Characteristics Of My Theology

Every theologian approaches the task of theology with various beliefs and commitments. The following traits characterize my approach to the study of theology.

The Source And Posture Of My Theology

1. My Theology Is Biblical: I believe Scripture is the first, highest, and final authority in all matters of theology. Theology is ultimately tasked with understanding, proclaiming, and defending the Bible.

-Quote: Norman Geisler, “Only one book I read to believe, all others I only consider.”

2. My Theology Is Humble: While theology should seek to understand and apply all that we can in Scripture, it must recognize that we are finite creatures with mental limitations. Therefore, our reason, while important, can only take us so far and we must proceed cautiously, prayerfully, and dependently. Further, the only way to do true theology, to thoroughly understand the nature and ways of God, is to do so in worship and submission to the text, to let the text correct our theology, rather than the other way around.

The Method And Tools Of My Theology

3. My Theology Is Exegetical: Because the Bible is our primary source of theology, theology must begin by faithfully interpreting the text rather than imposing external questions and ideas into the text. The goal of theology is to understand the Bible as written and to build doctrines from the ground up. Theology is not simply a matter of accumulating enough proof texts to support a previous conclusion. One must go word by word, verse by verse, passage by passage, book by book, testament by testament to build theology.

-Quote: Myron Houghton, “Giving biblical references is a poor substitute for a careful examination of one or two passages that clearly teach the doctrine under consideration.”  Myron Houghton, Characteristics of My Theology (Class Notes, 2011), Ch. 3, Pg. 51

4. My Theology Is Systematic: The Bible is not an assortment of random authors and texts, but is the inspired word of God with, ultimately, one Author. It reveals truths across its content that are interconnected and reveal universal truths about God and creation that are meant to be studied by the people of God. Therefore, theology should seek to form these truths into coherent and useful wholes.

5. My Theology Is Philosophical: I affirm that philosophy is a servant to theology. The Bible, though divine revelation, was not written in a philosophical vacuum. It employs and conveys philosophical concepts, which are essential tools for analyzing, understanding, and articulating theological truths. Specifically, my approach centers on three philosophical commitments:

a. Metaphysics – I Am Committed to Aristotelian Classical Realism: Metaphysics is the study of being. I affirm that God, the external world, and moral truths are real and exist objectively and independently of human minds. Reality consists of substances with real, knowable essences and natures. Universals like “justice” or “humanity” exist within things, not apart from them (in the Platonic sense). This view supports theology by:

-Guarding Against Nominalism: It protects theology from the view that universals (includes natures and ethics) are just names or mental constructs with no real existence. Without classical realism, concepts like “justice,” “love,” “truth,” or even “gender” could be reduced to arbitrary labels or mere social constructions, undermining theological substance.

-Providing Grounding For Theology: It ensures that theological terms correspond to real aspects of God and creation. This allows doctrinal formulations to be more than internally coherent. They can describe objective reality. Thus, I affirm that truth is that which corresponds to reality.

-Upholding The Knowability Of God: It affirms that, insofar as God has revealed Himself, we can truly know Him. Since our minds are created to grasp the essences of things, and analogical knowledge is possible, we can understand truths about God in a real—though finite—way. Therefore, I affirm the possibility and usefulness of natural theology, i.e., reasoning from the creation to the Creator.

b. Epistemology – I Am Committed to Reformed Epistemology: Epistemology deals with our ability to know things and the manner in which we know them. I hold that belief in God can be rational and warranted apart from inferential arguments or empirical evidence. Given our nature as image bearers of God, such belief is “properly basic” when grounded in the internal witness of the Holy Spirit and the design of the human cognitive faculties by God. While philosophical and evidential arguments are valuable—especially for persuasion and clarification—faith in God can be justified even without argumentative proof. Both reason and revelation serve as valid avenues through which we may come to know divine truth. My commitment to Reformed Epistemology builds upon Classical Realism by grounding properly basic beliefs in a reality that actually exists and flows from the action and nature of God. If essences and moral truths are real and knowable, then belief in God—prompted by the Spirit—is not just subjectively valid but objectively rooted in the nature of being itself.

c. Methodology – I Am Committed To Analytic Philosophy: I utilize the tools of logic, precise definitions, and both deductive and inductive reasoning to examine theological claims and construct clear, coherent theological systems. Analytic philosophy values clarity, argumentative structure, and careful conceptual distinctions. This methodological approach enables me to engage in theology with intellectual rigor, avoiding vagueness and internal inconsistency. So, I reject a strict biblicism that insists all knowledge and all language for understanding the Bible must come from the Bible.

-Example: In Scripture, we have the data that there is one God, and yet three are called God. But how do they relate to one another? We use words like “essence,” “being,” and “person” to help understand, but these words are not in Scripture. They are philosophical concepts we use to make analogical descriptions and clarification to understand the text and guard against heresies.

6. My Theology Is Interdisciplinary: Because I affirm the reality of both general and special revelation, I believe that theology is done rightly in conversation with other disciplines of history, science, and philosophy, as long as those disciplines are meant to inform but not control theological conclusions. Further, I believe that biblical theology, systematic theology, dogmatic theology, and historic theology are meant to complement and not compete with one another.

7. My Theology Is Scholastic: My theology largely follows the method of the scholastics in developing concepts through both logical inference and structured arguments, and through interaction with and refutation of opposing ideas.

The Framework And Content Of My Theology

8. My Theology Is Historical: Theology should proceed in concert with the voices of the past. We are not the first to approach the text and so theology should draw from and interact with the wisdom of the ages.

9. My Theology Is Orthodox, Catholic Proper, And Creedal: I do not mean my theology is Greek or Russian Orthodox or Roman Catholic. I mean I affirm the universal (ecumenical) creeds (specifically, the Apostles’, Nicene and Niceno-Constantinopolitan, the Athanasian, and the Chalcedonian Definition) as true summaries of biblical teaching. As such, I stand with all true believers throughout the ages, regardless of denominational distinctives.

10. My Theology Is Classical: In keeping with the ecumenical creeds and the Great Tradition, I affirm the classical doctrines of Theology Proper, namely, divine aseity, simplicity, immutability, eternality, and impassibility.

The Identity And Convictions Of My Theology

11. My Theology Is Historically Reformed: While this term is used by many to denote a wide range of beliefs, I use this word historically to indicate that I affirm the doctrines of grace (salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone), and I affirm the Reformers’ criticisms of the Roman Catholic church’s errant teaching regarding Scripture, sin, and salvation.

12. My Theology Is Evangelical: My theology is Gospel-centered, that is, I believe that all theology is related to and flows from the Gospel of the death and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Further, I believe in a proper distinction between Law (as that which points out sin and brings condemnation), Gospel (as that which brings good news and does not condemn), and Grace (as that which motivates obedience to the moral law from a heart of worship rather than fear of condemnation). I also affirm the primacy and gift of forensic justification and regeneration as instantaneous and permanent acts of divine grace.

13. My Theology Is Fundamental: I hold to the doctrines of the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth of Christ, the substitutionary atonement of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Christ, and His future, visible, and bodily return. I believe these doctrines are first-level doctrines and are worthy of separation from other self-identified believers.

14. My Theology Is Dispensational: While not denying the reality that divine authorial intent can go beyond a human author’s intentions, I affirm that all meaning in Scripture flows from a consistent, literary, grammatical-historical hermeneutic. As a result, I affirm progressive revelation, the distinction between national Israel and the church, the beginning of the church age in Acts 2, the pretribulational rapture of the church, and the premillennial reign of Christ on the earth.

15. My Theology Is Baptistic: Given the distinction between the ages of Law and the Church, I affirm the priority of the New Testament for this age, the priesthood of all believers, the necessity of a regenerate church membership, believers’ baptism, the autonomy of the local church (though with its voluntary association and even submission), and the separation of the State and the Church.

The Purpose And Expressions Of My Theology

16. My Theology Is Confessional: Theology has objective content and so it is meant to be confessed and believed by God’s people. Theology is not merely a private exercise but a corporate one. Because truth is meant to be believed, declared, and embodied by the Church, theology must lead to clear, shared confession. Confessional theology expresses conviction, promotes clarity, and provides accountability within the believing community. Theology should move doctrine from the intellect to the heart to the community of the Church.

17. My Theology Is Ecclesial: Theology is meant for the Spirit indwelt, regenerate, believing community. It is not merely an intellectual exercise or historical inquiry. Rather, it is the discipling of the Church for worship, growth, and purpose. Therefore, it should be done:

a. By Believers: To fully understand the theology of the Bible, one must approach it with a regenerate nature and a believing heart that accepts its claims as true, life-giving, and authoritative. 

b. By All Believers: Though not every believer will do academic theology and while not every believer must understand all the nuances of theology, all believers, as indwelt by the Spirit, have the capacity and responsibility to study the Word of God and to formulate sound beliefs.

c. For Believers:  The goal of theology is, ultimately, the edification of the Church. Therefore, even the most intellectually challenging and academic aspects of theology should be done for the purpose of teaching, encouraging, rebuking, or defending the body of Christ.

-Ephesians 4:11-16, 11“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (NASB)

-2 Timothy 3:15-17, 15“And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (NASB)

18. My Theology Is Pastoral And Practical: I believe the goal of theology is not a big head, but a changed life. Theology is meant to grow the believer’s love for God, love for others, and love for holiness. All theology should be lived and should enable us to teach, disciple, encourage, and rebuke our fellow believers.

19. My Theology Is Missional: Theology should motivate us to reach unsaved people with the Gospel. The glory of God should move us towards a burning desire for others to know this God and for all the earth to worship Him. Therefore, a theology that does not lead to evangelism and missions, to fulfilling the Great Commission, is a deficient theology.

20. My Theology Is Apologetic: I believe theology is meant to enable us to defend our Christian beliefs and to enable us to persuade unbelievers. Therefore, all theology should be done with an eye to answer the objections of unbelievers. I believe this is done best through both the classical method (demonstrating theism through philosophical arguments and Christianity through evidential arguments for the resurrection) and the presuppositional method (demonstrating the impossibility of the contrary, that only Christian presuppositions can justify the preconditions of intelligibility).