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Experience with Theology
Jennifer Kennedy
Liberty University
THEO 104: Introduction to Theology Survey
Professor Cox
July 1, 2024
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When you hear the word theology, what comes to your mind?
What comes to mind when I hear the word theology? When I hear the word theology, I
immediately think of a professor teaching about the study of the Bible or the study of God.
Theology is “that discipline which strives to give a coherent statement of the doctrines of the
Christian faith, based primarily on the Scriptures, placed in the context of culture in general,
worded in a contemporary idiom, and related to the issues of life” (Etzel & Gutierrez, 2012, p.
6). According to Gabriel Etzel and R.N. Small, the authors of “Everyday Theology: Exploring
the Christian Faith,” they write “the word theology comes from the words theos, meaning “God,”
and logos, meaning “words.” So, essentially, the study of theology is the study of God, or words
about God” (Etzel & Smalls, p. 6). I have always been intrigued by the multiple religions and
the philosophical questions that theology set out to answer. After reading chapter one of our
textbook, I now know theology is a lot more complex than I had originally thought Not only are
there different types of theology such as Biblical theology, Philosophical theology, Historical
theology & Systematic theology there are multiple divisions of theology-topics of theology.
We’ve all heard the saying “everyone is a theologian” and that is true, but not everyone is a
faithful theologian. Theology attempts to understand who God is, how the world was created,
and the meaning of life. Without theology and without God we would live in a world without
morals or without beliefs and without those we would live in a completely corrupt society.
What experience have you had in your past with the study of theology?
My experience with the study of theology is very limited. My great-grandmother on my
mother’s side was a faithful go to church every Sunday type of Christian, so my family and I
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would attend church on holidays, baptisms, weddings or funerals. When she passed away last
year, she had been the longest living member up until then. My late husband’s family was very
religious so for awhile we attended Church regularly and even had Bible study sessions to help
us find God in our everyday lives. Even though I’m not much of a theologian I have always
believed in the Bible and the Word of God. John 1:18 says “No one has ever seen God, but the
one and only Son, who is himself God and[a] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made
him known” (Bible Getaway, 2016).
Besides a passing grade, what do you hope to take away from this course?
Beyond a passing grade my main goal in this course is to gain a better understanding of
theological areas and their different divisions. This understanding will serve as the foundation for
educated and meaningful discussions about faith and religion. I hope to become knowledgeable
in theological vocabulary and strategies, allowing me to express complicated thoughts with
clarity and precision I want to have a more informed perspective on the relationship of faith,
culture, and society. This information will not only strengthen my personal viewpoint but also
provide to be more perceptive and sensitive in how I handle religious discussions. Eventually, I
hope that this course will provide me the mental skills I need to interact more carefully with
theological ideas in both formal and informal settings, developing an ongoing understanding of
the depth and value of religious ideas.
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Bibliography
Etzel, G., & Gutierrez, B. (2012). Theology applied: A living faith.
Etzel, G., & Smalls, R. N. (2016).BEveryday Theology: Exploring the Christian faith. B&H
Academic.
