[galveston]

A pointed exchange in another thread has prompted me to ask, "what does a theologian believe"? I realize that there will be all kinds of answers. To answer, you should either be a theologian, or quote a theologian accurately (with proper credit given). I am especially interested in his/her beliefs about core values of Christianity, miracles, and the person of Jesus Christ. (Virgin birth, blood atonement, and literal resurrection) I have heard so much negative press. Here is your chance to elevate my opinion of theologians in general, and inform all the rest of us.
Thank You.

[valinors_sorrow]

For starters, anyone may consider themselves a theologian (see definition below) so maybe you mean Christian theologians and in that case you might want to limit it to ones that studied in an accredited environment too-- just a thought here?

From Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Main Entry: the·ol·o·gy
Pronunciation: thE-'ä-l&-jE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -gies
Etymology: Middle English theologie, from Anglo-French, from Latin theologia, from Greek, from the- + -logia -logy
1 : the study of religious faith, practice, and experience; especially : the study of God and of God's relation to the world

From Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia

Theology (Greek θεος, theos, "God", + λογος, logos, "word" or "reason") is reasoned discourse concerning religion, spirituality and God. Theologians attempt to use rational analysis and argument to discuss, interpret, and teach on any of a myriad a religious topics.

[Fr_Chuck]

There is no "one" belief, There are those that will argue the same scripture from a Baptist, a Methodist, a Catholic, a Lutheran, a Mormon point of view, each will have their teachings taught to them from their religious schools point of view.

And from there you will even subdivide as to sperate beliefs within broad classications. For Example you will have people on both side of the FREE WILL issue within just the Baptist Church not to mention various beleifs from others.

So the only thing they will agree on, is that they can't agree ( and I doubt if a room full of them would even agree they don't agree)

Having sat though several Bishop Counsel meetings where national rules and decisions are made, Even within one faith that is suppose to agree, behind closed doors or even in semenary class rooms, they do not agree with each other.

So there is no answer that would not take a couple hundred pages to briefly address that can help.

If you wish to ask about Lutheran theology, ( then you have to discuss Mo Synd, or MN Synod, or German Luthern and so on.

There is no one "Christian" belief or teaching any longer.
Of course from a Catholic view point, like others we believe ours is the correct one that all should believe and that others are incorrect and in error from the true church, But then most others say the same thing about thiers.

[Starman]

Servetus was an accredited theoligian who was burnt alive at the stake by another accreditted theologian-Calvin. Those in charge of the inquisition were also accreddited theologians. So each theologian is to be evaluated by his conduct not just by what he claims to believe or by the education he might chance to have.
http://av.rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9ibyK6...nquisition.htm

[Credo]

Pretty good question. Well, the funny thing in Christian theology is that all Christians are viewed as theologians in come degree, because Christian theology teaches that if you are thinking about God in any respect, you are doing theology and therefore are a theologian. Lay theologians (Christians who do not hold an ecclesiastical office of any kind and usually do not have a job in any religious aspect) believe many different things; it is from this area within Christianity that a lot of the hurtful and weird "Christian" beliefs come from. However, sometimes some of the most bizarre and cruel beliefs in Christianity come from the pens of Clerical theologians (Christians who either hold an ecclesiastical office, have a higher degree in some aspect of Christian religion, or teachers of Christian religion at seminaries and/or universities).

As a general guide (and remember, it's general; this is only what the spokesmen/women of these different groups profess about the beliefs of their group), to detail your list of specific beliefs, here is where some Christian theological groups stand:

Virgin birth--most Roman Catholic and conservative Protestant theologians believe this; most Liberal Protestant theologians maintain that the factuality of the virgin birth should not be looked at, but rather what it means spiritualy.

Blood atonement--theologians in every area are still grappling with this belief; mostly conservative, Fundamentalist, and/or Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus' death on the cross atoned for the sins of humanity.

Literal resurrection--if you mean by Jesus' resurrection, again this is another one of those issues grappled with, etc. if you mean by people being resurrected at the end of times,. yeah, this is another grappling issue with the same kinds of people holding the same kinds of convictions on it.

Core values of Christianity--if you mean ethics, all Christians hold to high ethics and the practice of Jesus' teachings (whether they do them or not); if you mean core beliefs (commonly called "orthodoxy") of Christianity, then Roman Catholicism and conservative Protestantism hold to these, while Liberal Protestantism tends to de-mythologize them.

Miracles--most theologians believe miracles happen today, but don't really try to explain how they happened (they just don't know); the issue of whether Jesus did miracles as attested to in the Gospels is being grappled with.

Person of Jesus Christ--most Christian theologians, even Liberal Protestants, believe Jesus to be the Messiah and the Son of God; very few theologians doubt His divinity.

I personally believe in the virgin birth, that Jesus did miracles, that miracles still happen, that Jesus literally rose from the dead, they there will be a literal resurrection at the end of time, that Jesus' teachings should be practiced by Christians and Christians should seek to live their lives with high ethics in mind, that somehow, in some way, Jesus' death "pays" (to use Paul's term) for my sins (but I don't know how because the Bible doesn't tell me how), and I would be cosidered orthodox in relation to the core values of Christianity.

Note: I have not touched on Eastern Orthodox theology because I'm not that familiar with it. Also, my generalizations of the beliefs of different groups are based on my personal experience and work with them; they are for a guide only, not an absolute demonstration of what any one of them believe. The fact is Christian theologians are grappling with the identity of being Christian, and thus all these other things; most are very nice people who are trying to be human and at the same time faithful to their Scriptures and their religious traditions. Hope this helped:)

[kiwimac]

As a theologian I can tell you that it is as individual as tastes in shoes. Each theologian believes something slightly (or vastly) different from the other.

Kiwimac

[Morganite]

Absolutely true. There is no test of orthodoxy imposed on theologians, as many have found to their cost. Theologians who do no more than speak the accepted view have abandoned theology in favor of sermonizing. Theology is by nature a thought process where accepted, even cherished, positions are questioned, challenged, possibly redefined, and new concepts introduced where they are believed to be absent but important. Theology is not adherence to a creed or catechism, but a search for greater spiritual truths than are evident in what has gone before.

It is due to the theologians of past and present times that the Christian message is constantly defined and re-defined to make it relevant to the times. A religion that stands still is doomed to stagnate, fossilise, and then decay.

The absurd claim that a certain set of doctrines has always and everywhere been taught is a fiction. The history of the development of Christian doctrine is strewn with the corpses of once dearly held, but now abandoned, doctrines and dogmas. A current case is the discussion in the RCC where the Pope is being urged to abandon the doctrine of Limbo.


M:)