Doing Good Theology
Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson’s Who Needs Theology is a clear and accessible book for anyone who wants to deconstruct their worldview of modern religiosity, church jargon, and legalism and find out how they can understand and participate in good theology that fits God’s plan for their lives. To accomplish this goal, the authors use clear and concise language that defines, describes, and helps the reader desire a deeper knowledge of God. I see many connections between Who Needs Theology and my dissertation research question that focuses on who needs to defend against spiritual warfare. This post will leverage Grenz and Olson’s theological treatise in hopes of improving my lived theology voice, narrowing my research topic, and increasing my knowledge of God. Grenz says that “Faith is the mysterious element” that uses conviction, insight, and a changed heart to catch a glimpse of how God works his sovereign will in the world.[1]
Since the 2017 Cape Town Advance my faith has been inspired by what Dean Conniry called “lived theology.”[2] Using the right theological vocabulary to “speak meaning” into the lives of others is the goal of the Armor of God (AOG) theology.[3] Theology means “God-thought.”[4] Christian theology, according to Grenz and Olson, is the process of “seeking to understand” what the heart already knows.[5] In the past 15 years of sharing the AOG as I travel around the world and work in hard to reach places, my heart tells me that people need Christ and Christians need help answering God’s spiritual call to arms. I hear an angelic battle cry in my spiritual consciousness that drives me to seek people and places where the Holy Spirit can use my life to share and encourage people with an inspired message on how to defend, overcome, and advance the Kingdom of God. I think, if I am critically analyzing Grenz and Olson rightly, that the AOG is a kind of Christian theology because it answers some of life’s ultimate questions.[6]
Narrowing my research topic on spiritual warfare fits the direction where Grenz and Olson are trying to guide their readers in developing a personalized theology. They say that “good theology moves beyond stating truths.”[7] For example, exploring the significance of Isaiah’s warrior motif and the Pauline metaphor of Roman armor to symbolize Christ as our defense against spiritual warfare helps me tighten the scope of my research. I wonder if the AOG meets the three criteria to form a “integrative motif” to help systematize it into a coherent theology? I believe the AOG ministry can provide a needed theological bridge that can connect Scripture, Christian heritage, and church culture with the problem of spiritual warfare. For instance, the AOG theology is biblical (Eph. 6:10-18), it is wholly Christian (Paul tells only believers to put on the whole armor of God), and it is Culturally current (the contemporary church is struggling to resist Satan and defend against his spiritual schemes).
Knowing God and reflecting the image of Christ is my personal hallmark purpose. Until I read and researched this book through the reviews and critiques of others I did not realize how much of theologian, according to the authors, I already was. They say that the knowledge of God is a theology. They also said, “Satan is the greatest theologian in the universe.”[8] Even demons, according to the Apostle James, know there is only one God.[9] As I reflected on the idea of Satan as a theologian, I felt anger, disgust, and even anxiety. I ask what does that really mean to Christology, to spiritual warfare, and to me? The tension in my heart and soul regarding the threat of Satan and his demons schemes to destroy the church and ruin my personal testimony are only offset by my confident assurance that God reins! Biblically speaking, God reins over Satan, and He promises to preserve and deliver the church and me from the evil one.[10] So, like Grenz says, the final eternal solution for humankind is not the acquisition of knowledge, power, or position. Instead, the theology that answers the question that drives humankind is rooted in an abstract element of faith, conviction, insight, and a changed heart.[11]
In summary, Who Needs Theology is an excellent primer for more research and reflection on what it means to be a present-day theologian. My review of this book helped me improve my description of my lived theology voice, narrowed my research focus, and increased my understanding of where I am in relation to God’s will. I will use Grenz and Olson as references for additional bibliographical research and support for personalizing my AOG theology. This book was important to my research on spiritual warfare because it helped me gain a deeper knowledge of my role and responsibility to share “good theology.”[12] Finally, this book encourages readers to begin with a “humble spirit that acknowledges our fallenness and finitude” before doing theology. [13]
[1] Stanley J. Grenz and Roger E. Olson. Who Needs Theology? An Invitation to the Study of God. Kindle ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996) Location 103.
[2] Chuck Conniry. “DminLGP8 Best Program of its Kind” (lecture, Commodore Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa, September 20, 2017).
[3] Ibid.
[4] Grenz, Who Needs Theology, 62.
[5] Ibid., 83.
[6] Ibid., 304.
[7] Ibid., 402.
[8] Ibid., 1231.
[9] James 2:19, ESV.
[10] Psalm 97:1, 10.
[11] Grenz, Who Needs Theology, 103.
[12] Ibid., 330.
[13] S. M. Garrett. (2008). Reformed and always reforming: The postconservative approach to evangelical theology. Christian Scholar’s Review, 38(1), 171.
About the Author
Mike
9 responses to “Doing Good Theology”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Hi Mike,
It took we a while to remember that AOG was the Armor of God as opposed to the Assembly of God denomination. You perhaps do the best of any of our cohort in connecting your weekly blog to your own dissertation topic. Well done!
This quote also stuck out to me, “So, like Grenz says, the final eternal solution for humankind is not the acquisition of knowledge, power, or position. Instead, the theology that answers the question that drives humankind is rooted in an abstract element of faith, conviction, insight, and a changed heart.”
The changed heart (TRANSFORMATION) is indeed a powerful weapon against the schemes of the enemy![
Jay,
Thanks for the comments and your support for the AOG. Yes, our transformation from sinner to saint makes us invincible, spiritually speaking, from the wiles of the devil. We may take some hits and get bruised and bloody in the physical realm. But spiritually, wearing Christ as our armor of God, makes us supernatural. How do you tell someone what that looks like? I think if we say Christians wearing the AOG is like an Ironman on steroids, that would get a good theological conversation going, don’t you think?
Mike,
Thanks for your thoughtful post and for your singlemindedness in pursuing an Armour Of God theology. (I like that you created your own name for it!)
As I read, I began to wonder if using the metaphor of “spiritual warfare” is just one way of understanding the deep spiritual realities at play in our world – living with Christ and gaining victory over sin and death because of His life in us. Paul’s description of the armour of God in Ephesians is one way to be “clothed” to confront the enemy. Another way, I imagine, would be by “wearing” the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 to overcome the death that the Law brings (“against such things there is no Law”). Another description could be Jesus’ becoming like a slave and his self-emptying ‘kenosis’ and death on the cross so he would later rise victorious (Philippians 2:5-11).
Anyway, I just thought I would raise this, and not sure it is a fit, but it may be helpful as you continue processing on this great topic.
Mike, I truly appreciate how well you incorporate every reading into not just your dissertation research, but also how you express its impact on your own personal ministry and Christianity. I believe that was a lot of what I took from this book…the ability to claim ownership on your own theological perspective. Though I too found some thought-provoking methods for my research, I even more intently found myself reading this as an interested minister who could find insight in reaching the congregation that God has entrusted to me. I want to do more than preach; I want to motivate.
I am curious how you see the various views of “theology” in regards to the way you have witnessed the different theological perspectives in your own mission work.
Hi Mike! Great connection to your research! Do you believe our legalistic ways have harmed our ability to share the Armor of God overseas? I’m curious your experiences as you get to know and understand people from different countries and cultures.
Mike,
I was struck by your recognition of Satan as a theologian. It is tough to think in those terms but Grenz reminds us through that image that theology is not reserved for Christians. Everyone has a theology of some description though clearly not all have developed an ‘examined’ theology of their own.
I wonder how your own theology, based on your understanding of the AOG might be different from my own. Do you think that there is 1 universal theology that all Christians should seek to discern or do you think that the breadth and depth of the theological spectrum are more reflective of the true nature of God?
Mike,
Every time I read one of your posts I feel like I have peered into a deep well of spiritual knowledge. You are a joy to read and your heart always comes through your writing. Thanks for the post. What is the biggest challenge you face in helping those who you minister to become stronger God Thinkers?
Jason
Mike,
Good insight on the importance of theology for your topic. I think your topic might have the greatest need for strong and good theology. A lot of your topic is metaphysical in nature and will need even more logical and theological arguments to prove it.
Mike, you note that Satan and his demons are theologians. I wonder with Grenz’s chapter and scale about not all theologies being equal, which category if any they fit into? Perhaps Satan plays to all levels of theology. What do you think? Would this be something worth considering regarding spiritual warfare? It is not something I thought about until reading your post.