Why Choose Theology?

Last updated on: February 12, 2013 at 3:25 pm by Cole Carnesecca

Why Choose Theology? 2013-02-12T15:25:56-05:00 Cole Carnesecca

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A defense of the liberal arts will almost always also be a defense of theology, because the principals that undergird the liberal arts always have theological implications. Take the recent talk Mark Roche recently gave on why one should choose a liberal arts education. I was struck by how his defense of liberal education could be extended to achieve an understanding the role of theology in dealing with existential questions in life more broadly. Roche argued, in a pretty typical fashion, that the liberal arts colleges are one of the few places where the goal is to engage with the “great questions” and the “great answers” to them. Studying the liberal arts may not be as efficient as a business degree or a pre-med track, but it is enriching in a way professional studies aren’t.

Theology, similarly, is – as Roche said of the liberal arts – essential, but not practical. Moral theology has a practical aspect, of course, but you can’t learn to build bridges or solve a math problem through theology. But by providing a space where ultimate questions and concerns can be explored, theology has something to say to our individual lives and modern cultures. Andrew Greeley said much the same in noting that one of the weaknesses in the presumed triumph of secularization is the fact that everything that’s supposed to replace religion cannot do the one thing that religion always has – ask the most important questions concerning the meaning of our existence.

In the way that the liberal arts facilitate asking questions that contextualize our life and work as individuals, theology can serve as a resource for bringing the transcendent to bear on our most pressing existential questions.

liberal arts

Previous Post

February 12, 2013

Literature Alone Won't Save Us

Next Post

February 13, 2013 House of Cards

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category ambition art beauty bible bios body Book Review cheap grace church community consumer church cultural liturgy culture deep practice desire dualisms economics education evangelicalism events faith family fare forward Film Review friendship games Gospel happiness hipster Christianity humility identity institutions irony issue previews Jesus just church justice Lent Letters to the Editor liberal arts liberal christianity literature liturgy love march madness mental health metaphysics misotheism moralism morality Movie Review music narrative naturalism new atheism passions philosophy place political theology Pope Francis power prayer privilege providence reading reason relationship remembering self resurrection science secular faiths secularism sexuality sin Social Media spirituality Sport suburbs suffering table of contents technology the future of faith the new apologetic the virtues theology thick doctrine transcendence Trinity truth tv Uncategorized violence Virtue vocation war work

Select a Month August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How does Isaiah describe the suffering servant's reaction to unjust treatment?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Weeping loudly Roaring like a lion Silent as a sheep Fleeing to Egypt