Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 266

242

THE IDEA OF THEOLOGY

§ 58.

indication of the only ti'ue point of view surprises

still

await us of locomotion by

the air are not easily foretold

;

but this

[Div. Ill

was necessary. What electricit}^ or through is

certain, that every

more rapid communication antiquates the

less rapid.

This

compels us in Theology, also, to distinguish between the The conception is conception and the idea of Theology.

bound

to the

way

of

knowledge which we

travel.

The

on the other hand, views the end, independently of the question of the way by which this end shall be reached. This was the distinction in view in the formerly generally current division of Theology into a theologia unionis, visThis supplied three conceptions, which ionis and stadii. The theologia found their unity in the idea of Theology. unionis was that highest knowledge of God, which Christ possessed in His human nature, by virtue of the union of tlus The theologia visionis, also nature with the Divine nature. called patriae, was the appellation of the knowledge of God which once the elect will obtain in the state of heavenly

idea^

blessedness.

And

the theologia stadii, also called studii, or

knowledge of God which is acquired upon earth by those who are known of the Lord. That which was common to them all, and which united these three conceptions, was the general idea of the knoivledge of God. The aim of Theology, therefore, did not lie viatorum, expressed that

here

in

the theological

investigation,

neither

in

all

sorts

of

and learning, but exclusively in knowing God. All study and learning served only as scaffolds for erecting the palace of our knowledge but as soon as the building was finished that scaffolding lost all its meaning, even became a hindrance, and had to be cleared away. And this was more clearly perceived in olden times, than by most theologians after Schleiermacher. The idea of Theology can be none other than the knowledge of Crod, and all activity impelled by Theology must in the last instance be bent upon the studies

;

knoivledge of God.

This

in a very exact sense.

the

idea

of

is

not said in a metaphorical, but this must be maintained as

And

Theology, when you come

the science of Theology, as

it

is

to

consider also

studied and taught by the

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