Spiritual Theology

On Spiritual Theology ... one of the things I found there, through all the spiritual writers, that is people who are concerned with bringing to fullness, in our lives, the work of Christ, and that’s the work of God the Holy Spirit, that is why it’s called spiritual theology, to bring the work of Christ to fullness in our lives. All of them agree that we can expect ourselves to be assailed by Eight Deadly Thoughts. Professor Diogenes Allen, mythoughts, thoughtsofgod, thoughts of God
Theology is essentially a system for organizing what we know about God, right? That’s certainly how I viewed it for a long time. In college, I was immersed in systematic theology, where everyone seemed to be in constant, heated debate with one another. Having the “right” theology felt absolutely essential. Sound doctrine mattered deeply.
 
Learning theology is valuable and intellectually enriching in its own right, but the fire that truly sets the heart ablaze comes from meditation and contemplation in God’s presence.
The first time I heard the term “Spiritual Theology” was in a class with Professor Allen. He explained how the Enlightenment dramatically shifted theology. It moved from the question “How can I know and love God?” to “What can I know about God?”
 
I am grateful for both approaches. Life feels less robust when we practice only one. It is in loving God that my heart says a wholehearted “Yes!” Thank God for the nourishment that both intellectual theology and spiritual theology bring.
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