Why study dead theologians?
Back in the summer I was in a class of bible students encouraging them to read dead theologians (eg CS Lewis introduction to Athanasius and the incarnation – read!). When I appealed, one student challenged me: “Are you suggesting that the bible doesn’t have all I need to know? Are you denying sola scriptura?” My response: what are you doing here? If you can read your bible on your own, why are you here? Historical Theology is like having a bible study with the greats. Have lunch with Luther! Theology is really done as a community; we know God together. So in Historical Theology we want to go to the great ones and find out what the Holy Spirit has taught them that he hasn’t taught us yet. So we want to learn from these guys. However, we also want to cultivate a critical mind. If one tendency is to reject them, another is to deify them, eg ‘Augustine is papal authority who we can’t answer’. Instead – look critically at these guys; to see that there are problems even in the greats, and go
