What is theology all about?

After being asked that question for many years, Dave Newton says that it’s not just for pastors

As Elim’s Director of Training and Principal of Regents Theological College, I regularly bump into people in churches and other settings who ask, “What is theology all about?”

The question is an honest one, it is always asked in a polite way, but over time I have started to realise that there is actually a question behind the question. “How is theology relevant to my life?” Or, alternatively, “If I’m not the pastor why would I need to study theology?”

These are both valid questions, of course, and over time I have developed answers that seem to satisfy the people asking. I suggest that if THEO(OLOGY) is simply the understanding of God, why as Jesus followers would we not want to understand God better? In addition, I suggest to people that, whether we realise it or not, we all have an understanding of God, therefore the real question is, how good is that understanding?

As I have reflected further on these interactions and the potential inadequacies of my answers, it has caused me to realise the apparent disconnect for many Christians between what happens in church and the activities of everyday life. Perhaps as a ‘theological’ ministry training college we have accentuated this divide, as some people train for ministry and get to understand God, whilst others carry out the everyday tasks of life.

Having been in my role for over eight years my team and I wanted to begin to bridge this divide. We began to ask how many of the skills and tools of theology help the everyday person make sense of life, understand their place in the world and equip each of us to be difference- makers. After months of planning, Regents is excited to launch our ‘LIFE’ courses. Short courses, online courses, designed to equip believers for every day. The first three courses – ‘Life in the Spirit’, ‘Helping Others’ and ‘Learning from Experience’ – will draw on key practical and theological principles to equip the everyday believer for everyday life. Each course will take four to six hours and will offer video input, reflection and activities delivered on an online training platform accessible wherever you are.

As with all Regents courses, you will be taught things that stretch your mind, put effective tools in your hands and seek to transform your hearts to follow Jesus more closely.

In the months ahead new courses will be developed by a variety of experts looking at: