Lesson 6: Using The Four Branches of Theology
Historical Theology
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Definition
The third branch of theology is historical theology. It doesn’t deal directly with the text, like biblical and systematic theology. Rather, it gathers around the text with the church.
his•tor•i•cal the•ol•o•gy noun
“Historical theology surveys and evaluates how the church has understood the Bible and theology.”
So historical theology has a community focus. It studies a passage of Scripture in the light of how other Christians interpret it.
Principle: Interpret the Bible with others. Learn from teachers, dead and alive, testing what they say by Scripture.
How to Do Historical Theology: Ask People Questions
We practice this principle by gathering around a text with the church. You should do this in two ways:
1. Talk to your pastors and other mature believers.
According to Ephesians 4:12, the reason God gave pastors to the church is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” The wise Christian won’t interpret the Bible on his own. You should listen to your pastor(s) because they are God’s gift to help you grow in Christ. God calls and equips godly pastors to preach the Word, to teach sound doctrine, and to refute error. You ought to interpret Scripture as you listen to and learn from these men.
But the entire body is also needed for spiritual maturity, as Ephesians 4:16 teaches: “from [Christ, the head,] the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow.” We should not merely gather with our pastors as we interpret a text. We should also gather with other mature believers who can help us understand what a text means as they speak and teach the word to us (Col 3:16).
2. Talk to believers from church history.
Of course, you can’t actually talk to believers from church history, but you can listen to them! And you should listen to them. As theologian Michael Reeves put it, “[I]f we ignore what the bulk of the church has said down through history, then we act as schismatically as if we ignored the church on earth today. More so, in fact.”²
There are many more great Christian interpreters who are dead than those still living. Therefore, the wise Christian will seek their input as he interprets. As G.K. Chesterton said, we shouldn’t “submit to the small and arrogant [despotism] of those who merely happen to be walking about.”³
You can start interacting with the historic church by carefully reading the most important creeds and confessions of the Church. This article helpfully describes the major creeds and confessions from church history. (The text for each creed and confession can be easily found online.) Catechisms also help us listen well to the historic church. For an example, see The New City Catechism.
Biblical Example
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. —Galatians 2:1–10
As we consider Paul’s example in Galatians, we should remember that Paul was unique. He lived at the beginning of church history, and he wrote as a Spirit-inspired apostle. Indeed, he had met the risen Lord Jesus and learned the gospel from him personally (Acts 9:3–6; Gal 1:12)! So our situation is quite different than his.
Nevertheless, we can learn from Paul’s actions in Galatians 2. Paul wasn’t a maverick. He did not read the Bible on his own without caring what anyone else thought.
In Galatians 2, Paul continues defending the gospel, which he received directly from Jesus. He supports his apostolic authority by relating his journey to Jerusalem in verses 1–10. There the pillars of the church, Peter, John, and James, accepted his gospel without reservation. They added nothing to it and gave him the right hand of fellowship.⁴ They corroborated the truth of Paul’s gospel. Now, his gospel was true whether or not the other apostles confirmed it. However, he knew that his ministry would be “in vain” if they rejected it (v. 2). If the leaders of the Jerusalem church condemned his gospel, he would be unable to travel and preach. So in one sense, the pillars’ opinion didn’t matter at all because Paul knew that his gospel was true. But in another sense, it mattered a great deal because it confirmed Paul’s ministry!
So it is with us in the 21st century...
Christ alone is our authority, and he reigns through his Word. However, it is unwise for us to interpret the Bible without confirming our interpretation. We can corroborate the truth of what we teach by showing that the church has always believed and taught what we are teaching. The Holy Spirit has led generations of Christians to believe the truth of his Word. If we are listening to him, we will agree with them, and they will agree with us.
However, Paul’s example does not end in verse 10. In Galatians 2:11–14.
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” —Galatians 2:11–14
In these verses, Paul recounts how he rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy! Just because Peter was a pillar of the church didn’t mean that he could contradict God’s word.
So it is with us in the 21st century...
The great theologians and pastors of church history taught much that is true. However, this does not mean that they did not make mistakes. We must reject error and false teaching from the church whenever it contradicts God’s word. 1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 applies to all human teachers, living or dead: “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” We must submit all teachings to Scripture’s supreme authority!
Your Turn
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. —Deuteronomy 6:4–9
In the next three steps, you’ll read eight quotations related to Deuteronomy 6:4–7 from historic authors. You’ll read the Scripture text, read the quotation(s), and then explain how the quotations help to support, critique, or expand on what you discovered about the passage in the previous steps of this lesson.
Resources
10 Things You Should Know about the Church's Historic Creeds and Confessions, by Chad Van DixhoornTen important facts to help you understand ancient creeds and confessions
How to Fight Chronological Snobbery, by Michael ReevesHow to avoid being a ignorant, snobbish bumpkin
Free Courses on Church History, from The Gospel CoalitionTwenty-seven courses on church history by authors such as Andreas Köstenberger and Carl Trueman