Is Theology for Everyone?
The answer is YES! When I was in college, I thought theology was really only for the highly intellectual, exceptionally smart students. Now that I’m a little older, however, I have realized how wrong that line of thinking was! My change in thinking started when I took a class about Divine Revelation a few years after college. The class took me through salvation history, from the Old to New Testament. I learned a lot, but the most important thing I learned: theology is for me, too!
I’m not saying everyone should study theology and obtain a degree. What I do mean is that every Christian is called to seek opportunities, read, etc. to learn more about God to aid their spiritual journey. He knows us so well that He speaks to each one of us in a way that He knows we will hear, receive, and understand.
Studying theology is important to help us understand the mysteries of our faith. Here is an important quote from St. Augustine that I would like to share:
“Seek not to understand that you may believe but believe that you may understand.”
To make this possible, it is necessary to exercise the supernatural virtue of faith, which we have been gifted with in baptism. You may have heard the expression, “faith seeking understanding.” It is very much the same idea that St. Augustine conveys. I think it is a very human thing to yearn for a better understanding of God and when we do come to an understanding, it brings great joy. It also delights God when we trust and love Him so much that we believe He is truth before even understanding why.
So, I think studying God is important for oneself and so that we may evangelize more effectively. I don’t think we need to be scholars to have a discussion with people who disagree with Catholicism. Yes, it is important to know Church teaching and communicate them as best we can. But I believe, often times, what is most effective is sharing our own, personal experiences of God. It could be something simple, it could be profound. But this is why we should study theology: to grow in relationship with God and to bring others to Him, as well.
That brings me to my last point: studying God helps us to grow closer to Him. Just as we grow closer to our friends or family by learning more about them, the same is true of our relationship with God. He reveals himself to each one of us, no matter our level of education, precisely because He is relational. And that revelation will lead to an understanding that God is love, which leads to true peace and joy.