Theology is a practice all Christians should engage in, knowingly or not when it comes to worshipping God properly in their daily lives and inseparably throughout their journey to Him in eternity. According to the book by Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study Theology, Kapic explores the many facets and polemics in his work and writings and the pertinent ideologies we should consider as theologians. Worshipping God through sound theology involves understanding the question of why to study theology by finding in theology – the wisdom and knowledge of God that is enjoyable and awe-inspiring, recognizing the characteristics of faithful theology as theologians, and glorifying and praising Him in community, tradition, and intimately within the self through Scripture.
There are several examples of the reasons behind the why and how to study theology that Kapic expounds upon. In a scientific and practical sense, viewing theology as a form of worship to God applied to me, my overall involvement in church ministry through my experience, and my current experience in ministry forthgoing that Kapic enticed me with when it came to shaping my mindset around his concepts. For example, in principle Kapic states:
Christians must care deeply about theology. If the true God is renewing our lives and calling us to worship him “in spirit and truth ” (Jn 4:23), then such worship includes our thoughts, words, affections, and actions[1].
Worship is more than just music in a church, a concert, a conference, a meeting, or on the radio. It is a lived-out theology of Christian practices, biblically based, and shown throughout our lives where we should always be self-evident and self-aware that can also intentionally lead others towards God. Every choice we make in life, our study behind practicing, reading, writing, and being theologians should be more than just our daily scriptural devotionals. Kapic says, “Theology is all about knowing how to sing the song of redemption: to know when to shout, when to mourn, when to be silent, and when to hope”[2]. As theologians who worship Christ, we should yearn for this ideology within our studies and for myself as a Worship Leader internationally, and locally, within my everyday choices and practices within my ministry and church.
As a theologian with prior education, I can’t claim nor profess that I know everything. Coming from a mixed traditional Catholic and Reformed Protestant background with Charismatic influences, I am just a human improving upon my study of the theology of God’s Word and biblical practices to improve my worship of Him in my journey. I am not a know-it-all. Kapic says, “Worship does not require that we perfectly understand everything about God but that we respond genuinely to the true God who makes himself known to us”[3] . Therefore, at cumbersome situations or frustrating times, I see clearly that the “greatest theological challenge of our time is to move our worship beyond self–absorption”[4]. Also, in my ministry as an artist who produces with others and a musician, this is the daily struggle in a Christian Kingdom mindset that seeks to all want to be trending and popular. Thus, I must walk in humility knowing God is the goal and to lead others to his cross, lest I be marked as unfit to serve or not after the heart of God and self-serving. Kapic elaborates on this stating:
Marks of a corrupted theology include fits of anger, jealousy, division, and strife (Gal 5: 19-21), where understanding has become an idol rather than an avenue to the living God. Genuine theology cultivates a spirituality of grace, humility, truth, gentleness, unity, peace, patience, and love (Gal 5: 22)[5] .
Walking in my anointing in humility is more fruitful for God as a theologian and worship leader instead of foolishly puffing myself up with pride over my works and self-righteousness.
This brings me to the intriguing points that Kapic argued and defended about the “theologian of the cross” and the “theologian of glory”. In my experience, so many of the Christian pastors, celebrity newborn and new age Christians, worship pastors, podcasters, and rising Christian artists or musicians seek to be that kind of “theologian of glory” pointing to themselves instead of to the cross for vanity, attention, money, and even yes, fame through likes, follows, and approval. Kapic says, we are “in a fallen world” and that “we are not faithful if we present a plastic and sanitized portrait that does not correspond to reality”[6]. This false pre-tense turns off unbelievers & the lost and also detracts from the edification of the body of Christ. To pastors, theologians, as well as biblically solid Christians, it also deters the community of believers in society to 1) not understand why we water down the Gospel 2) present its liveliness as a means of grace, truth, and love 3) makes Christianity seem horrible and uncaring. According to Kapic and Martin Luther:
Martin Luther made a distinction between what he called a “theologian of the cross” and a “theologian of glory.”[3] Luther thought that by nature we are all prone to use our theology to justify ourselves, through various “works,” whatever shape they may take. His main concern with the theology of glory is self-justification based on self-deceit. Luther worried about our relentless tendency to put the best possible spin on our own motives, actions, and lives, and in this way, we seek to justify ourselves before God and others. A theology of glory goes against the way of the cross[7].
Gerhard O. Forde explains in the text, that this kind of theology puts itself and humans up against “grace”, leaving it as only an addition to the “will and power” of an almighty God[8]. Whereas Gerhard continues and vies for the “theologian of the cross”:
They operate on the assumption that there must be—to use the language of treatment for addicts—a “bottoming out” or an “intervention.” That is to say, there is no cure for the addict on his own. In theological terms, we must come to confess that we are addicted to sin, addicted to self, whatever form that may take, pious or impious.[4][9]
Kapic’s argument for the “theologian of the cross” is essentially that we should be bearers of the Good News of the Gospel of the Grace of Jesus Christ in all that we read, write, say, and do in our lives and titles as theologians, extending that grace to others. He says:
Grace is the necessary and liberating experience of the theologian living a life of humility and repentance. We cannot rightly respond to God’s revelation and worship him in any other posture. Judgment, truth telling and the confession of need must always begin with the theologian. This is the path of genuine humility and repentance. This is the path of good theological study.[10]
I agree with this claim that as a “theologian of the cross”, I should be wary of presenting any image that does not bear the marks of Jesus Christ. If it does not represent God in a biblical, honorable, and humble position, then I should not say it, write about it, or even write songs about Christian psalm writing either. Nor should I support other ministries or charities opposed to the “theology of the cross” and instead refute grace, and revelation by God through confirmed Scripture. I should worship God “in Spirit and Truth” (Jn 4:24) corporately and individually. These are the many takeaways I have come to be mindful of through my understanding of my worship of God in theology and through the work by Kelly Kapic. As 2 Timothy 3:15 says, this theology is “wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus”. I can only hope to grow more.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kapic, Kelly M.. A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology,
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012. Kindle Edition.
[1] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study Theology (Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2012), 10
[2] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 15
[3] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 14.
[4] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 12.
[5] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 32.
[6] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 54.
[7] Ibid. 54-56
[8] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 56
[9] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 57.
[10] Kelly M. Kapic, A Little Book for New Theologians, Why and How to Study, 58-59.
