Theology at the crossroads: philosophical or historical theology?

Abstract

The article continues the accomplishment of methodological support for the basic theological sciences initiated in recent publications of Vestnik of St Tikhon’s University concerning a systematization of the encyclopedia of theological sciences and its components. The precedents of such kind of systematization go to the epoch of the “historical turn” in German Protestantism at the beginning of the 19th century and to the works of Fr. Schleiermacher in particular. Yet during that time the general rubrics of theological knowledge were sorted out: philosophical, historical and practical theology, as well as some incoming special disciplines: apologetics and polemics, history of theology and history of the Church, systematical and Biblical theology, homiletics and catechism, liturgical and Church ministry. The author accentuates that all different theological disciplines could fruitfully develop only in close interaction observing particular competences of each other. In the case of advancement of one theological discourse to the dominating role, the inner confl icts are inevitable as well as unsolvable diffi culties in its application. The project of a reform of theological knowledge proposed by professor of Moscow Spiritual Academy M. Tareev in 1916–1917 clearly demonstrates fatal abuses following the usurpation of a leader position by single division of theological knowledge. Special attention is paid to one general rubric ― historical theology: author tries to propose its substantial definition, variants of its inner disciplinary fulfilling, historical survey of its development (16–21th cc.) as well as formulating of its general postulates, principles and goals.

Keywords

• theological methodology
• philosophical theology
• historical theology
• F. Schleiermacher
• M. Tareev
• history of theology
• history of dogmas
• history of doctrines
• history of the Church