Christians in North America often see theology as hairsplitting, irrelevant and sometimes, even irreverent. In A Basic Christian Theology, A. J. Conyers reminds us that, as humans, we are all theologians. Just experiencing ourselves, others, and the world raises theological questions in our minds. Can God be known?
Where did the universe come from?
How do I know what is right and wrong?
Who is Jesus Christ?
What is our ultimate destiny as humans?
Almost every human being will entertain such questions. And each person will come to some answer to these questions. Some will do so carelessly. Others will give great attention to answering these questions. Three centuries into the Christian era, theologians debated over whether the nature of Christ should be expressed as homoousias (of the same substance) with the Father, or homoiousias (of like substance) with the Father. The debate was over two words whose only difference was one Greek letter--an iota. Is this a significant difference or only theological hairsplitting? Will it make a difference in how a person lives, prays, worships, witnesses? |
