themuzicman
Well-known member
One of the key elements to being a good theologian is being humble enough to admit that one's own systematic theology contains the biases of those who came before us, as well as our own biases. Thus, we must conclude that each systematic theology has errors, as they are all ultimately constructed by fallen and uninspired humans beings.
If one can accept this truth, then we can begin to have discussions regarding our own theology, not to tout it as The Truth(tm), but rather as our attempt to represent the truth, with the understanding that there may be others who see the errors that we cannot. And, if we are humble enough to listen, we can detect errors and make course corrections.
However, one way that we can begin to do this on our own is to do some methodical, critical exegesis. This means taking the proof texts that we use to support our theology, and studying them critically to see if they actually say what we claim they say.
If you want a good method for doing so, I recommend (How to Read the Bible for All its Worth) by Fee and Stuart. It is very readable and very applicable to any circumstance.
Just one warning: If you think your theology is without error, this book may change how you read key proof texts that show holes and errors in your theology. If your theology is more important than discovering God's truth, do not read this book!
However, if God's truth is of paramount importance, then I suggest reading this book so you can better interpret God's word and ultimately move your beliefs to be more in line with God.
If one can accept this truth, then we can begin to have discussions regarding our own theology, not to tout it as The Truth(tm), but rather as our attempt to represent the truth, with the understanding that there may be others who see the errors that we cannot. And, if we are humble enough to listen, we can detect errors and make course corrections.
However, one way that we can begin to do this on our own is to do some methodical, critical exegesis. This means taking the proof texts that we use to support our theology, and studying them critically to see if they actually say what we claim they say.
If you want a good method for doing so, I recommend (How to Read the Bible for All its Worth) by Fee and Stuart. It is very readable and very applicable to any circumstance.
Just one warning: If you think your theology is without error, this book may change how you read key proof texts that show holes and errors in your theology. If your theology is more important than discovering God's truth, do not read this book!
However, if God's truth is of paramount importance, then I suggest reading this book so you can better interpret God's word and ultimately move your beliefs to be more in line with God.