The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesiological Theology

January 16, 2009 by Gerald Hiestand

Theology for the Church

Eclessial theology needs to get over any inferiority complex it might have in the face of secular/academic theology.  Frankly, ecclesial theology has the potential to be more robust and theologically richer precisely because it’s not hemmed in by academic concerns and constraints. Edwards is a fine example of someone who wrote theology with the church in mind. He wasn’t trying to impress a bunch of secular academicians. If Edwards tried publishing his Freedom of the Will today as a doctoral dissertation, no university (or divinity school for that matter) would publish it as is. It lacks secondary sources, doesn’t demonstrate enough historical sensitivity, plus it ignores all the contemporary discussions on this topic. And that’s the point.

The goal of the SAET is not to get a bunch of pastors together so we can write academic books that are accepted by the wider/secular academic community—or even necessarily the evangelical academic community (though I hope we would have more success there, in as much as the divinity schools are training future pastors).

The Church is God’s vehicle for changing the world. Our reflection and writing needs to be written in service to the church, to the believing community. But our reflection also needs to be deep, robust, biblical, historically informed, culturally aware, thoughtful, and prophetic. Frankly, the sort of theology the SAET has in mind will likely not find much favor in the wider/secular academy, given its current rules of engagement. But that’s fine—our goal isn’t to win the favor of a secular academy; our goal is to renew the church.

Categories: Ecclesial Theology