FUNDAMENTAL

SYSTEMATIC
THEOLOGY
MAT 201
St. Vincent School of Theology
(Adamson University)
SY: 2021-2022
 • GENERALLY, OPENING QUESTION:
WHAT IS THEOLOGY?

• YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE OF

INTRODUCTION “THEOLOGY”

• Previous Courses in Theology

• Enjoyed it? Boring?

 • THEOLOGIANS

• THEOLOGIES

INTRODUCTIO
N • Why Theology, And Not Philosophy
Or Theodicy Or Religious Studies,
Religious Education, Etc.?

• Why Fundamental? Why

Systematic?
 Chapter 1:
INTRODUCING THEOLOGY
 Introducing Theology

• Usual Definitions:
• Sermo de Deo (Talk / Discourse on God)
• Fides Quaerens Intellectum (Faith Seeking Understanding)

• Elements in Theology:
• Fides (Faith)
• Intellectum (Understanding)
• Quaerens (Seeking)
 Questions in your mind?

Fides Intellectum Quaerens

 Fides

One “believing” (or “experiencing” faith)

The object of belief

The expression of belief

 Intellectum

Aspiration:
Not to feel? How to
to
To Live? understand?
understand
 Quaerens

Assumption: there is a The HOW (Method) On what basis is the

desire to “understand” HOW chosen?
 • T. Rausch:

“a critical reflection on the faith of

the community, to bring the
experience of God and God’s grace
Other ideas to expression, clarity and deeper
on Theology understanding” (p.1)

“second-order language, removed

by several levels of abstraction,
metaphor, or analogy from the
faith experience.” (p.2)
 • C. Sedmak’s Theses:
• Thesis 1: “Theology is an
invitation to wake up: to be
mindful and attentive”
Other ideas
on Theology • Thesis 2: “Theology is done
locally” i.e., takes the particular
situation seriously. It is done by
people, and with people
 • C. Sedmak’s Theses:
• Thesis 3: “Doing Theology is a way
of following Jesus. Theology seeks
friendship and communion with
Other ideas God”
on Theology
• Thesis 4: “Theology talks about
life. It looks at life as if how we
live makes a difference.”
 • C. Sedmak’s Theses:
• Thesis 5: ”We do theology
because we share a vision and we
Other ideas experience wounds”
on Theology
• Thesis 6: “There are many ways of
doing theology”
 • C. Sedmak’s Theses:
• Thesis 7: ”We do theology both as
individuals and as a community”
Other ideas
on Theology • Thesis 8: “Theology is always
done from a certain perspective
within a particular context”
 • C. Sedmak’s Theses:
• Thesis 9: ”The theologian is like a
Other ideas village cook. Doing theology is like
on Theology cooking with local ingredients.”
 • T. Gener: “Every Filipino Christian a
Theologian”
I. Contextualization
• Doing Theology Ourselves
Other ideas • Critical Cue: The Received Faith
• Local Theologies Represent
on Theology Truly Local Churches
• Biblical role of culture and
Christian agent
• Goal: Discipleship
 • T. Gener: “Every Filipino Christian a
Theologian”
II. Every Christian Doing Theology
• Towards theologies that heal and
unite
• Being Salt and Light in Society
Other ideas • Practicing Local Theology
on Theology • Use of Vernacular and Engaging
the Practical
• Cultural Redemption
• Confronting Powers
• Affirming Wisdom and Common
Sense
 Summarizing . . .

• The “WHAT” of Theology: Faith experience of a community

• The “WHO” of Theology: Individuals of/and community, experts
and non-experts
• The “HOW” of Theology: Critical reflection in the context of
present culture and inherited tradition
• The “WHY” of Theology: to follow Jesus more closely and
strengthen communion with God
Initial question . . .

• Can you do Theology?

 Next Chapter . . .

• How did our ancestors in the faith do Theology?

• What was Theology for each of them?