Theology, literary speaking, means “thinking about God." Practically studying theology means discovering the revelatory acts of God throughout history. One of the classical definitions of theology comes from Saint Anselm, who holds that theology is the state in which faith seeks understanding. Other thinkers like Peter Abelard hold that we ought first to understand before we believe.
Theologians then are known as those who can systematically speak of God. So, what is the true nature of theology? Why are we to study it?
Being a freshman in theology, I keep on discovering that theology is not at first the knowledge of God but the awareness that God knows me: "even the hair of your head is numbered.” (Mt 10: 30); the awareness that he takes care of me and leads me to the verdant pasture (Ps 23, 1).
Studying theology is letting oneself being nourish by God. God knows that there are starvations that material bread cannot satisfy. He also knows that spiritual hunger can be much more destructive than the physical; this is why he sent his Word among us to quench our thirst and satisfy our longings. In his merciful compassion Christ, the Word of God, gives us everything freely, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and price." (Is 55, 1). Being his disciple, Christ invites us to give also freely what we have received. This move of giving freely is the impetus for the mission, " As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Mt 10, 7-8)
Strictly speaking, theology is not our search for God as though we could understand or grasp the mystery of God completely. Theology looks rather like a self-revelation act of God. God knows that we could not know him unless he comes down to us. Hans Balthazar reminds us that the true theology “is born from God, who has revealed himself and has therefore expressed himself in his Word made flesh (Jn 1, 14), and who has at the same time enable man to understand and receive him through the force and the light of the gift of the Holy Spirit[1].”
Since true theology starts from God and has its completion in God, theology should then be done humbly and silently, for mystery requires meditation. It follows then that studying theology becomes a perpetual way of contemplation, contemplating the scripture, the cross, the Church, and the world. This contemplation, to be adequate, should be done in the position of kneeling.
The truth the theologian discovers in his contemplation gives him knowledge. This knowledge does not have any other purpose than that of serving; knowledge serves love. Due to human weakness, this knowledge, instead of serving love, can be distorted and serve pride. Thus, Conforti warms, “young students can never be reminded enough about the importance of studying with the right intention, in order to avoid the risks and pitfalls normally occasioned by studies pursued for selfish motives, curiosity of other natural inclinations."[2]”. In the same way, Frank Sheed says, “knowledge serves love- it can turn sour of course and serve pride or conceit and not love, and against this, we poor children of Eve must be on our guard.[3].” knowledge serves God because each new thing learned and meditated about God is a new reason for loving him.
Aside from unfolding to us that God knows us, theology cultivated in us the awareness that this God who knows us is also willing to reveal himself to us. God enables us to respond to his self-revelation via two main faculties: the intellect and the will. The intellect, guided by the supernatural virtue of faith, helps us glimpse the life of God, his love for us, and his plan for the salvation of Humanity. The will, guided by the supernatural virtues of hope and charity, enables us to love and cooperate in the plan of God.
When we know and love God's plan, the only option left is to share and proclaim it. Like the prophet Jeremiah, we would say, “his word burns in my heart like a fire. It is like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it” (Jr 20: 9); the acts of the apostle to add, “For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4: 20). By the power of his Holy Spirit, God ignites in us a fire that pushes us to share his love to our fellow humans, especially those who do not know him yet. Moreover, this is the essence of the mission.
What then is the purpose of Studying theology? As a young Xavierian missionary, discipleship is my identity. As a disciple, I follow after Jesus. A true disciple is the one who listens before he speaks, the one who studies, learns before he teaches, the one who prays before he pronounces. So, theology is all about listening to Jesus, letting myself be taught by him, praying in, with, and through him. All that I learn from him, the love I experience from him, I must share with others so that they too might experience this freeing God. And this is mission.
All in all, theology should be studied with a missionary purpose. Nevertheless, the mission of the Church is not only for theologians but for the whole people of God; yet some congregations, including the Xavierian institute, consecrate all their energies toward the unique goal of mission, “Although every disciple of Christ, as far in him lies, has the duty of spreading the faith, (1) Christ the Lord always calls whomever He wills from among the number of His disciples, to be with Him and to be sent by Him to preach to the nations (cf. Mark 3:13)… at the same time He raises up in the Church certain institutes (2) which take as their own special task the duty of preaching the Gospel, a duty belonging to the whole Church[4].” LG 23
[1] Hans Urs Von Balthasar, Theo-Logic, Vol 1, translated by Adrian J. Walker, (Ignatius Press, Saint Francisco, UAS), p. 22.
[2] Regula fundamentale 56.
[3] Frank Sheed, Theology for beginners, (Aeterna press, Sheed &Ward, New York, USA,), p. 9.
[4] Lumen Gentium 23.
