Why Theology is Important

We live in an anti-theological age, partly because our generation has lost its esteem for truth of any kind (and perhaps especially for theological truth). But Christians believe that theology is important, or at least they should.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "theology" (which just means the study of God)? What is your attitude toward theology? J.I. Packer calls the "study of the nature and character of God . . . the most practical project anyone can engage in." But today, even Christians have a hard time believing that. Personally, I love theology (the study of God), but I know that many do not. So maybe we should think about this a little together.

Packer says: "Knowing about God is crucially important for the living of our lives. . . . [W]e are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul." (Knowing God, 15).