As an academic discipline, theology is the study of believers who use reason to better understand what has already been accepted by faith. Simply put, theology is the ‘understanding of faith (Intellectus fidei)’ through academic methods. Human beings, even when accepting revelation as a mystery through faith, always possess an intellectual curiosity to know its content. Thus, while believing, they also strive to grasp it more accurately and fully through the power of the intellect.
This very intellectual inquiry is called theology. Therefore, to understand the faith we hold more precisely, we need to rationalize it—that is, to engage in theology. Theology is faith exercised by the thinking mind.
When a historian without faith academically addresses the facts of Christian revelation, they cannot transcend the dimensions of religious studies or history. This is because encountering the essential content of revelation is impossible without faith as a prerequisite. Revelatory events belong to a higher dimension than natural religious phenomena, and faith is essential to perceive them correctly. Faith, so to speak, elevates the dimension of cognition to the supernatural, making true theology possible.
Saint Anselm's “I believe in order to understand (credo ut intelligam)” expresses precisely this truth. Without faith, one cannot comprehend the highest, the supernatural. We humans attain greater knowledge through faith. That is, we attain the beatific vision of God. That happiness exists within suffering, that spirit exists within matter, that eternity exists within history and time, that God exists within the world—these things cannot be known by our eyes or reason alone.
It is through faith that we come to know that happiness exists within suffering, that God exists within the world. Ultimately, it is through faith that we can perceive the supernatural.
Saint Anselm states, “Faith seeks understanding (Fides querens intellectum)”. Theology is faith seeking understanding—faith striving to comprehend its object. Ultimately, theology is the scholarly understanding of faith.
Without faith, the theologian cannot develop theology. Therefore, theology is not merely a doctrine about God, but an act of faith, by faith, and for faith. Faith is not only the starting point of theology, but its center and its goal. Theology is born within faith, grows within faith, and is perfected within faith. Reading theological works born of faith greatly helps nurture our own faith. Though challenging, the pastor encourages us to read at least one theological book per year.
