Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 318

294

CONCEPTION OF

§ 61.

connection, the effort

is

made

also

to

[Div. Ill

understand organicallj^

the essence of Theology itself.

given rise to a serious danger Theology. As what used to of falsifying the nature of count as the whole of Theology has been classed as a mere part, the tendency was bound to exhibit itself to seek the heart of Theology no longer in its principal factor, It is evident that this has

but in

its

auxiliary departments; and similarly

articulation of Theology to the organism of science of necessity its

from

its

own

when is

the

traced,

Nature can no longer be explained simply

principle alone, but also from the general prin-

Both these dangers have shown themselves and have brought their evil with them; even to such a measure that in the conceptions of Theology, as severally formed ciple of science.

in our times, scarcely a trace of the original significance re-

mains.

This compels us

original

meaning

of Theology, concejjtio^i of

;

and

to

hold

fast,

tooth and nail, to the

therefore, starting out

we have made

from the idea

a transition from the idea to the

Theology, in which the conception of the knowl-

God remains the principal part. The way in which the several departments

edge of

of theological

study are organically related to this knowledge of Crod can only be shoivn when we come to consider the organism of Theology; here, however, this organic relation is merely assumed^ so that we do not even say which departments of study do and which do not find a place in this organic unit. At present we only speak of a certain group of studies which together have announced themselves as a theological science, and are recognized as such at the great majority of universiThis group of departments offers a scientific treatties. ment of all sorts of material, which, however widely they

may mon

differ,

must nevertheless be bound together by a com-

motive.

This motive neither can nor may be anything Theology itself, and hence must be con-

else but the idea of

If for a motained in the knowledge of Grod revealed to us. ment, therefore, we dismiss from our thoughts the division of

departments, and thus picture to ourselves the theological science as one ivhole, "this revealed knowledge of God," and

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