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THE METHOD OF THEOLOGY
Collection of the Biblical Materials
The exegete will want to use the very best of theological tools and methods.
careful evaluation of our interpretational tools is important.
the crucial consideration is to determine precisely what the author was saying to his particular audience. This will involve the study of biblical backgrounds so that we understand, as it were, the other partner in the dialogue.
Unification of the Biblical Materials
Identification of the Essence of the Doctrine
The other danger is that we will, in the process of attempting to declare the message, so alter it that it becomes in effect a different genus rather than a different species within the same genus.
Illumination from Sources Beyond the Bible We said earlier that the Bible is the primary source of our doctrinal construction. While it is the major source, it is not the only one. God has revealed himself in a more general sense in his creation and in human history.
It is worth noting that in the history of biblical interpretation some nonbiblical disciplines have in fact contributed to our theological knowledge— sometimes despite the reluctance of biblical exegetes and theologians.
Natural sciences, particularly geology, have contributed to our knowledge of what God did.
Contemporary Expression of the Doctrine
Once we have determined the abiding essence or permanent content of the doctrine, we must express it in a fashion that is reasonably accessible to persons of our day. One of the ways this might be done was first formulated by Paul Tillich and is known as the method of correlation.
These questions then become the starting point for our presentation of the Christian message; that is, we relate the content of biblical theology to them. To be sure, we must not allow the non-Christian world to set the agenda completely, for in many cases it may not ask or even recognize the existence of the most important questions.
And although there has been a confidence that modern technology could solve the problems of the world, there is a growing awareness that the problems are much larger and more frightening than realized and that humans are the greatest problem to themselves.
The first we may call length. This involves taking the message from biblical times to the present and re-expressing it.
There is also the dimension of height. A message can be expressed at different levels of complexity and sophistication.
Development of a Central Interpretive Motif It is not always necessary for individual Christians to formulate a basic central characterization of their theology.
The way in which we characterize our theology is often related to our own personality and background. The customizing touch will make biblical truth more functional when we install it into our own lives.
In part, this is a matter of simply outlining our theology so that we can determine the major points, the subpoints, and the topics that are subordinate to the subpoints.
