The Society for the Advancement of Ecclesiological Theology

December 21, 2008 by Gerald Hiestand

More Thoughts on Ecclesial Theology

The “Christian Living” genre should be included within the scope of ecclesial theology. In the past, I’ve been too dismissive at this point. There is a need for thoughtful, intelligent, theologically robust books on the Christian Life. Having said all of this however, I am not content for ecclesial theology to be limited to the Christian living genre.

There is very much a need for pastors to reengage as serious theologians and scholars. But “Pastors writing academic theology” is not the goal of the SAET. Rather, what we need is a return to the kind of thoughtful, theological reflection that Edwards, Calvin, Luther, the Puritans, etc., did. Ecclesial theology will be of a different flavor and tone than academic theology, while remaining intellectually rigorous and theologically intelligent. For instance, my conception of a commentary written by a pastor-theologian is quite a bit different than what is typically produced today by your standard academic press. But it’s not different because it’s “lighter” or “easier to read” or “pitched to a less intelligent audience.” It’s different in that it doesn’t feel a need to chase down all the rabbit trails of the secondary literature, because it’s not afraid to be explicitly theological and confessional, because it interacts with the great thinkers of the past who have helped shape orthodox thought, and because it prophetically calls for the Church to take action.

Luther’s Galatians commentary comes to mind here. Luther didn’t change the world because he was a successful academician. He changed the world because he wrote as a robust, theologically informed, intelligent, prophetic Christian. The SAET is trying to counter the sentiment that says, “Deep, penetrating commentaries and books on the atonement—that stuff is for the academy. Pastors should stick to writing Christian living stuff.” God forbid! Expounding God’s Word and reflecting on the nature of the atonement, etc., needs to be brought back into the domain of the church. Pastors need to be writing commentaries (among other things) that are richly theologically, deeply biblical, historically informed, culturally aware, prophetic, and intelligent—not so they will be accepted by the academy, but so that they will renew the church. We may not be as gifted as a Luther or an Edwards, but we should be writing with that same spirit, in that same genre, and speaking to those same issues. It’s a pity that pastors have shirked their responsibility as the guardians and articulators of the deep things of the Lord. We must stop farming out our doctrinal/theological responsibility to the academy.

Categories: Ecclesial Theology