theologygoverns the world, and it denies revelation, miracles, and divine provi-
dence because these features are irrational. Moreover, the deity of Deism
creates the world and institutes the laws governing it, and this deity then
allows the world to follow its own course without divine intervention.Further reading: Beaty (2003); Powers (1977)THEOLOGY
This concept is historically based in Western thought dating back to the
Greeks where the term is derived from theos (God) and logos (word or
discourse). Theology is thus a discourse about God in the sense of being
a reflection on a supreme being. The Greek term theologia is adopted by
Christian churches to account for God’s purpose and activity in biblical
narratives concerning God’s relationship to humanity.
From its early association with Greek myths, the early Latin church
fathers adopt theologia to emphasize praise of God, although it does not
possess a separate and distinct status as a discipline at this time. As
Christianity historically develops, theology is nurtured in European mon-
asteries in association with so-called rural schools, focusing on issues of
prayer and worship in addition to the nature of God. During the Middle
Ages, the growth of cities is accompanied by the creation of cathedral
schools intended to train diocesan clergy. In the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries at the University of Paris, due to the influence of Peter Abelard
and Gilbert de la Porrée, theology changes to a more systematic study of
the faith at the university level and broadens its scope from the doctrine
of God to the whole of Christian doctrine. At this time, theology, a form
of sacred learning and wisdom, becomes the so-called “Queen of the
Sciences.” The status of theology as a science becomes a contentious issue
because its status as a form of rational knowledge relying on its own first
principles is called into question by Enlightenment philosophy that recog-
nizes the limits of human knowledge. Losing its status as a leading sci-
ence, theology finds a place in the modern university in 1809 at the
University of Berlin where a debate about its status in the university cur-
riculum takes place between J. G. Fichte and F. D. E. Schleiermacher. The
former thinker argues that theology has no place in a modern university
because it violates norms of rationality, whereas the latter figure affirms
that rationality does not compete with theology. It is still possible to find
courses in theology at major universities but it tends to be treated more as
intellectual history. The primary locations for the teaching of theology are