What Makes Theology Theological?

Authors

  • Ed Ney Braga Centro Universitário Maurício de Nassau (UNINASSAU).

Abstract

An understanding of the nature of theology comprises an account of its object, its cognitive principles, its ends and its practitioners. The object of theology is two-fold: principally God the Holy Trinity, and derivatively all things in relation to God. God is considered first absolutely, then relatively; all other things are treated relative to God, under the aspect of creatureliness. The objective cognitive principle of theology is God’s infinite knowledge, of which God communicates a fitting share to creatures; the subjective cognitive principle of theology is the regenerate human intellect. The ends of theology are scientific (acquiring the knowledge of the matter which is proper to creatures), contemplative (rapt attention to God the cause of all things) and practical (regulation of the enactment of human life). The practitioners of theology are regenerate persons in the church whose creaturely intellect is instructed by God and all of whose works are accompanied by the practices of religion.

Author Biography

Ed Ney Braga, Centro Universitário Maurício de Nassau (UNINASSAU).

Graduado em Filosofia pela Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) e graduando em Psicologia pelo Centro Universitário Maurício de Nassau (UNINASSAU).

References

AQUINAS, Thomas. Summa Theologiae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

AUGUSTINE. City of God. Nicean and Post-Nicean Fathers, Series 1, Vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994.

AUGUSTINE. On the Trinity. Nicean and Post-Nicean Fathers, Series 1, Vol. 3. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994.

CALVIN, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960. (Library of Christian Classics).

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. Christ the Educator. Fathers of the Church. Washington: Catholic University of America Press, 1954.

GREGORY THE GREAT. Morals on the Book of Job. Oxford: J. H. Parker, 1844.

OWEN, John. Christologia. The Works of John Owen, Vol. 1. Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 2000.

Published

2025-01-13

Issue

Section

Traduções