theologizing
Reasoning about God
Theologizing is engaging in theological reasoning or discussion—thinking and talking about God, religious doctrine, or spiritual matters in a formal or systematic way.
The term often carries a slightly dismissive tone, suggesting abstract speculation rather than practical faith: He spent the evening theologizing about free will instead of actually helping anyone.
Systematic reasoning process
- polemicsArt of controversial argument
- disputationFormal argumentative exchange
- scholasticismRigorous dialectical learning method
- dogmaticsStudy of church doctrine
rationalism · theodicy · dialectic · syllogism · prolegomena
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- canonAccepted authoritative works
catechism · synod · council · papacy · episcopate · ecumenism · sectarianism · creedal
Study of interpretation methods
- scriptureSacred religious writings
- biblicalOf sacred texts
- midrashJewish biblical commentary
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
exposition · typology · allegory · pseudepigrapha · apocrypha · contextualization · homiletics · canonicity
Address to deity
- meditationFocused attention practice
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- pietySincere religious devotion
- reverenceProfound admiring respect
devotion · contemplation · mysticism · asceticism · liturgy · sacrament · veneration · holiness
Deliverance from harm
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- justificationReason proving rightness
- sanctificationMaking someone or something sacred
grace · predestination · election · universalism · particularism · imputation · propitiation · reconciliation
Study of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- teleologyStudy of purpose in nature
- transcendenceSurpassing usual limits
immanence · omniscience · omnipotence · immutability · eternity · divine nature · substance · essence
Pertaining to ultimate devastation
- millennialismBelief in prophesied utopia
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
- tribulationState of great distress
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
resurrection · afterlife · purgatory · postmillennialism · inaugurated
argumentation
Systematic reasoning process
- polemicsArt of controversial argument
- disputationFormal argumentative exchange
- scholasticismRigorous dialectical learning method
dogmatics · rationalism · theodicy · dialectic · syllogism · prolegomena
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
canon · catechism · synod · council · papacy · episcopate · ecumenism · sectarianism · creedal · denominationalism
hermeneutics
Study of interpretation methods
commentary · exposition · typology · allegory · pseudepigrapha · apocrypha · contextualization · homiletics · canonicity · redaction
prayer
Address to deity
- meditationFocused attention practice
- worshipReligious reverence and praise
- pietySincere religious devotion
reverence · devotion · contemplation · mysticism · asceticism · liturgy · sacrament · veneration · holiness · sanctity
salvation
Deliverance from harm
- atonementCompensation for wrongdoing
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- justificationReason proving rightness
sanctification · grace · predestination · election · universalism · particularism · imputation · propitiation · reconciliation · glorification
ontology
Study of existence's nature
- epistemologyTheory of knowledge
- cosmologyStudy of universal structure
- teleologyStudy of purpose in nature
transcendence · immanence · omniscience · omnipotence · immutability · eternity · divine nature · substance · essence · hypostasis
apocalyptic
Pertaining to ultimate devastation
- millennialismBelief in prophesied utopia
- raptureOverwhelming ecstatic feeling
- tribulationState of great distress
judgment · resurrection · afterlife · purgatory · postmillennialism · inaugurated
theologizingscientific inquiry
Systematic investigation of phenomena
hypothesis testing · scientific method · evidence-based reasoning · experimentation · experimenting
theologizingmaterializing
Becoming real or visible
secularizing · naturalism · physicalism · materialism · secular humanism
theology, theism, theological, theologian, theistic, theologically, apologetics, theologist