Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 357

Chap.

SACRED THEOLOGY

§ 66.

I]

psychic data, in order to

make

333

action from our side possible

with that revelation. He who is to make a scientific examination of a mineral spring, is not permitted to rest content with an analysis of its ferruginous quality, but is bound

watch the action and to experiment as to how its content is best Apply this to the revealed knowledge of God, and

to inquire into the history of this spring, to

of its waters, applied.

you perceive its

at once, that the theological science

task completed,

when

it

cannot deem

has analyzed the content of reve-

but the revelation itself and the action that went out from it, together with the method demanded by its applicaWith tion, must be studied in their relation to each other.

lation,

the strictest maintenance, therefore, of the of

tlieologic

character

our science, nothing prevents a view of the relations

For instance, what is church history but the broad narrative of the effects Avliich of the several departments of study.

the ectypal knowledge of

nations? indication

God

has exerted in the

life

of

Meanwhile we content ourselves with the simple of

it

here.

This relation can only fully be

explained in the closing sections of this volume. §

6(3.

Sacred Theology

Before we enter upon the study of the principium of Theology, we insert here a brief explanation of the ancient epithet of Sacred before Theology. Not that ive should insist on this title, or that to our idea this title implies any special merit, but because the purpose of its omission izatio7i of

theology, and for this reason

it

is

the secular-

has an essential

significance as an effort to destroy the distinguishing char-

acter of theology.

The

habit of speaking of Sacred The-

ology has the indorsement of the ages. the churches found

it

in this form,

At

the Reformation

and they

The

felt

themselves

mention of the omission of this title appears, after the conflict had and begun against a principium proprium for theology the dislike which the effort to restore this ancient title to theology creates in many people, is identical with the dislike which is shown by those same people for every

bound

to reverence

and maintain

it.

first

;

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