Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The Difference Between Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology

Theology is the study of God, which is divide among theologians into two categories: Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology. These are very important fields to study when it comes to the truth of the Scriptures regarding the things of God. There is a big difference between the two.

Here is a simple understanding of what these two are and how they are different:

Biblical theology and systematic theology are two different manners of arranging the teaching of the scriptures. Biblical theology seeks to understand the progressive unfolding of God's special revelation throughout history, whereas systematic theology seeks to present the entire scriptural teaching on certain specific truths, or doctrines, one at a time. Biblical theology is thus historical and chronological in its design; and in fact, a close synonym for biblical theology, at least in its wide-angle task of accounting for all of special revelation, is the term “redemptive history”. Biblical theology is not always pursued in so broad a fashion, however; sometimes, certain themes are approached in a biblical theological manner; for instance, a biblical theology of holy space in worship would seek to understand how that specific motif unfolded in redemptive history, from the beginning of revelation until the end. Another narrower application of biblical theology would be the study of the unfolding of revelation during a specific time period (for example, post-exilic biblical theology); or the study of the development of themes in a particular author (for example, Johannine biblical theology); but ultimately, even these narrower applications are truly biblical-theological in nature only as they seek to advance an understanding of the progression of redemptive history as a whole.

Systematic theology, on the other hand, is laid out, not chronologically, nor with a consideration of the progressive development of doctrines, but thematically, taking into account from the outset the complete form which revelation as a whole has finally assumed. Systematic theology attempts to answer the question, “what is the full extent of the truth that we may know about the doctrine of sin, or salvation, or the Holy Spirit, etc.?”. Hence, systematic theologies progress from the doctrine of the Godhead, or theology proper, to christology, pneumatology, angelology, soteriology, and so on, treating each theme exhaustively.


Source: What is the difference between Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology? from Monergism

Recommended Resources on Systematic Theology:

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief by John Frame

Everyone's a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology by R.C. Sproul

Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem

The ESV Systematic Theology Study Bible

The ESV Study Bible

Recommend Resources on Biblical Theology:

What Is Biblical Theology? by James Hamilton

Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry by Michael Lawrence

Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments by Geerhardus Vos

The NIV Zondervan Study Bible (I don't recommend the NIV for personal reading and study, however, this study Bible is the best one in that translation)

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