for doing theology, but a handbook of etiquette for doctrinal discussions with other believers. This popular-level introductory text presents the proper manner, mode, and means of engaging fruitfully in theology.

Genres: Theology, Christian, School, Nonfiction, Discipleship, Christian Living, Christianity

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2019

Reviews

[L.L. Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theological method? Most Christians have engaged in theological method, even if on a rudimentary level, and even if they did not realize that was what they were doing! We all have certain theological beliefs – about God, about Christian living – for example, views about eternal security, sanctification, baptism. Maybe a friend has a different view on such an issue, and you’ve had friendly or not-so-friendly debate. How did you each come to a conclusion about your belief? Theological method!

Enter this book. This is a primer (introductory) book about how we approach, think about, and reach conclusions about our beliefs as Christians. To clarify, some beliefs are not debatable. The early church gathered and settled certain core beliefs that make Christianity to be Christianity. If you veer off course here, you are a heretic and no longer an orthodox Christian. But there are other issues that Christians debate, and we must also at times decide how to apply certain beliefs in a new culture or situation. And the question is: will we do theological method well or poorly?

I’d say the book’s audience is students in introductory classes at Christian university, Bible school, or seminary, but also thoughtful lay folks and adult Sunday school class teachers. Indeed, poorly done theological method can take place in group discussions in the church setting (not to mention social media), and a more informed teacher would be a great help.

Kreider and Svigel quote and reference authors and theologians from a variety of Christian traditions. Therefore, varied Christian universities, seminaries, and churches could utilize this book, as they’d be sure to find someone from their “camp” who has been referenced in a helpful way! For example, I observed references to both Calvinistic and Wesleyan-Arminian sources. Note the subtitle for this book talks about table manners (more about the table below) and Christians from different traditions – and within the same tradition! – should be able to discuss theological issues in a polite manner. Sadly, it can end up like a food fight!

The book, while covering academic subject matter, is user friendly. The authors incorporate certain features into every chapter to help the presented information be clear. For example, there is a FAQ section, as they anticipated concerns or questions likely to come to the reader’s mind.

The first 3 chapters form the foundation of the book, explaining terms and clarifying concepts. Chapters 4-11 are the heart of the book, and each of these chapters focuses on one perspective or voice that is necessary as we participate in theological method. Kreider and Svigel use the creative idea of a group seated around a table, and in each chair is an individual representing one of these vital perspectives. The vital voices are: the interpreter, the theologian, the virtuous, the philosopher, the scientist, the artist, the minister, and the historian. This is not meant to be taken rigidly, but as the book unfolds, the reader should better perceive the role that each of these chairs plays. For example…

The Bible needs to be interpreted. A theologian helps with synthesis, as in, how does a certain issue fit in with the Christian faith as a whole? Theology is not just about information, but transformation (virtue). God gave us minds, and we should engage in critical thinking (philosophy). Creation reveals God, and science interprets creation. Awareness of Christian history helps us learn from those who have come before us, and hopefully avoid repeating mistakes.

The end of each of these chapters addresses the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. The issue in Acts 15 was gentiles coming into the faith. Did they have to be circumcised and follow Old Testament law and customs? Early church leaders gathered and had to make a decision. How did that take place? Did Peter stand up and say that he had a direct prophetic word from God and proclaim the answer? NO. They came to an answer with…theological method. At the Jerusalem Council, we can see how each seat around the table played a part. Scripture was considered. Peter appealed to how the Holy Spirit came upon the gentiles. There was debate and discussion. Their ministry experience was influential. Etc.

Another point in the book is the importance of community when it comes to theology. Wacky things can come from isolation. Of course, personal study and contemplation is important, but at some point we need the community of faith. We need the guidance and insight of others.

The final chapter is an encouraging summation. Theology is not just for professionals (professors, clergy) but lay people too. The authors “hope that you might actually pull up a chair to a real table with other Christians, share a meal or coffee together, and experience the remarkable work of Christian theology.” (page 166). I recommend this book to you.

*This review originally appeared on my blog: https://lightenough.wordpress.com/202...

[Caleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book for me. It’s one of the first books I’m having to read for seminary and I have some things I didn’t really like about it. However, a caveat is that this is just a primer, so I know the authors can’t go into detail about a lot of things I’m sure they are passionate about. This review is for my own memory’s sake, so I don’t forget what I’ve read when I need to know it for class.

First off, I do like the simplicity of their definition for theology. They say theology is a discourse about God, his works, and his ways. I liked his emphasis on “discourse” because it is true that we are always in constant discourse about theology with all sorts of people. Also, we are discussing what God has revealed to us, not what we have found on our own. Theology is not created by one person sitting in a library, but rather by countless Christians throughout the ages discussing these questions with each other and defending the faith against heresies. I agree with this book when it says that Christian theology owes a lot more to heretical teaching than we normally realize. Without the heresies, Christians wouldn’t have had to rise up and do good systematic theology to refute these heretical beliefs. I believe it was this book that also talked about “faith seeking understanding.” I think this is an important concept because we truly can’t “prove” anything with 100% certainty using our 5 senses (which is what science is all about—observation). So there is always a foundation of faith when seeking to understand who God is because we can’t treat Him as we treat His created order.

These authors’ next interesting concept is their view on revelation. I think most (if not all) modern day Christians agree that the universe is one of God’s revelations. That, as Romans chapter 1 says, we can know things about God because of His creation. However, one thing I wasn’t a huge fan of in this book was the idea that the created order was a perfect revelation, in a similar way to scripture being inerrant, it’s just that our interpretations of God’s revelations are always subject to errors. I agree with these authors when they say that our understanding is always influenced by our culture, history and worldview, but I don’t agree that the Bible and the universe can be put on exactly the same playing field in terms of God’s revelation to mankind. I thought of three reasons for this. One, the Bible is more specific than the universe in the information it provides. The book wants to say that the Bible is just a more direct revelation, but they are still equally perfect in fulfilling their revelation purpose. But the fact that the Bible shows us how God treats His people and expects to be treated shows me that the Bible is more specific, and therefore, more helpful. Two, for those of us living in the 21st century, we wouldn’t know Christ without the written Word. This tells me that even if Scripture and the universe were both to fulfill their own roles perfectly, God’s written word would still be objectively superior to the revelation of the world. And third, because of sin, the universe is broken. It is no longer in it’s original, sinless form that would show us much more of the majesty of God. So I don’t believe the universe perfectly shows us who God is in the same way scripture does. It is revelation, but the Bible and Christ are objectively superior to it and “truer” than the revelation of the universe. If the world were not fallen then I would agree that they are all on an equal playing field.

I’ve already hinted at it about, but I do like the categories they talk about with regards to first-tier and second-tier sources of theology. It’s fairly simple but an important concept. first-tier sources are the Bible, Jesus and creation because they are direct revelations from God. Second-tier resources are anything that humans say about these first-tier sources. So any theology written by people would be second-tier. This is a much agreed upon concept among Protestants, so I don’t need to belabor the point.

The rest of the book uses an analogy of a round table to discuss all the different components that go into good theology. You have the interpreter who is versed in Biblical language and culture to provide accurate translations and commentaries on various topics of relative difficult. We know, as interpreters, that the Bible does not contradict itself and that it is a document meant to tell us of God and His salvation of man. It touches on other topics, but it does so because it is truth, not because God’s primary purpose is to teach us science through the Bible. Furthermore, we must always ask what the intention of the author is when interpreting a passage and make sure that we are looking to others from the past and present to understand the more difficult passages of scripture—scripture is read in community. And the goal of good interpretation is life change, not information acquisition.

Next you have the Theologian whose job is to piece it all together. They like to ask the question, “how do these ideas all fit together to make a whole system of thought?” Theologians should always approach this question with the “Rule of Faith” that affirms the creation-fall-redemption story arc of the Bible. God created, Jesus redeemed, the Holy Spirit brought life, harmony and sanctification. The center character to this story, and thus all of scripture, is Jesus Christ. The book then goes on to talk about standards of Theology. Not all theologies are created equal. There are Dogmas, Doctrines and Beliefs/opinions. If you do not accept a dogma (like Jesus being both God and man), you are generally considered a heretic. If you disagree on doctrine (such as your views on baptism) it may cause you to not be able to be a part of certain Churches who affirm that Doctrine. And opinions are individual views of less central points of scripture (like the different views on end times). Also, people have different categories for what they see as dogma, doctrine and opinion. So the split would be different for different denominations.

The virtuous, something that all Christians should be striving for, includes all good, positive moral characteristics (opposite of vices) that are meant to be primarily toward God and given by Him. The fruit of the Spirit is a good example along with “such things,” which indicates that this list is not exhaustive by nature. The core Christian virtues are perhaps faith, hope and love. Virtue is the end goal of good theology, and in itself is a revelation of the truth of God to all people. We should have humility, faithfulness, perseverance and prudence as we approach the scriptures; and yet the goal of our understanding is transformed lives that allow us to love more. Furthermore, a tool of interpretation is asking yourself whether or not your interpretation of a given texts builds up faith, hope and, most importantly, love. If it does not, you may need to rethink your interpretation of a given text because “perfect love casts out fear.” Another example was the debate about whether heaven and earth would be recreated from scratch or made new. Knowing God’s character it’s more likely to be the latter.

Philosophers are (philosophy is) important in a variety of ways with regards to the study of theology, and I like the simple way they summarized it in the chapter. They said philosophy functions as a teammate—someone who offers new insights through logic (the foundation of good thought), hermeneutics, apologetics and cultural studies, a referee—someone who is able to call out incorrect thinking and erroneous arguments in theology, and a coach—someone who is able to provide assistance to laypeople, ministers (through teaching critical thinking and cultural studies) as well as giving interpreters and theologians more tools to do their tasks better (like teaching them hermeneutics, logic, etc.) One thing to note, however, is that Christians should never be too enamored with any particular philosophical (and by extension political) system of thought. These are man made systems and should be scrutinized and questioned by good exegeses of scripture. On the flip side, as Christians, we reject no truth or sound arguments, no matter the source, because we know that all truth is ultimately owning to God Himself.

Science is important to our understanding of God because God’s creation is one of God’s primary forms of revelation. Thus, the scientists job is to observe and interpret God’s creation—namely nature. This knowledge may not come easy to the scientist, but it is important knowledge for the worshipper of God. God wanted humankind to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. That has an adventurous, exploring spirit to it. What better way to explore God’s creation than through science? Furthermore, our observation of creation can help us see our own flaws in reading scripture. Just because we thought the earth was in the center of the universe doesn’t make it so. That was a truth that was revealed to us through science, but some denied it by wrongly using scripture to support their beliefs. Ultimately, the truths of nature and the truths of the Bible will be totally in sync.

The job of the artist is incredibly important because God himself is an artist. And after He created everything and said it was good, he then gave us the task of filling the earth and subduing it. He gave us creativity and imagination so that we could continue making beautiful things out of his beautiful creation. Art is also a main way in which culture is created and influenced. And so the Christian artist (musician, painter, innovator, etc.) has a unique way of preserving the good things in a culture and providing new ways to influence culture in a positive light. This leads to the betterment of theology because we must be speaking to our culture when we do theology. The minister who gives a sermon needs to address his cultural situation when he is preaching truth. The goal of theology is to have it reach the people who it’s being presented to. Creativity is such an important way to make truths become real to the human mind and heart. Culture should be redeemed not dismissed or rejected.

The minister’s job (which is the job of every Christian as a royal priesthood) is to be the feet of theology—a sort of practical theology. Throughout history, the minister as been the primary vehicle for theological development. Seminaries and seminarians are a modern creation. Even today they provide a unique perspective into theology because they bring their ministry experience to the table. One can’t really understand the weight of “love your neighbor as yourself” until you’ve tried it for twenty years. And when you have listened to and implemented God’s word in your life, and taught it to other people for their progress in the faith, you have a special seat at the table of theological conversation. The end goal of theology is life transformation, and that is also the minister’s goal every time he ministers. And once again, this is the job of every believer, just it is the job of every believer to be virtuous. Lastly, the various gifts of the Spirit that allow people to minister in the way they are called is another revelation of God on earth. “They will know you by how you love one another.”

And lastly, the historian has a primary role in providing context to how we got where we are today. This could be through a direct understanding of the history of theology (events, creeds, etc.), of philosophy or other histories of thought, or it could be through providing context for given time periods to better understand any given culture. Books are not written in isolation; historical context is vital for understanding the Bible as well as a plethora of other resources. Furthermore, History helps us learn from mistakes we’ve made in the past. There is no reason to make the same mistakes we’ve already made as a Church. So let’s learn from history so as to avoid these things in the future. Lastly, we as Christians view history differently than most secular people. We believe history is going somewhere—it’s being guided by the hand of God bent on a specific ending. And at the center of it all is Jesus Christ and the redemption of his people. Because of this trust, the historian should always be intellectually honest and rigorous, not feeling like she needs to become a revisionist. And second, she should be willing to learn from other historians knowing that historical truth can be learned from all sources as long as it is tested through a right lens.

I agree with the authors on the main thrust of their book. Theology should be a discourse that has multiple inputs from different people and studies allowing it to be more nuanced, integrated and comprehensive. There seem to be too many theologians out there that only read theology. The decision I have come to after reading this book is that it is vital for me as a future teacher of theology to read broadly, think critically and discuss frequently, and do this all for the sake of love and mutual progress in the faith.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much of the discussion I see on social media and in everyday conversation center on statements about God and the Bible that have been gleaned from sound bite Christianity. Most people, including myself, do not spend the necessary time and effort to grasp the big overarching story of what God is doing and has already done. Most do not understand the setting and context of the Bible. Pulling a verse out of context and using it to prove a point that is not theologically sustainable or even of first priority has become a favorite Facebook and casual pastime. A Practical Primer on theological Method offers a solution and also a welcome reprieve from shallow one-dimensional interpretation.

So much of what is recorded here is common sense: "...you can't afford to be a sloppy interpreter. You may never learn Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek, but you need to become thoroughly familiar with the contents of the Bible by reading it repeatedly." So many of us skip this step.

Many Christians are stuck in battles that divide the body of Christ while ignoring the greater issues: "The Christian faith has, as it were, load-bearing doctrines, the removal of which would cause the entire superstructure of the faith to fail. It also has less fundamental articles of belief that may differ from believer to believer or from church to church. For doctinal statements to serve as beneficial standards for the fruitful flourishing of Christian theology,they must focus on the fundamentals of the faith --not on distinctive doctrines and practices of individuals or denominations, nor on detailed interpretations of passages for which there has never been a unanmous consensus."

So many of us only listen to the voices that agree with us. As the book states, "...we can't do theology on our own. We were never meant to." However, by coming to the table and joining others with different perspectivies (Theologican, the Virtuous, the Philosopher, the Scientist, the Artist, the Minister, and the Historian) we gain understanding "in real dependence on the knowledge, wisdom, and insights of others" - in community. Though this is a basic introduction to theology it provides a framework for both the layperson and the student of theology.

[Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kreider and Svigel write this basic book as describe theology as 'the study of God' yet take it further to say that it is 'the discourse concerning God'. p25

They describe theological method as:
-more art than science
-dialogical
-hermeneutical
-eclectic and integrative
-sapiential and missional p34

A picture of different kinds of people around a Table is presented, discussing knowledge of God from their different perspectives, helping the others to gain fuller understanding: p40
- God is at the center of the table
- The First-Tier Source is found in What God Says And Does As His Revelation of Himself
>God's revelation in His creation and what He has said, must be received and interpreted
>Eye witness reliable written testimony must be received and interpreted p41 (Ps 19)
- The Second-Tier Sources are What People Say And Do In Light of The Revelation of God

Three Cords of God's Revelation
>The Word to the World: God's verbal revelation, primarily in Scripture, including His message through prophets, angels, and other verbal means
>The Word in the World: Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word, and the Body of Christ, the church, as the Spirit-indwelled mediators of His mission
> The World of the Word: everything created by God, through His eternal Word, by the Spirit, things visible things visible and invisible.

Eight Perspectives Around the Theological Table
1. Interpreter
2. Theologian
3. Virtuous one
4. Philosopher
5. Scientist
6. Artist
7. Minister
8. Historian

What I gained from reading this primer is a greater appreciation that different people from various backgrounds may have different perspectives on the theology of a topic or passage. The church does well to embrace and DISCUSS perspectives with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Good book to wade through.

[Keara Bisso · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and interesting read! The whole book is laid out following an analogy relating theology to guests sitting down at a table to talk and different guests have different things they’re bringing to the table. The different “guests” don’t convey completely different people but different areas of interest and knowledge and such and people can be multiple “guests” at the same time! The 8 “guests” that the author unpacks are the interpreter, theologian, virtuous, philosopher, scientist, artist, minister, and historian. The authors say that all Christians should reflect the virtuous when we “sit down at the table to talk.” Great read and explanation of theology. The authors define theology as discourse concerning God, His works and His ways!

I loved how they opened my eyes to all the ways God reveals himself in the world!! And I want to read more about history after reading this book: “We can’t maintain an irreconcilable different between God’s work among His redeemed people and God’s work in the rest of human history. All stages of human history are part of God’s plan of redemption, moving the whole creation from the fall from paradise to the intended restoration.” Page 157

I read this for my systemic theology 1 class and I recommend!!

[Mark A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked this book intensely. I don’t think it was much of a theological method, much less a primer. It was too cutesy by half with its “sit around the table” metaphor. Its attempt to shoehorn every topic into the Jerusalem Council was forced and laughable. It was too egalitarian and used inclusive language. But the worst of its sins was to raise science (general revelation), history, art, philosophy and all the other subjects to the same level as Scripture. The authors tried to say they weren’t doing this because revelation is revelation, and all revelation must be interpreted. However, the clear words of Scripture require a whole lot less interpreting than science. And no theological method goes to science or art or even history to build theology. They, if they are evangelical, go to Scripture.

[Pete Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding book and a relatively short read. Svigel and Kreider do a great job painting a picture of people from different backgrounds-the artist, the scientist, the philosopher, etc.-each playing a key role in theology. All bring different perspectives and approaches, and all have something to contribute to how we think about God. 1 Corinthians 12. Theology and worship must happen in culture and in community, not in isolation only at your place of worship.

[Marilyn Sneed Pinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is centered on not studying the scripture in isolation. There is a need for everyone. History, culture, and life experience can’t be ignored when interpreting the scripture. The need for others is demonstrated by Acts 15 when the apostles and elders come together to have a discourse about the Gentiles.

[Hope Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really interesting read. Helps any follower of God understand how each seat at the Theological table is necessary and helpful to understanding theology and the need for it to be discussion oriented. Seats include - the interpreter, the virtuous, the theologian, the philosopher, the scientist, the artist, the minister, and the historian.

[Ming Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to it via Libby+.

A helpful book highlighting the dialogical and multidisciplinary nature of theology, serving as a useful clarification of the disciplines involved. The authors cover eight: the interpreter, theologian, virtuous, philosopher, scientist, artist, minister, and historian. An enjoyable and relatively easy read.

[Lauren Beard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for school and it was honestly so accessible and easy to read. Talked about all the different aspects theology encompasses and the overlap between each. The language was easy to grasp- would recommend as a great first theology read.

[Jocoby Joyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly easy grasp intro into theology and theological method. I read this as a requirement for seminary but would recommend to anyone who needs an intro to theology. Also loved the metaphor of the table throughout the book.

[Nathan Deck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great explanation of the various roles In The dialogue of theological thought. Not too “academic” and very practical!

[Jonathan Ammon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Highly introductory and basic, this jumps over most of the relevant debates within the field and provides little practical advice on method.

[Lydia Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serves its purpose of being a practical manual on how to think through and do theology well, and its honestly kind of delightful to read! I especially loved the personifications.

[Darren Sapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your garden variety intro to theology. Using an allegorical method, the authors show how every believer can (and should) have a seat at the table.

[Colby Kleinsasser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very brief “primer” on a few of the different lenses by which we can think about theology.

[Colin Weeks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. The content was measured, although I felt the delivery could have been stronger. I would recommend other books for a beginner in this subject.

[Jonathan H. Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to theological method. All Christians, disciples of Christ, need to take their role and training in theology seriously so that we serve God's Kingdom the best we can.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my seminary class on Theological Method. Dr. Kreider was actually my professor for the class as well. In his lectures and book, he uses the categories of the Word in the World, the Word to the World, and the World of the Word to describe God's self-revelation to humanity. This is a distinction from the commonly used terms general and special revelation. It's a bit of a tongue-twister to say and remember, but I've come to appreciate the categories. It's clear and all-encompassing.

In discussing revelation and the matters of God, we have to develop a personal theological method. The rest of the book uses the analogy of The Table to elevate the different angles we should approach theology. The Table has eight seats: Interpreter, Theologian, Virtuous, Philosopher, Scientist, Artist, Minister, and Historian. Kreider and Svigel argue that each of these "seats" has their own unique, but significant perspectives to offer when theologizing. Hence, it's crucial for us to engage with all believers with the intention of wrestling with one another for the sake of truth. I personally think the analogy is helpful in giving different believers the confidence and conviction to share how God speaks to them individually. While an Interpreter can decipher the context and literary structures of a Bible passage better, the Scientist may be able to provide evidence from the natural world that further glorifies God.

Overall, the book achieves its goal as a primer. It helps readers to understand how they can effectively contribute to theological discussion. Also, it convicts them to be humble as they engage with one another.

[John Paul Arceno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read this year, so far. https://johnpaularceno.com/2022/10/20...