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Who Needs Theology?: An Invitation to the Study of God
To many Christians theology is something alien, overly intellectual and wholly unappealing. Even seminary students are known to balk at the prospect of a course on theology. Yet theology--most simply, the knowledge of God--is essential to the life and health of the church. In this short introduction, Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson, two theologians who care deeply about the witness of ordinary Christians and the ministry of the church, show what theology is, what tools theology uses, why every believer (advanced degrees or not) is a theologian and how the theological enterprise can be productive and satisfying. Their clear, easily understood book is ideal for students, church study groups and individual Christians who want to strengthen understanding, belief and commitment by coming to know God more fully.
150 pages, Paperback
First published August 19, 1996
About the author
Stanley J. Grenz
44 books28 followersStanley James Grenz was born in Alpena, Michigan on January 7, 1950. He was the youngest of three children born to Richard and Clara Grenz, a brother to Lyle and Jan. His dad was a Baptist pastor for 30 years before he passed away in 1971. Growing up as a “pastor’s kid” meant that he moved several times in his life, from Michigan, to South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Colorado.
After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.
In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.
During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.
Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.
In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.
Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.
As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3
After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.
In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.
During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.
Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.
In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.
Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.
As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3
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October 2, 2015
In Who Needs Theology? An Invitation to the Study of God (1996), Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olson advocate for practicing theology by non-theologians. Grenz and Olson, both professional theologians, explain theology in an accessible way to convince their readers of the benefits of theological knowledge and practice. The authors also encourage everyone to embark on a theological journey. In doing so, they address common misconceptions about theology and answer popular Christian arguments against it. Distinguishing between five types of theology, the authors make a case for practicing theology on different levels. Above all, this introductory text defines and defends theology, while offering a glimpse into its historical development and elaborating on the possible tools to bring it into life.
If there is an underlying premise that is foundational to the entire narrative advanced by Grenz and Olson, it is that theology is practiced by everyone (p. 2). The authors start with defining theology in a very broad way, as any pondering upon “big” questions of life that, in one way or another, are related to God (p. 2). Christian theology is, therefore, pondering upon questions related to God practiced by Christians as Christians. The definition used intentionally blurs the line between theology practiced by ordinary Christians and professional theologians. For Grenz and Olson, the difference between the former and the latter is of degree, not kind. Any reasoning about God is theology regardless of the level of sophistication and tools used. Theology defined as reasoning about God practiced by Christians as Christians underscores the intentionality of such a pursuit – it aims for understanding one’s faith.
Although everyone is engaged in theology, theological inquiries vary in type and quality. In its most basic form, theology can be good or bad. For Grenz and Olson, bad theology is unreflective and unwilling to learn. Good theology, on the other hand, is articulate and self-aware. It goes beyond blind recital and can situate itself within the body of knowledge and interpretation. In addition, good theology does not let intellectual rigour break the connection between theology and faith. In a more nuanced description, the authors present the variety of theologies along the spectrum, distinguishing between five types: (1) folk theology, (2) lay theology, (3) ministerial theology, (4) professional theology, and (5) academic theology (p. 16). Besides deriving their names from different types of practitioners, the types along the continuum can be said to encapsulate different degrees of interaction between faith and reason. Folk theology is pure blind faith and academic theology is sterile reason devoid of faith. The authors reject these two types as undesirable, while embracing the median types where the interplay between faith and reason is alive and vibrant.
In Chapter 3, the authors move away from a broad definition of theology and describe theology in a narrow sense, i.e. as a formal discipline. In this sense, theology takes different, more specific forms, e.g. theology proper, anthropology, Christology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Theology as a discipline is two-pronged. First, it grounds Christian living (p. 31). The value of theology is, therefore, in improving our understanding of the gospel (p. 33). It is through theology that our faith develops contextual understanding it can relate to and comes to life. Knowledge of theology is highly practical. Professional theologians have described abstract notions in minute details because they have relevance to Christian life once their consequences are considered. Second, theology pleases God. The authors maintain that theology cannot be purely antropocentric and must be God-centered (p. 36). Theology is a biblically grounded way of practicing discipleship on a cognitive level. Grounding Christian living and pleasing God are not a by-product of theology, but an essential part of this discipline, and its raison d’être.
Chapter 4 is dedicated to defending theology. In this chapter, Grenz and Olson identify common objections, such as the Killjoy Objection, the Divisiveness Charge, the Speculation Accusation and the Stalemate Indictment (p. 45) and respond to them. The Killjoy objection states that theology prevents us from enjoying God. The response is that joy is not the point of Christianity, biblical truths are (p. 47). The essence of the Divisiveness Charge is that theology divides. Grenz and Olson respond that (1) theology teaches to distinguish orthodoxy from heresy, (2) unity cannot be put above truth (p. 49), and (3) theology also can unite (p. 50). The Speculation Accusation arises from claims about that which we cannot know made by some theologians. The response is that while this happens, not all theology is speculative and we can make genuine-but-incomplete statements about God (p. 52). The Stalemate Indictment is an accusation about the lack of progress in theology. The authors respond by pointing out the examples of paradigm shifts and developments in theology that can be described as progress in the sense of contextualizing theology for contemporary circumstances.
In Chapter 5, the authors describe the tasks of theology, making a distinction between its critical and constructive tasks. The former is divided into (1) examining and evaluating Christian beliefs and (2) categorizing them as dogma, doctrine or opinion (p. 70). The latter is divided into (1) constructing unified models and (2) relating those models to contemporary culture (p. 70). Theology does not create truths or beliefs but works with beliefs circulating among Christians. Categorizing them according to their importance for being a Christian (dogma) or a part of a Christian community, such as a church or denomination (doctrine). Constructing unified models refers to conceptualizing notions revealed throughout biblical stories into a coherent whole and establishing connections between them (e.g. the concept of Trinity that is not taught explicitly in the Bible). Relating those models to contemporary culture is a task of expressing those models using contemporary language that is comprehensible to target audience.
Chapters 6 and 7 describe the tools theologians use, such as the biblical message, church heritage as well as contemporary culture, and contextualization respectively. A combination of these tools helps transmit biblical truths that are not self-explanatory in the original context using the methods developed over time with necessary adaptations for contemporary audience. The mandate of theology is not to restate the Bible, but to address a context (p. 95). The authors conclude the book by reiterating the importance of theology as a practical discipline. To do theology right is to live it out (p. 115).
Overall, this is an okay book. It has a purpose and it does the job, although the level of execution is a hit and miss depending on the chapter. As a whole, it felt too basic for an introductory book. The strongest parts are the continuum of theologies and the part explaining the distinction between dogma, doctrine and opinion as well as the part explaining the historical denominational divides. The main point (i.e. "everybody needs theology") that takes up a disproportionate amount of the book is neither original nor well-articulated. It does get quite repetitive. The book has some value in it, but one has to suffer through it to find it. Luckily, doing so doesn't take too long since the book is extremely short.
If there is an underlying premise that is foundational to the entire narrative advanced by Grenz and Olson, it is that theology is practiced by everyone (p. 2). The authors start with defining theology in a very broad way, as any pondering upon “big” questions of life that, in one way or another, are related to God (p. 2). Christian theology is, therefore, pondering upon questions related to God practiced by Christians as Christians. The definition used intentionally blurs the line between theology practiced by ordinary Christians and professional theologians. For Grenz and Olson, the difference between the former and the latter is of degree, not kind. Any reasoning about God is theology regardless of the level of sophistication and tools used. Theology defined as reasoning about God practiced by Christians as Christians underscores the intentionality of such a pursuit – it aims for understanding one’s faith.
Although everyone is engaged in theology, theological inquiries vary in type and quality. In its most basic form, theology can be good or bad. For Grenz and Olson, bad theology is unreflective and unwilling to learn. Good theology, on the other hand, is articulate and self-aware. It goes beyond blind recital and can situate itself within the body of knowledge and interpretation. In addition, good theology does not let intellectual rigour break the connection between theology and faith. In a more nuanced description, the authors present the variety of theologies along the spectrum, distinguishing between five types: (1) folk theology, (2) lay theology, (3) ministerial theology, (4) professional theology, and (5) academic theology (p. 16). Besides deriving their names from different types of practitioners, the types along the continuum can be said to encapsulate different degrees of interaction between faith and reason. Folk theology is pure blind faith and academic theology is sterile reason devoid of faith. The authors reject these two types as undesirable, while embracing the median types where the interplay between faith and reason is alive and vibrant.
In Chapter 3, the authors move away from a broad definition of theology and describe theology in a narrow sense, i.e. as a formal discipline. In this sense, theology takes different, more specific forms, e.g. theology proper, anthropology, Christology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, and eschatology. Theology as a discipline is two-pronged. First, it grounds Christian living (p. 31). The value of theology is, therefore, in improving our understanding of the gospel (p. 33). It is through theology that our faith develops contextual understanding it can relate to and comes to life. Knowledge of theology is highly practical. Professional theologians have described abstract notions in minute details because they have relevance to Christian life once their consequences are considered. Second, theology pleases God. The authors maintain that theology cannot be purely antropocentric and must be God-centered (p. 36). Theology is a biblically grounded way of practicing discipleship on a cognitive level. Grounding Christian living and pleasing God are not a by-product of theology, but an essential part of this discipline, and its raison d’être.
Chapter 4 is dedicated to defending theology. In this chapter, Grenz and Olson identify common objections, such as the Killjoy Objection, the Divisiveness Charge, the Speculation Accusation and the Stalemate Indictment (p. 45) and respond to them. The Killjoy objection states that theology prevents us from enjoying God. The response is that joy is not the point of Christianity, biblical truths are (p. 47). The essence of the Divisiveness Charge is that theology divides. Grenz and Olson respond that (1) theology teaches to distinguish orthodoxy from heresy, (2) unity cannot be put above truth (p. 49), and (3) theology also can unite (p. 50). The Speculation Accusation arises from claims about that which we cannot know made by some theologians. The response is that while this happens, not all theology is speculative and we can make genuine-but-incomplete statements about God (p. 52). The Stalemate Indictment is an accusation about the lack of progress in theology. The authors respond by pointing out the examples of paradigm shifts and developments in theology that can be described as progress in the sense of contextualizing theology for contemporary circumstances.
In Chapter 5, the authors describe the tasks of theology, making a distinction between its critical and constructive tasks. The former is divided into (1) examining and evaluating Christian beliefs and (2) categorizing them as dogma, doctrine or opinion (p. 70). The latter is divided into (1) constructing unified models and (2) relating those models to contemporary culture (p. 70). Theology does not create truths or beliefs but works with beliefs circulating among Christians. Categorizing them according to their importance for being a Christian (dogma) or a part of a Christian community, such as a church or denomination (doctrine). Constructing unified models refers to conceptualizing notions revealed throughout biblical stories into a coherent whole and establishing connections between them (e.g. the concept of Trinity that is not taught explicitly in the Bible). Relating those models to contemporary culture is a task of expressing those models using contemporary language that is comprehensible to target audience.
Chapters 6 and 7 describe the tools theologians use, such as the biblical message, church heritage as well as contemporary culture, and contextualization respectively. A combination of these tools helps transmit biblical truths that are not self-explanatory in the original context using the methods developed over time with necessary adaptations for contemporary audience. The mandate of theology is not to restate the Bible, but to address a context (p. 95). The authors conclude the book by reiterating the importance of theology as a practical discipline. To do theology right is to live it out (p. 115).
Overall, this is an okay book. It has a purpose and it does the job, although the level of execution is a hit and miss depending on the chapter. As a whole, it felt too basic for an introductory book. The strongest parts are the continuum of theologies and the part explaining the distinction between dogma, doctrine and opinion as well as the part explaining the historical denominational divides. The main point (i.e. "everybody needs theology") that takes up a disproportionate amount of the book is neither original nor well-articulated. It does get quite repetitive. The book has some value in it, but one has to suffer through it to find it. Luckily, doing so doesn't take too long since the book is extremely short.
September 27, 2023
Spoiler alert: everyone does!
August 9, 2020
In general, this was a really informative read. I’m just about to start my seminary education this semester and I feel like it was good to ask the questions, “What is Theology?” And “why study it?” “Is it important?” And other related questions.
Chapters 1-3 were somewhat boring, but that’s because they had to build from the most basic points in order to answer some of these questions. The authors define Theology with a wordy definition, but it’s definitely accurate. My summary of their definition would be something like “Theology is the study of who God is and what He has done, and how that relates to us in our current age, with the goal of glorifying God by representing Him well in all that we think, say, and do.” My definition is pretty wordy too, but I think it would satisfy these authors’ criteria for a good definition of Theology.
But getting into chapter 4, after they have defined Theology pretty thoroughly, the authors begin defending against objections to Theology. My favorite point they made was in answering the question, “well, isn’t Theology stagnate? We aren’t discovering any more truth from practicing Theology, were just having endless debates about it.” And the simple form of the answer is saying that progress is slow because it’s cross-generational progress. We aren’t going to see universal agreement because there are always going to be dissenters, but there have clearly been paradigm shifts throughout history that show major improvements in how people think about God. One obvious example is the Reformation. There are other examples in shifts in the mainstream thought of Christianity that he uses (like the idea of God suffering), but this is the easiest one to mention without going into detail.
After addressing these objections, the authors get into some more heavy, and in my opinion, more interesting things. The main point that the rest of the book revolves around is the idea that we cannot be 100% objective when we read scripture and do theology. We always bring our cultural baggage and point of view to scripture, even if we think we are aware of both our culture and 1st century culture. The book uses an analogy of a molecular model as being the same as a theological idea. They are models meant to give a good picture of the reality, but they can never fully grasp the exact nature of the reality. A model of a molecule is never as “natural” or complex as the actual thing. In the same way, the doctrine of the Trinity can never fully represent God in his true form, because it is just a model meant to help us understand what the Bible is telling us about God. All we know about God is that He is Three in One—Triune. But as soon as we use metaphors and analogies, we actually lose something in our “increase” of understanding. Theology is still necessary, because it allows us to express truths in our current age, but we must never forget that our reason is finite and limited, unequipped to understand the complex and infinite nature of God.
Another thing I really liked about this book is the discussion of what tools we use when doing theology. One would say, “the Bible of course!” But I like how these authors allow for more nuance than that. Of course the Bible is our standard and authority, but we should also let Church history and our contemporary culture influence how we do theology. Church history because there are already theological frameworks that have been built (very good ones at that), and culture because we need to take timeless truths and make them relevant to current culture and events.
There is one thing I thought was missing from the book. The goal of Theology, in my opinion, is to know God better in order to do as the creed says: “The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.” I felt like this aspect was almost completely missing from the book. He dances around this idea, but I don’t feel like he ever hammered home the point that we study and teach theology to simply know God, love Him, and glorify Him. I wish he would have had a chapter titled something like, “Theology and the Glory of God” or something along those lines. That is pretty much the only complaint I have with this book (even if it is a rather large complaint.)
These are the main things that really stuck out to me in the book, but there is a lot more information that I haven’t mentioned. If you have reservations about the word “theology” this may be a good book for you. If you already like theology, it may give you a second opinion on what you are actually trying to accomplish in your study of theology. I’ve been reading theology for many years already, but this book still gave me many new things to contemplate.
Have fun!
Chapters 1-3 were somewhat boring, but that’s because they had to build from the most basic points in order to answer some of these questions. The authors define Theology with a wordy definition, but it’s definitely accurate. My summary of their definition would be something like “Theology is the study of who God is and what He has done, and how that relates to us in our current age, with the goal of glorifying God by representing Him well in all that we think, say, and do.” My definition is pretty wordy too, but I think it would satisfy these authors’ criteria for a good definition of Theology.
But getting into chapter 4, after they have defined Theology pretty thoroughly, the authors begin defending against objections to Theology. My favorite point they made was in answering the question, “well, isn’t Theology stagnate? We aren’t discovering any more truth from practicing Theology, were just having endless debates about it.” And the simple form of the answer is saying that progress is slow because it’s cross-generational progress. We aren’t going to see universal agreement because there are always going to be dissenters, but there have clearly been paradigm shifts throughout history that show major improvements in how people think about God. One obvious example is the Reformation. There are other examples in shifts in the mainstream thought of Christianity that he uses (like the idea of God suffering), but this is the easiest one to mention without going into detail.
After addressing these objections, the authors get into some more heavy, and in my opinion, more interesting things. The main point that the rest of the book revolves around is the idea that we cannot be 100% objective when we read scripture and do theology. We always bring our cultural baggage and point of view to scripture, even if we think we are aware of both our culture and 1st century culture. The book uses an analogy of a molecular model as being the same as a theological idea. They are models meant to give a good picture of the reality, but they can never fully grasp the exact nature of the reality. A model of a molecule is never as “natural” or complex as the actual thing. In the same way, the doctrine of the Trinity can never fully represent God in his true form, because it is just a model meant to help us understand what the Bible is telling us about God. All we know about God is that He is Three in One—Triune. But as soon as we use metaphors and analogies, we actually lose something in our “increase” of understanding. Theology is still necessary, because it allows us to express truths in our current age, but we must never forget that our reason is finite and limited, unequipped to understand the complex and infinite nature of God.
Another thing I really liked about this book is the discussion of what tools we use when doing theology. One would say, “the Bible of course!” But I like how these authors allow for more nuance than that. Of course the Bible is our standard and authority, but we should also let Church history and our contemporary culture influence how we do theology. Church history because there are already theological frameworks that have been built (very good ones at that), and culture because we need to take timeless truths and make them relevant to current culture and events.
There is one thing I thought was missing from the book. The goal of Theology, in my opinion, is to know God better in order to do as the creed says: “The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.” I felt like this aspect was almost completely missing from the book. He dances around this idea, but I don’t feel like he ever hammered home the point that we study and teach theology to simply know God, love Him, and glorify Him. I wish he would have had a chapter titled something like, “Theology and the Glory of God” or something along those lines. That is pretty much the only complaint I have with this book (even if it is a rather large complaint.)
These are the main things that really stuck out to me in the book, but there is a lot more information that I haven’t mentioned. If you have reservations about the word “theology” this may be a good book for you. If you already like theology, it may give you a second opinion on what you are actually trying to accomplish in your study of theology. I’ve been reading theology for many years already, but this book still gave me many new things to contemplate.
Have fun!
July 17, 2024
Good theology is important, because everyone is in fact a theologian. The author’s focus isn’t on convincing the reader to become a theologian, rather they focus on arguing for good theological methods and practices. They define theology as “reflecting on and articulating the God-centered life and beliefs that Christians share as followers of Jesus so that God might be glorified in all Christians are and do.” p.69 They argue that arriving at good theology must make use of not just the Biblical message itself, but also the theological heritage of the church, and contemporary culture. This method must be constructed in reference and relationship to a community of people, because good theology must reach the street level of people’s lives.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book?
Different types of theology and the importance of moving from folk theology to lay and ministerial theology. p.27-38
Theological triage of ideas through the lens of dogma, doctrine and opinion. p73
What theology does constructively for the Christian in setting a unity and coherence between what the Bible teaches about God and the context of the world we are called to be disciples in. p.77
Understandable language, relevant to problems, interacts with modern education - p.99-100
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why?
I was most impacted by chapter 7, Constructing Theology in Context, because it helped me see not just how relevant good theology is to everyday life, but also the place that contextualization has in developing a theological system. I appreciated how the authors argued for what they called a trialogue approach. We don’t just start and stop with the Bible, and we don’t just start with culture and work backwards to the Bible, instead, we bring our “understanding of scripture, our cognizance of our heritage, and our reading of our cultural context” together. p.112
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you?
I thought this summary was very helpful: “Who needs theology? The contemporary church does. Why? So that we can indeed be God's people in our world. What kind of theology do we need? One that is truly scriptural, completely Christian and totally relevant. One that embodies the biblical message as proclaimed by the one people of God in a manner that interfaces with life in our specific context. Only this kind of a theology can provide us the intellectual resources we need to live out our calling as Christ's disciples in our world.” p.102
What is a disagreement you have with the author?
I did pause some when the author was discussing theological triage on the doctrinal level. He described his own suggestion of praying together with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask?
What has been your story at arriving at your theological method? What are the most valuable tools you’ve found for building your theology? How does an understanding of personality and learning styles play into a person’s quest for good theology?
What is your most useful takeaway from this book?
How to bring together my Biblical knowledge, understanding of tradition in evangelicalism, and what I know about culture into a comprehensible and relevant theology.
What were three (or more) things you learned from reading this book?
Different types of theology and the importance of moving from folk theology to lay and ministerial theology. p.27-38
Theological triage of ideas through the lens of dogma, doctrine and opinion. p73
What theology does constructively for the Christian in setting a unity and coherence between what the Bible teaches about God and the context of the world we are called to be disciples in. p.77
Understandable language, relevant to problems, interacts with modern education - p.99-100
Which chapter or section of the book had the greatest impact on you? Why?
I was most impacted by chapter 7, Constructing Theology in Context, because it helped me see not just how relevant good theology is to everyday life, but also the place that contextualization has in developing a theological system. I appreciated how the authors argued for what they called a trialogue approach. We don’t just start and stop with the Bible, and we don’t just start with culture and work backwards to the Bible, instead, we bring our “understanding of scripture, our cognizance of our heritage, and our reading of our cultural context” together. p.112
What is one quote from the book that made an impression on you?
I thought this summary was very helpful: “Who needs theology? The contemporary church does. Why? So that we can indeed be God's people in our world. What kind of theology do we need? One that is truly scriptural, completely Christian and totally relevant. One that embodies the biblical message as proclaimed by the one people of God in a manner that interfaces with life in our specific context. Only this kind of a theology can provide us the intellectual resources we need to live out our calling as Christ's disciples in our world.” p.102
What is a disagreement you have with the author?
I did pause some when the author was discussing theological triage on the doctrinal level. He described his own suggestion of praying together with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
If you could interview the author, what question(s) would you ask?
What has been your story at arriving at your theological method? What are the most valuable tools you’ve found for building your theology? How does an understanding of personality and learning styles play into a person’s quest for good theology?
What is your most useful takeaway from this book?
How to bring together my Biblical knowledge, understanding of tradition in evangelicalism, and what I know about culture into a comprehensible and relevant theology.
December 30, 2021
This book is well-intentioned - it sets out to educate the reader about what theology is and how it is useful. As such, it takes a surprisingly narrow stance and is really aimed at Christian readers specifically. I infer that there's some kind of negative view of "theology" amongst Christians, as the book spends a lot of time up front in a defensive position trying to persuade you that asking questions to seek truth about God will NOT, in fact, destroy your currently held faith. (If you already believe that, why would you ever pick up this book?) The authors position theology as "seeking to understand with the intellect what the heart already believes," i.e., to reinforce/correct faith, not destroy it. But if you have to already have faith before engaging in theology, that sort of leaves the rest of us out, doesn't it?
Anyway, that part was all fine, but then the authors wandered in to the classic mistake of being too abstract/academic because their expertise is too deep. This book simply doesn't persuade the reader that he/she needs theology, because it talks about theology as an abstract thing rather than something that connects with the reader's life. I think if persuasion were the goal, a better approach would be to start with "how can theology help improve your life and enrich and deepen your faith?" i.e., what's in it for you as the reader/believer. Even though there was a chapter on "The Theologian's Tools", I found it disappointingly short on actual tools. I wanted to know more about how theologians ask and answer questions about their faith.
I did find the academic description of theology interesting, including the spectrum they defined that ranges from folk theology (mottos/bumper stickers) to academic theology (abstract/philosophical). But that's because I'm content to view this as an interesting study of how to organize thought and religious investigation. I suspect this book would not achieve its persuasive goal for Christian readers.
Anyway, that part was all fine, but then the authors wandered in to the classic mistake of being too abstract/academic because their expertise is too deep. This book simply doesn't persuade the reader that he/she needs theology, because it talks about theology as an abstract thing rather than something that connects with the reader's life. I think if persuasion were the goal, a better approach would be to start with "how can theology help improve your life and enrich and deepen your faith?" i.e., what's in it for you as the reader/believer. Even though there was a chapter on "The Theologian's Tools", I found it disappointingly short on actual tools. I wanted to know more about how theologians ask and answer questions about their faith.
I did find the academic description of theology interesting, including the spectrum they defined that ranges from folk theology (mottos/bumper stickers) to academic theology (abstract/philosophical). But that's because I'm content to view this as an interesting study of how to organize thought and religious investigation. I suspect this book would not achieve its persuasive goal for Christian readers.
March 15, 2022
I remember reading Who Needs Theology? in either undergraduate or graduate school and liking it. I was thinking this would be a fairly enjoyable read that would simply echo a feeling that I already had. I mean clearly when writing a book called Who Needs Theology? the implied answer is everyone, especially with a subtitle "An Invitation to the Study of God."
What I found though was less enjoyable than I remembered. To be honest I think there is a reason for this. In the context of school a book like this was helpful at an introductory level for deeper thought and reflection about theology. Outside of the context of school, I realize that this book isn't really accessible for a wide section of the church, no matter how many references to Peanuts you may make.
It's a rather academic approach to the question and while it may hit undergraduate students, or even seminary students in their first year of study, I think the wider church would struggle with this. It's not like I disagree with the book necessarily, but more that I think the way that it is written really hinders the message. It feels like you already need to be on board with the answer they have and understand some theology already to really get the most of out of the book, which maybe isn't the best approach for an introduction to theology.
It's also just a bit awkward, it constantly references previous or later chapters. I don't mind when books do this a little, but I felt this one went a bit overboard with that. It also winds up making later chapters feel like a lot of things have already been said and gets a bit repetitive.
Personally I think James Emery White's work "A Mind for God," is a bit better and more accessible work for developing the minds of Christians. His focus isn't quite so focused on theology, but it is totally in view. I think this book just lacks an accessibility to the wider church and that really hurts the good message that it is trying to get out.
What I found though was less enjoyable than I remembered. To be honest I think there is a reason for this. In the context of school a book like this was helpful at an introductory level for deeper thought and reflection about theology. Outside of the context of school, I realize that this book isn't really accessible for a wide section of the church, no matter how many references to Peanuts you may make.
It's a rather academic approach to the question and while it may hit undergraduate students, or even seminary students in their first year of study, I think the wider church would struggle with this. It's not like I disagree with the book necessarily, but more that I think the way that it is written really hinders the message. It feels like you already need to be on board with the answer they have and understand some theology already to really get the most of out of the book, which maybe isn't the best approach for an introduction to theology.
It's also just a bit awkward, it constantly references previous or later chapters. I don't mind when books do this a little, but I felt this one went a bit overboard with that. It also winds up making later chapters feel like a lot of things have already been said and gets a bit repetitive.
Personally I think James Emery White's work "A Mind for God," is a bit better and more accessible work for developing the minds of Christians. His focus isn't quite so focused on theology, but it is totally in view. I think this book just lacks an accessibility to the wider church and that really hurts the good message that it is trying to get out.
March 22, 2014
Theology is a word that creates a surge of excitement in the minds of some such as me while striking fear or even ambivalence for many others. After all, is not theology something for pastors and academics to explore and for the believer to sit in the pew each Sunday to hear what they need to hear so we can all move on with the issues of life? Responding to these various presuppositions concerning theology, authors Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson present the idea that theology is for all believers, not just those who preach from the pulpit or who occupy the halls of academic. In their helpful book Who Needs Theology: An Invitation to the Study of God, Grenz and Olson reorient the discussion and thus demonstrate that theology is a necessary part of the Christian life.
It is no small task to find a way to present the topic of theology in such a way that people will grasp its importance in their daily life. The very term has become far too associated as being the realm of a select few rather than what it truly is, namely the study of God in which all believers are commanded in scripture to actively participate. Grenz and Olson rightly note at the outset of this book that theology is an inescapable reality of life. In fact, “every person must at some point in life face and wrestle with the questions that point to the ultimate question of God…even where God is ignored or denied, God remains the ultimate horizon – background and goal – against which all of life’s ultimate questions arise and to which they point.” Theology then is as much a part of life as eating and breathing.
Grenz and Olson do note there are various levels of theology, theological acumen, and practice ranging from mere reflective Christianity to academic theology. All believers exist at some point along the spectrum of theological practice. Furthermore, theology is not just a stale definition that describes some ethereal pursuit of knowledge. Theology has a goal and a purpose which is rightly defined by Grenz and Olson as the need “to understand and describe what we believe as Christians, what we hold to be true given our faith in Jesus Christ.” Engaging in theology will necessarily assist believers to better ground their beliefs in sound biblical truth as “It requires that we scrutinize our beliefs in the light of biblically informed Christian truth. In so doing, theology exercises a critical function…As you test your beliefs, you may discover that certain things you assumed were true do not square with sound teaching.” Thus, engaging in theology will move the believer from a place of immaturity to that needed place of maturity in the faith.
There are important tasks theology accomplishes which Grenz and Olson aptly note. First they correctly state that a main function of theology is “to examine beliefs and teachings about God, ourselves and the world in light of Christian sources, especially the primary norm of the biblical message.” Being able to examine our beliefs in light of Scripture is what provides the believer with the tools to not only note theological errors in their own life, but also to provide a solid foundation by which they can properly defend that which they believe, an activity known as apologetics. Another important task of theology noted by Grenz and Olson is the all important element of taking what you have learned and applying it to the world around you. This aspect involves elaborating on the truth of Scripture in such a way so that others can grasp at their level the things of God which is of course theology.
Doing theology involves having a set of tools available to you and Grenz and Olson do a great job of examining just what tools should be in the tool belt and workbench of all believers. They recognize that Scripture is our absolute starting point for theology. They also recognize the importance of using valuable tools to engage the truth of Scripture, tools that have been developed to help the believer in their study of God’s Word. Things such as “exegetical aids” more commonly known as a concordance, commentary, or a theological dictionary for example are helpful tools for studying Scripture. I do wish the authors would have explained the tools available to believers in a bit more detail in this section, if anything to help those unfamiliar with these “exegetical aids” to understand their purpose in doing theology.
A particular part of this book I greatly appreciated was the discussion on bringing theology to bear in everyday life. This is really where the rubber hits the road for all believers. It is certainly one thing to occupy a seminary classroom or pew and to hear anything ranging from nerdy theological pursuits to a discussion of the Sermon on the Mount. All that is great; however, if theology does not impact life, it is nothing more than mere head knowledge. In fact, Grenz and Olson provide a valuable reminder that “No one is more knowledgeable about theological things than our archenemy and his comrades.” Doing theology therefore leads to established theological convictions which “lead us to look at life the way we do and allow us to experience the world as we do.” Grenz and Olson rightly aver that “The Christian theological task is to use the tools of the craft…to construct an interpretive framework that views all reality from the perspective that God has encountered us in Jesus of Nazareth. Our goal in engaging in this task is to see the world through “Christian” eyes.” As we pursue the wisdom found in the pages of Scripture, it will in turn impact every aspect of our lives to the glory of God.
Theology should no longer be considered as something for only certain people to be involved in as the study of God must be the pursuit of every believer. Mind you not all believers will be scholars nor will all believers write books or stand in front of a pulpit to preach a message on a Sunday morning. With that said, all believers are theologians as we are all called to study God so we may live our lives to the glory of God so that we may be a light to the world. Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson do an admirable job of explaining why theology is for everyone and why it is such an essential part of the daily Christian walk. I highly encourage everyone to give this book a read as it will excite you to engage theology and to never neglect studying to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I received this book for free from IVP Academic for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
It is no small task to find a way to present the topic of theology in such a way that people will grasp its importance in their daily life. The very term has become far too associated as being the realm of a select few rather than what it truly is, namely the study of God in which all believers are commanded in scripture to actively participate. Grenz and Olson rightly note at the outset of this book that theology is an inescapable reality of life. In fact, “every person must at some point in life face and wrestle with the questions that point to the ultimate question of God…even where God is ignored or denied, God remains the ultimate horizon – background and goal – against which all of life’s ultimate questions arise and to which they point.” Theology then is as much a part of life as eating and breathing.
Grenz and Olson do note there are various levels of theology, theological acumen, and practice ranging from mere reflective Christianity to academic theology. All believers exist at some point along the spectrum of theological practice. Furthermore, theology is not just a stale definition that describes some ethereal pursuit of knowledge. Theology has a goal and a purpose which is rightly defined by Grenz and Olson as the need “to understand and describe what we believe as Christians, what we hold to be true given our faith in Jesus Christ.” Engaging in theology will necessarily assist believers to better ground their beliefs in sound biblical truth as “It requires that we scrutinize our beliefs in the light of biblically informed Christian truth. In so doing, theology exercises a critical function…As you test your beliefs, you may discover that certain things you assumed were true do not square with sound teaching.” Thus, engaging in theology will move the believer from a place of immaturity to that needed place of maturity in the faith.
There are important tasks theology accomplishes which Grenz and Olson aptly note. First they correctly state that a main function of theology is “to examine beliefs and teachings about God, ourselves and the world in light of Christian sources, especially the primary norm of the biblical message.” Being able to examine our beliefs in light of Scripture is what provides the believer with the tools to not only note theological errors in their own life, but also to provide a solid foundation by which they can properly defend that which they believe, an activity known as apologetics. Another important task of theology noted by Grenz and Olson is the all important element of taking what you have learned and applying it to the world around you. This aspect involves elaborating on the truth of Scripture in such a way so that others can grasp at their level the things of God which is of course theology.
Doing theology involves having a set of tools available to you and Grenz and Olson do a great job of examining just what tools should be in the tool belt and workbench of all believers. They recognize that Scripture is our absolute starting point for theology. They also recognize the importance of using valuable tools to engage the truth of Scripture, tools that have been developed to help the believer in their study of God’s Word. Things such as “exegetical aids” more commonly known as a concordance, commentary, or a theological dictionary for example are helpful tools for studying Scripture. I do wish the authors would have explained the tools available to believers in a bit more detail in this section, if anything to help those unfamiliar with these “exegetical aids” to understand their purpose in doing theology.
A particular part of this book I greatly appreciated was the discussion on bringing theology to bear in everyday life. This is really where the rubber hits the road for all believers. It is certainly one thing to occupy a seminary classroom or pew and to hear anything ranging from nerdy theological pursuits to a discussion of the Sermon on the Mount. All that is great; however, if theology does not impact life, it is nothing more than mere head knowledge. In fact, Grenz and Olson provide a valuable reminder that “No one is more knowledgeable about theological things than our archenemy and his comrades.” Doing theology therefore leads to established theological convictions which “lead us to look at life the way we do and allow us to experience the world as we do.” Grenz and Olson rightly aver that “The Christian theological task is to use the tools of the craft…to construct an interpretive framework that views all reality from the perspective that God has encountered us in Jesus of Nazareth. Our goal in engaging in this task is to see the world through “Christian” eyes.” As we pursue the wisdom found in the pages of Scripture, it will in turn impact every aspect of our lives to the glory of God.
Theology should no longer be considered as something for only certain people to be involved in as the study of God must be the pursuit of every believer. Mind you not all believers will be scholars nor will all believers write books or stand in front of a pulpit to preach a message on a Sunday morning. With that said, all believers are theologians as we are all called to study God so we may live our lives to the glory of God so that we may be a light to the world. Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson do an admirable job of explaining why theology is for everyone and why it is such an essential part of the daily Christian walk. I highly encourage everyone to give this book a read as it will excite you to engage theology and to never neglect studying to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
I received this book for free from IVP Academic for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 23, 2023
All Of Us
Are you tired of wondering whether theology is important in your life? Look no further than this book!
This book is a theological tour de force that will leave you feeling inspired and invigorated. Grenz's writing style is both accessible and informative, making it easy for anyone to understand and engage with theological concepts.
Through this book, Grenz invites readers to study the Bible and the nature of God. He argues that theology is not just for academics or church leaders, but for everyone who desires to understand their faith and grow in their relationship with God.
The author's passion for the subject is evident on every page, and his insights are truly inspiring.
Grenz provides a comprehensive overview of the study of God, covering topics such as the nature of God, the Trinity, creation, and salvation. He also explores how theology impacts our daily lives, including our relationships with others, our understanding of suffering, and our purpose in life. In addition, Grenz provides helpful discussion questions at the end of each chapter to help readers engage more deeply with the material.
Overall, this book is an excellent introduction to the study of God. Whether you are new to theology or a seasoned theologian, this book is a must-read. It will challenge you to deepen your understanding of God and inspire you to live out your faith with passion and purpose.
Highly recommended!
4.3/5
Are you tired of wondering whether theology is important in your life? Look no further than this book!
This book is a theological tour de force that will leave you feeling inspired and invigorated. Grenz's writing style is both accessible and informative, making it easy for anyone to understand and engage with theological concepts.
Through this book, Grenz invites readers to study the Bible and the nature of God. He argues that theology is not just for academics or church leaders, but for everyone who desires to understand their faith and grow in their relationship with God.
The author's passion for the subject is evident on every page, and his insights are truly inspiring.
Grenz provides a comprehensive overview of the study of God, covering topics such as the nature of God, the Trinity, creation, and salvation. He also explores how theology impacts our daily lives, including our relationships with others, our understanding of suffering, and our purpose in life. In addition, Grenz provides helpful discussion questions at the end of each chapter to help readers engage more deeply with the material.
Overall, this book is an excellent introduction to the study of God. Whether you are new to theology or a seasoned theologian, this book is a must-read. It will challenge you to deepen your understanding of God and inspire you to live out your faith with passion and purpose.
Highly recommended!
4.3/5
October 23, 2020
Truth be told, it was actually very informative and I think every Christian should read it (at least the first 75% of it) for a balanced perspective in contextualizing theology into modern culture. Three stars because there really were some gems in here—ESPECIALLY as it pertains to infusing theology with history and culture. But even for a short book, this book was way too long. It got to the point midway before it started dragging. Then when I arrived at last 25% of the book....it became difficult to finish because I thought they would never shut up. This book is way too long winded and could have been a bit more concise. It really drags hard the last quarter of the book and I found myself wishing the book would end already. It feels like they only dragged it this long to meet a word quota or something because there’s no reason it should have gotten so long winded. It got to the point where I was reading just to finish—not because I cared about anything else they had to say. That’s saying a lot considering it’s a short and thin book lol.
January 24, 2020
My review is partially influenced by the fact that I read it for a class, and the lectures for this module seemed to cover exactly the same ground as most of the book. Even taken on its own, the first six chapters of the book seemed quite redundant and honestly rather uninspiring. However, I really enjoyed the last three chapters. I liked the idea of the integrative motif from chapter 7, while chapter 8 discusses the absorption of theology into life so that beliefs and actions align. Chapter 9 presents practical steps for starting a journey of personal theological study, which looks excellent to me. I appreciated the emphasis in that list of steps not only on exploring the Bible and theology, but on analyzing one's own beliefs and distinguishing between those one would die for and those one would merely argue for. My rating, then, is an average between the chapters that weren't my favorite and those I really liked.
March 3, 2023
I read this for my Theological Methods class at seminary. Everyone is a theologian. In this neat invitation to theology, Grenz and Olson set out to convict the hearts of their readers to love God through theology. The authors really take the time to develop the need for and goals of theology and clearly define useful concepts to aid the reader. I particularly liked their spectrum of theologies that ranged from "folk theology" to academic theology. The book does a decent job of guiding the reader to understand what theologizing means and how theology should integrate with the Christian faith. Several concepts do get repeated pretty often, but those are foundational and the repetitiveness does help root the reader. Overall, good but not a crucial, life-changing book. Helpful for discovering a passion for theology and developing one's theological method in order to further love and glorify God.
November 9, 2018
Excellent invitation to why every Christian should engage in theology (although, they already are whenever they ask and seek to discover life's ultimate questions).
Olson & Grenz define and defend theology, discuss theology's task's and tradition, the tools required, how theology should be constructed, and the purpose of theology: to bring theology to life in our lives.
For anyone who has a negative attitude towards theology, who find it destructive to the spiritual life, just plain boring or too complicated to be involved in, or just is a new believer finding an interest in the Christian doctrine, this short (only 150 pages) and easy read is for you; it's a great place to start on the road studying the Bible.
Olson & Grenz define and defend theology, discuss theology's task's and tradition, the tools required, how theology should be constructed, and the purpose of theology: to bring theology to life in our lives.
For anyone who has a negative attitude towards theology, who find it destructive to the spiritual life, just plain boring or too complicated to be involved in, or just is a new believer finding an interest in the Christian doctrine, this short (only 150 pages) and easy read is for you; it's a great place to start on the road studying the Bible.
February 7, 2023
I'm torn. The authors collectively make some phenomenal points and the book did sharpen my view/ interpretation of theology, but I feel that some of these points were repeated three, four, maybe five times, adding what felt like 'fluff' to the text. There was very little that I disagreed with (maybe one or two pedantic things) and much that improved the way I approach the subject, but I could have appreciated a more focused, 'hit the nail once' kind of edit. Nonetheless, a great read!
February 27, 2024
An excellent primer and introduction to delving deeper into Christian theology. The authors do an excellent job of defining terms and advising on where expanding upon theology and where it can take you. They highlight the dangers and stress foremost to remember the love of God first and theology to develop thought and answers to perplexing questions as they apply to the past and today. I also love the references to The Peanuts comics throughout.
September 29, 2017
A solid, clear introduction to what is theology, why we are all theologians, and how to construct theology and apply it to our lives.
Grenz and Olson write in simple language that is easy to understand. This is an easy-to-read book that I recommend to anyone wondering what is theology and how it is relevant to all of our lives.
Grenz and Olson write in simple language that is easy to understand. This is an easy-to-read book that I recommend to anyone wondering what is theology and how it is relevant to all of our lives.
August 4, 2020
This book was a great read! If you have an interest in theology then this does a great job at explaining the basics and making a clear emphasis that the goal of theology is not to just gain knowledge but to grow deeper in relationship with the Lord.
This is an older book so the references are a bit outdated but many of the concepts still hold up today.
This is an older book so the references are a bit outdated but many of the concepts still hold up today.
August 21, 2023
Great premise. Everyone’s a theologian. We must know God’s revelation of himself, how the church has viewed that throughout history, and how it relates to today if we are to walk as Christians. Notes lots of pitfalls on the subject. I’d probably just have a conversation with someone rather than recommend the book, but if they were really fighting it, I’d give it.
April 13, 2018
I want to say this is nigh on necessary for anyone looking to begin an intentional Theological journey. Grounding and challenging, yet understandable and dare I say even relatable. This is an excellent first step
May 30, 2022
Overall great book! Dig into some deeper questions of how theology is relevant today and how we use theology beyond just criticizing peoples beliefs. Really liked the last section where it talked about great ways to apply the learning to real life.
September 27, 2017
A solid introductory textbook on Theology which suffers from a bit of redundancy and WAY too many references to the Peanuts comic strips.
December 17, 2021
Surprisingly great. Enjoyed the Peanuts cartoons.
February 13, 2022
An excellent intro to the study of theology! A little densely written but accessible to everyone. Would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to take their faith more seriously!
August 30, 2024
Great basic intro to why you should read, think, and interact with theology.
Read
June 17, 2015The study of theology is a good thing. According to authors Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olson, all of us are practicing some form of theology whether we realize it or not. If you have questions in your life about why you exist, what your purpose is and how that relates to God, then you are a theologian. Of course, Grenz and Olson expound upon this premise with a formal definition of theology and how it relates to Christianity. The challenge to the reader is self-evaluation of how he or she sees God, and what that means about the person's faith. It requires reflection and critical thinking about one's relationship with Jesus Christ, as in "why do you believe what you believe, and how do you articulate your faith?"
Grenz and Olson contend that God desires everyone's theological pursuit in Jesus
Christ, as it makes for better understanding of what it is to be a Christian and a follower of Christ. It is a practice of good, substantive theology over one that is incapable of putting into words one's faith, which is a requirement for those who are obedient to Jesus' Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The authors conclude that, in order to become a true theologian, one must accept the challenge to reflect upon their present understanding of Jesus Christ and to literally
allow the Holy Spirit to transform your way of thinking. A true theologian must have a heart
for God and allow for growth by not being satisfied where he or she is.
There is some repetition through the book but it is deemed acceptable in that it lays the groundwork for points raised through the text, and overall, the book is a relatively quick read. I also liked the references to Peanuts (Charles Schulz characters) to emphasize points.
This is a great introduction to the subject of theology but, even more importantly, a good read for anyone who has questions about life and how that relates to God. This is a good place to start to begin to formulate answers.
Grenz and Olson contend that God desires everyone's theological pursuit in Jesus
Christ, as it makes for better understanding of what it is to be a Christian and a follower of Christ. It is a practice of good, substantive theology over one that is incapable of putting into words one's faith, which is a requirement for those who are obedient to Jesus' Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The authors conclude that, in order to become a true theologian, one must accept the challenge to reflect upon their present understanding of Jesus Christ and to literally
allow the Holy Spirit to transform your way of thinking. A true theologian must have a heart
for God and allow for growth by not being satisfied where he or she is.
There is some repetition through the book but it is deemed acceptable in that it lays the groundwork for points raised through the text, and overall, the book is a relatively quick read. I also liked the references to Peanuts (Charles Schulz characters) to emphasize points.
This is a great introduction to the subject of theology but, even more importantly, a good read for anyone who has questions about life and how that relates to God. This is a good place to start to begin to formulate answers.
July 12, 2016
Who Needs Theology? is an easy-to-read introductory book to what theology is and why it is important and useful to all Christians, not just pastors or professors. The authors believe that everyone is a theologian, as theology is ultimately an attempt to answer the "big" questions about life that everyone wonders about, and most people have some sort of an opinion on already. So everyone should care about being a good theologian. In particular, Christians should care about learning good theology because we need to know what we believe and why so that we can defend our faith to those who ask. Theology also helps Christians keep our faith in difficult times, and helps us not feel pressured to give in to whatever strange new theological idea we hear.
Grenz and Olson argue that there are two different types of theology to avoid - the simple "folk" theology which is based mostly on feelings and anecdotal stories and refuses to think carefully about what it believes, and the overly-academic theology which becomes detached from personal faith in Jesus and application to the Christian life. They encourage average Christians to learn more theology to strengthen your faith, help you love God more, and learn how to live the Christian life in the middle of the culture you are in. There are also some helpful suggestions for pastors and professional theologians on how to not get sidetracked into overly-academic speculative theology.
This book gives a good general introduction to how theology works and some general tips on how to do theology in ways that will help you become a good, Biblical-based theologian. But I was somewhat hoping it would go a little deeper into the practical suggestions on how to make sure your theology is Biblical and consistent, and how to consider and evaluate theological ideas. But overall this could be very useful as an introductory textbook for people just starting to study theology or Christianity.
Grenz and Olson argue that there are two different types of theology to avoid - the simple "folk" theology which is based mostly on feelings and anecdotal stories and refuses to think carefully about what it believes, and the overly-academic theology which becomes detached from personal faith in Jesus and application to the Christian life. They encourage average Christians to learn more theology to strengthen your faith, help you love God more, and learn how to live the Christian life in the middle of the culture you are in. There are also some helpful suggestions for pastors and professional theologians on how to not get sidetracked into overly-academic speculative theology.
This book gives a good general introduction to how theology works and some general tips on how to do theology in ways that will help you become a good, Biblical-based theologian. But I was somewhat hoping it would go a little deeper into the practical suggestions on how to make sure your theology is Biblical and consistent, and how to consider and evaluate theological ideas. But overall this could be very useful as an introductory textbook for people just starting to study theology or Christianity.
August 26, 2014
If you come to this book look for an introduction to a particular theology you will be let down, but that is never what Grenz and Olson claim to be doing in their book. The set out from the beginning not to give you a theology from any perspective but rather to invite you to live more fully into the theologian you already are. On these accounts they do a very good job of defining what Christian theology is and then showing the way forward to thinking theologically.
Do keep in mind that this book is very basic, but again that is what it was intended to be. It is not a book about becoming the next great thinker of our time but about taking the first infantile steps toward learning to have a faith that interacts with the world around you. Their last chapter is especially helpful on this front as they circle back to the theory of thinking theologically that they have put forward in the previous chapters and give practical steps that a person might take. They don't claim to be an exhaustive work on theology but if you read this work well Grenz and Olson will point you in the right direction.
Do keep in mind that this book is very basic, but again that is what it was intended to be. It is not a book about becoming the next great thinker of our time but about taking the first infantile steps toward learning to have a faith that interacts with the world around you. Their last chapter is especially helpful on this front as they circle back to the theory of thinking theologically that they have put forward in the previous chapters and give practical steps that a person might take. They don't claim to be an exhaustive work on theology but if you read this work well Grenz and Olson will point you in the right direction.
February 9, 2013
This is a frustrating read. On one hand (as stated on the back cover) the authors claim to want to explain theology to "ordinary Christians" yet on the other hand, I find myself sitting with a dictionary constantly looking up and marking what words mean. This is, to say the least, a tedious process. The authors are either way too educated to explain theological concepts at the lay person's level or have simply lost touch with what ordinary means. I get it that we are all theologians and we need to be able to defend theology ... and I understand the difference between dogma, opinion, and doctrine so not all is lost. A dry read that I would never have plowed through if I didn't have to complete it for a course.
November 20, 2015
One of the important ideas in the book is that when we approach our faith by saying that all that matters is what we feel in our heart: "The result is that Christianity becomes compatible with any and every belief and thus becomes meaningless except as a folk religion based entirely on subjective emotions and personal states of mind. It is disconnected from truth and reduced to a matter of preference".
And; "...Being a theologian requires that you become dissatisfied with your present level of understanding. You must desire to deepen your comprehension of theChristian faith and be committed to growing toward mature thinking about God, yourself and the world."
recommended.
And; "...Being a theologian requires that you become dissatisfied with your present level of understanding. You must desire to deepen your comprehension of theChristian faith and be committed to growing toward mature thinking about God, yourself and the world."
recommended.
October 3, 2010
This is not a book of theology, it is a book ABOUT theology, and as such can be pretty dry. To break up the dryness, the authors (who I'm told are both great modern theologians) use some truly insufferable Peanuts illustrations. Fully halfway through the book it began to pick up and I gleaned some useful and thoughtful information, but had I not been required to read this for class I'd have put it down long before I got to the "good" parts.
Skim the first 70 pages, read the subsequent 30, and then skim to the end.
Skim the first 70 pages, read the subsequent 30, and then skim to the end.
May 4, 2021
Great little book on what theology is and why we need it. Grenz and Olsen have written for laity, and explain that everyone is a theologian in some sense of asking questions about God and life (theology, existentalism). Foundational book for theological definitions and method. The parts on various theology levels (folk, lay, ministerial, professional, and academic spectrum) was helpful, including the task of constructive and critical theologizing. Great introduction material here.
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