Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 253

CuAr.

THE NAME

§ 56.

I]

229

to take this conception as the definition of Theology,

method which can stand no

is

way

testing, because in this

a

tlie

certainty that the object of this science remains the same

In his Cratylus Plato does not say in vain: "To teach a thing rightly it is necessary first Even in itself, therefore, a study of to define its name." is

altogether

wanting.

is much more must be furnished claim hereditary right, and this hereditary by those right to the Theological inheritance must be disputed with more than one contestant. For the right understanding of the name Theology the etymology and the usage of the word claim our attention. With respect to the etymology three questions arise In what sense is -logia to be interpreted? In what sense ^eo'??

the

name

of

Theology

now who

necessary

demanded

is

but this

;

since a genealogical proof

:

And

in

passively

connection

this ?

The

terms, in the

is

^eo<?

to

be taken actively or

addition -logia occurs, just as the allied

sense of

speaking about

something,

as in the sense of thinking about something.

Athens what we

as

well

Aoyeloy wan in

and deoXoyelov was the which they spoke who represented

call the platform,

place on the stage from

the gods as speaking.

The conception

of speaking, there-

and not of thinking, stands here clearly in the foreground. In oa-TeoXoyia, (pvaioXoyia, and other combinations, on the other hand, -logia has the sense of tracing, investigatfore,

ing.

In

itself,

therefore, OeoXoyca could indicate etymologi-

i.e. of one who speaks about God, as well as the thinking about God. The only thing that serves as a more precise indication here is the age of tlie word and the object to which -Xoyia is coupled. The root of Xeyetv (to speak) with Homer almost always means " to gather," Only later on it obtains the sense with or without choice. of speaking. And only later still, in its last development, the utterajice of the thought is put in the background, in order to cause the thought itself to appear in the front. Since now

cally the action of a 6eo\6yo<i,

the

word deoXoyia occurs already

standing of -Xoyia has the choice firmed by Plato's

own

words.

in Plato, the first under;

a choice

In his de

which

Re Publ.

is

con-

Lib. II.,

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