Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 353

Chap.

THEOLOGY TO

I]

impulse theology as a science wise,

when we observe

theological studies

was

The

born.

329

This seems to be other-

that the practical purpose of the

first

to defend themselves apologetically, or

to train preachers for the

mislead us.

is

OBJECT

ITS

Church

;

but appearance must not

actual need, expressed in these attempts, was

to seek a point of support for one's

propaganda

in the

world

thought that was common to Jews and heathen. It was soon learned that with one's preaching pure and simple no Hence the need was felt of something of gains were made. a more transparent character, to supply which the content of the faith was gradually interpreted in the language of our In proportion as the significance of thinking consciousness. of

was more sharply seen, awakened of a vocation, which, independent of necessity and defence, should cause the content of the revealed knowledge of God to shine likewise in this world of thought. By obedience to this, that content was not brought closer to our heart, but was presented with more clearness to our consciousness. The distance was lessened between our general conceptions and the content of that revelation. The confession of that content became more transparent and accurate, and though this scientific theology was unable to add one grain to the content of this knowledge of this effort after clearer consciousness

the sense also gradually

God,

it

has unquestionably heightened the pleasure of our

The Church,

possession.

therefore,

has not hesitated to

by it and though there is no single pearl in her confession which she owes theology as such, since all her pearls are gathered from the depths of spiritual life, it is equally certain that she would not have been able to string these pearls so beautifully in her confession, had not the light of profit

;

theology illumined her spiritual labor.

From

sciousness to go back to mystic darkness,

is

clearer con-

obscurantism

;

and since theology has also made the scientific torch to burn, no church that wants to avoid being wilfully " blind " can afford to act as though this torch had never been lighted, but must duly take it into account. In this wise, moreover, theological science is no abstraction. On the contrary, it springs of necessity from the life of the Church, upon which it exerts

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