The question whether the term science may be applied to sacred theology has caused no little debate among theologians. Some with great vehemence have affirmed it; others with the same vehemence have denied it. The question itself is not difficult to answer, provided the term science is used and understood precisely in the same meaning. It is quite obvious that the term science as employed in its common meaning cannot be applied to sacred theology. Christian theology is not a science in the same sense as, for instance, geology, psychology, biology, etc., are sciences. It differs from these sciences not only in subject-matter, but also in source, method, and purpose. Its subject-matter is the divine truth, set forth in Holy Scripture; its source, the Holy Bible; its method (medium cognoscendi) 1 faith; its purpose, the salvation of sinners. Sacred theology therefore does not deal with human knowledge, or man's wisdom, obtained by human study, contemplation, or research, as do the common sciences established by philosophers and scientists. The Christian theologian gains his wisdom directly from the Bible, whose truths he receives by faith. The heart of sacred theology is the message of Christ's vicarious atonement, which was revealed to men from heaven; for by nature man could not know or ascertain it, 1 Cor. 2, 6-10. By nature man can know only the divine Law, which God has written into his heart, Rom. 1, 18 ff.; 2, 14. 15. He has a natural knowledge of God, and this innate knowledge of divine things can be developed through reason and experience; both intensively and extensively it may be increased by contemplation and study. But the Gospel of Christ's redemption does not lie within the natural knowledge of fallen man. It is a "mystery," whose gracious revelation he owes entirely to God and which he knows alone through faith in Holy Scripture. From all this it is obvious that sacred theology cannot be called a science in the ordinary sense of the term.
Again, sacred theology is not a science in the sense that it represents a higher Christian knowledge, which is above the simple religion of faith professed by the common Christian and which like the human sciences is capable of intellectual apprehension and logical demonstration. Sacred theology is not an advanced type of Christianity; it is not a philosophy of religion, but deals exclusively with the revealed truths of Holy Writ, which the theologian both accepts and apprehends by faith, John 8, 31. 32; Rom. 1, 5; 1 Cor. 13, 12. What the Christian theologian knows of divine, spiritual things he knows only from the Word of God. If he knows more concerning the divine truths revealed by God than the ordinary believer, his knowledge exceeds that of the latter merely extensively, not intensively; that is to say, he is conversant with the inspired truths of Holy Scripture to a greater extent simply because he devotes more time to the study of the Holy Bible than the average Christian does. Hence the difference between the knowledge of the theologian and that of the ordinary Christian is one of degree, not one of kind. By this we mean to say that the theologian does not understand the divine mysteries of faith whereas the Christian church-member only believes them; for also the theologian knows only so much as he believes. To say it in other words, also with the Christian theologian, faith is knowledge, and knowledge is faith. The philosophical, philological, and historical facts which the theologian knows and operates with in contradistinction to the ordinary believer do not belong to the essence of Christian theology, but constitute merely the external scientific apparatus, or outward means, by which he approaches and studies Holy Scripture. They are merely his tools, or instruments, never a source of spiritual knowledge from which he is to draw opinions or doctrines beyond and contrary to the Word of God. The attempt of modern rationalistic theology to elevate the Christian faith to a science is nothing else than self-deception, and in the final analysis it is tantamount to the rejection of Holy Scripture as the only principle of Christian knowledge, or the only source of faith (principium cognoscendi).
Nevertheless Christian theology may be rightly called a science if by that term we understand a definite knowledge, or accurate and reliable information, in opposition to mere views, opinions, and hypotheses. Understood in this sense, Christian theology is the science of sciences, or the science par excellence, the perfect science. This claim we make and sustain for Christian theology because it is God's own infallible wisdom and not the fallible wisdom of man. To err is human (errare humanum est), but it is impossible for God to err (errare in Deum non cadit). John 17, 17: "Thy Word is truth." John 10, 35: "The Scripture cannot be broken." Holy Scripture is in every part inerrant, and therefore Christian theology, which is drawn from Holy Scripture, is the most definite, most accurate, and most reliable, in fact, the only definite, the only accurate, and the only reliable science in the world. It is the divine science, which cannot err.
This is the Christian conviction which every true Christian theologian must hold. If he does not have it, if he doubts the truth of what he declares and proclaims to his hearers, he is not a truly Christian theologian, but a reed shaken with the wind, and he has no business at all to teach or preach in the Christian Church. A Christian theologian must be so deeply convinced of the truth of his message that he is able to say with Paul: "But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed," GaL 1, 8. This truth must be emphasized over against modern agnostic theology, which denies the possibility of knowing the truth and claims that it is impossible for a theologian to be subjectively assured of his possessing the truth. This agnostic denial sets aside Christ's definite promise : "If ye continue in My Word, ... ye shall know the truth," John 8, 31. 32. These words are Christ's own guarantee that, if in true faith we accept His Word as it is set forth in Holy Writ and as we also possess and confess it in our Christian dogmas, creeds, and confessions, we shall become convinced of its absolute truth. Faith is always assurance of the truth as it is revealed in the Bible and presented in Christian theology, or doctrine. Nor is such assurance a mere personal or human conviction (fides humana), produced by evidence of reason, but it is a divine assurance (fides divina), produced directly by the Holy Ghost through the Word of God. 1 Cor. 2, 5: "That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." John 16, 13: "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." By the Holy Spirit, through the external Word of Holy Scripture, the Christian theologian is so guided into all truth that he can know and teach with absolute certainty the truth which is in Christ Jesus. 1 Cor. 2, 12 : "We have received ... the Spirit, which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." True Christian theology is therefore no less certain than is Holy Scripture, and the Christian theologian must be no less assured of the truth of the doctrine which he teaches than He is of the objective truth of Holy Scripture. Luther very aptly remarks: "The Holy Spirit is no skeptic and has not written doubts or opinions in our hearts, but statements of fact, which are more certain and firm than life itself with all its experiences." St. L., XVIII, 1680.- Christian theology is therefore justly called a science, because it is a knowledge that is absolutely true and certain.
In spite of this fact, however, it is preferable not to define Christian theology primarily as a science, because the term science is subject to so much misunderstanding and downright abuse . . Modern rationalistic theology invariably employs the term to denote by it the scientific demonstration of divine truth in accord with the principles of human reason. Fundamentally it regards theology as only a more exalted form of philosophy, and hence it applies to it the same principles and methods which are ordinarily employed to demonstrate philosophical truths. Against this mode of procedure the Christian theologian must needs object; for Christian theology with its revealed mysteries is incapable of rational proof or intellectual demonstration. 1 Cor. 2, 14: "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, ... neither can he know them." As long as a person is unconverted, no amount of reasoning will render the divine truths of revelation acceptable to him; in fact, the more he allows his reason to mull over them, the more foolish and unreasonable they will seem to him. Hence philosophy can never lead to faith; invariably it leads away from true faith, as the "theology" of modern rationalistic theologians proves. Since, then, human reason is incapable of apprehending the divine mysteries of faith intellectually, Christ simply charged His apostles to preach the Gospel and not to demonstrate it rationally to men, Mark 16, 15. 16. They were to go out and proclaim the truth, but not to turn their divinely given message into a philosophical system acceptable to natural man. In accordance with this command, St. Paul testifies of his ministry at Corinth: "My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," 1 Cor. 2, 4.
On the basis of the truth just stated our dogmaticians defined sacred theology as a habitus exhibitivus, not as a habitus demonstrativus. By this they meant to say that Christian theology is the ability to exhibit, or preach, the Gospel, but not to prove it true by human arguments of reason or philosophy. As the Christian theologian proclaims the truth, he wins souls for Christ, but not as he endeavors to prove true the mysteries of faith by principles of human reason. This also is the meaning of the axiom : "The best apology of the Christian religion is its proclamation." Let the Gospel be made known, and it will of itself prove its divine character. Christian apologetics has therefore only one function: it is to show the unreasonableness of unbelief. Never can it demonstrate the truth with "enticing words of man's wisdom." The reason for this is evident. Unbelief is as unreasonable as it is untrue; it projects the plea of intelligence, while at the bottom of it lies the vicious tendency to do that which is evil. John a, 20: "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." To expose this malice of the carnal heart and to demonstrate the folly of infidelity in upholding its vicious claims is all that can be expected of Christian apologetics. Kever can Christian apologetics take the place of the simple preaching of the Word of God.- In this connection it may also be stated that there are no scientific reasons against the Christian faith. Wherever the Christian faith is opposed, the opposition has its source not in true science, but in vicious infidelity. The rejection of revealed divine truth can in no case be justified on reasonable grounds; it is the perverted reason of man only that disavows the truth which is in Christ Jesus.
14. THE EXTERNAL MEANS BY WHICH SACRED THEOLOGY ACCOMPLISHES ITS PURPOSE OF SAVING SINNERS.
Hence the only means by which the Christian theologian can accomplish his preeminent, divinely prescribed purpose of saving sinners unto eternal life is the Gospel of Christ.
16. THEOLOGY AND POSITIVE ASSURANCE.
Our divine Lord teaches emphatically both that personal Christian assurance exists and that it is obtained through faith in His Word.