Is Christian theology a science?

Since I don't use Instagram, or any of those sort of things, why don't you tell us what you are referring to as "science"?

For me, science refers to the process of understanding the world around us through the (simply stated) process of 'Observe, Test, Evaluate' and I have a difficult time relating that to theology.

just_legalism said:

The working definition of science on which I base my question is: the ability to learn new objective truths about the subject via the scientific method. I don't refute this in my video, at least not completely; I say that nowhere in the Bible does our Lord and Savior say that our faith should be so rigid, logical, scientific.

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Literally speaking, @just_legalism, theology is the study of God. Since God is non-material, science as the study of the material universe wouldn't compare. The best theology, however, is based on the Bible alone and God's assumptions, history, and teachings in it. Of course, we need to look at the universe with "God's eyes" through the Bible's "lenses," its principles.

However, there's also a distinction between true science and pseudo-science.

Darwinian evolution for example is pseudo-science, assumptions assumed as a fact without the proof.

There is much science in The Bible, but I don't think that requires the Scientific Method, which was created by Sir Francis Bacon only in16th century Britain.

One of the things in God's Word is with God giving the Levitical priesthood to do various washings with 'running' water.

In the middle ages, doctors would treat one patient, wash their hands in a bowl of water, then go to the next patient. Then they'd come back and wash their hands in that same dirty bowl of water. Several patients in the same ward started coming down with the same disease. They eventually figured out to wash their hands under 'running' water.

Theology became separate from Philosophy. Theology is Revelation. Philosophy became Greek Reason.

For awhile, I had worked to figure out why theology wasn't just a part of Metaphysics. I ended up rediscovering some things. Talking about God to non-Believers, in this day and age, they possibly freak out on you. Things of God are foolishness to the ungodly.

Theology is revelation. In Christianity, we should work to be of one mind. (Philippians 2:2) Being of one mind, and being "In God" someone may be able to have Revelations. There is a brethren of believers.

Can theology be science? There is reason behind how God works. God works in reasonable ways. God made himself clearly known, and wicked men in academia, they worked to hide him away. (Romans 1:18-25)

just_legalism said:

I made a video on this, please message me if you would like to view (on instagram).

Outside of that, what is your opinion on whether theology is a science?

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What about the science of the Bible? Let's look at evolution, global warming, and climate change for example. Let's look at Job 39 for answers from the Lord on that subject:

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.

15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou walked in the search of the depth?

17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all.

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,

20 That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house thereof?

21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or because the number of thy days is great?

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail,

23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?

25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?

30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,

38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?

39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,

40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

The Lord explains to Job the scientific principles in his construction of the world.

just_legalism said:

I made a video on this, please message me if you would like to view (on instagram).

Outside of that, what is your opinion on whether theology is a science?

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Here's some basic Biblical scientific formulas and a Commandment:

-Call upon the Lord and you will be saved

-Call upon the Name of the Lord and He will answer

-Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Apply these in your life, and watch what the Lord's science can do for you.

Here's a basic principal overlooked by many attempting to build a relationship with the Real Scientist:

1 Corinthians 13

King James Version

​

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.


So as we look at a few basics of the Bible. the physics of love and your love for the Lord will directly affect your understanding and ability to use these scientific principles.

just_legalism said:

I made a video on this, please message me if you would like to view (on instagram).

Outside of that, what is your opinion on whether theology is a science?

Click to expand...

Here's a scientific principle from the Bible that people have been at odds with throughout history:

What the Lord says, He will accomplish.

One example with modern results is Ezekiel 37:

The Valley of Dry Bones

1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

7So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

The Vision Explained

11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Fo see the results of this spoken word, with full commentary by participants and observers refer to this TV series:

Against all Odds; Against All Odds: Israel Survives (TV Mini Series 2011) - Episode list - IMDb

The Bible teaches that God made the universe; he shines his divine nature through it to reveal his greatness; and he inspired the Bible as his revelation of himself to us, which acts as his lens showing his will and ways like eyeglasses. We need to use the Bible's principles to enlighten us in looking at God's universe, not the other way around.

Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Rom 1:19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Rom 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.

Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Here's a really good explanation of the Lord's Powerful Science:

So Will I (100 Billion X)​

Song by​

Hillsong UNITED

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light
And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapour of Your breath, the planets form
If the stars were made to worship, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've made
Every burning star, a signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises, so will I
God of Your promise
You don't speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky, a canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You, so will I
So will I
So will I
If the stars were made to worship, so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence, so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness, so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high, so will I
If the wind goes where You send it, so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence, so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we'll sing again a hundred billion times
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The Light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You, so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You've done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender, so will I
I can see Your heart, eight billion different ways
Every precious one, a child You died to save
And if You gave Your life to love them, so will I
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire?
You're the One who never leaves the one behind

Divinity Doctrine

SetFree said:

However, there's also a distinction between true science and pseudo-science.

Darwinian evolution for example is pseudo-science, assumptions assumed as a fact without the proof.

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But I read it on the internet so it has to be true, lol.

It can't be science. Science is of the observable universe, and the Lord told us to look to the unseen! So there's a faith factor involved. We hope for what we can't see. If we can see it, then where is the hope? How can there be faith?

So the Bible is in no way a science book. But sometimes our science has a breakthrough! And they shake their heads and say, wow, that's what the Bible has been saying all along...

Examples of that is, every scripture in the Bible. How about Genesis 1:1 In the beginning (Time), God created the Heavens and the earth (Space & Matter)
1st verse right off the bat. There's the answer right there. All we have to do is look to the unseen and Believe it.

Manonfire63 said:

Theology became separate from Philosophy. Theology is Revelation. Philosophy became Greek Reason.

For awhile, I had worked to figure out why theology wasn't just a part of Metaphysics. I ended up rediscovering some things. Talking about God to non-Believers, in this day and age, they possibly freak out on you. Things of God are foolishness to the ungodly.

Theology is revelation. In Christianity, we should work to be of one mind. (Philippians 2:2) Being of one mind, and being "In God" someone may be able to have Revelations. There is a brethren of believers.

Can theology be science? There is reason behind how God works. God works in reasonable ways. God made himself clearly known, and wicked men in academia, they worked to hide him away. (Romans 1:18-25)

Click to expand...

People in our American culture don't "freak out" when I talk with them about God. I do it by simply sharing what he has done in my life, not that they should experience him too. I try to establish a personal relationship with unbelievers through a common interest that we can talk about and then at some point share my experiences with God. If they "freak out," that's their responsibility before God. At least, I've fulfilled mine in being his witness.

This is one of the greatest scientific principals the Lord has provided us:

Mercy Triumphs over Judgement!

How Does Mercy Triumph Over Judgment?​

In the song, “Heart of God,” by Hillsong Young and Free, the artists sing of God’s great love despite human sin. As the band sings, “Your mercy triumphs over judgment; Love wider than horizons, Stronger than all sin” (Aodhan King and Jonas Myrin, “Heart of God,” III, Hillsong).



Like the prodigal son, who expected judgment and punishment, but found love and mercy, so also are people who recognize their sin and find love and forgiveness in Jesus. God’s mercy is truly amazing.

The key to understanding how mercy triumphs over judgment is to look at the context of James 2:13. James’ epistle is rich in allusions to Jesus’ teachings, including the Beatitudes and the parable of the unmerciful servant. Showing mercy to others is rooted in the fact that God has shown great mercy to those who trust in Him.


All people deserve judgment, but because of His love and mercy through His sacrificial death, the Lord has provided a way for salvation and escape from punishment. The essence of salvation demonstrates how mercy triumphs over judgment.

What Does Mercy Triumphs over Judgment Mean?​

In chapter two of his epistle, James deals with the problem of favoritism. Apparently, the Christians that James addressed his letter to were showing favoritism to the rich and ignoring the poor (James 2:6).



As James pointed out to the church, the rich had exploited them, and yet they were showing partiality to the rich at the expense of the poor (James 2:5-7). As is stated in the letter, “Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:4, NIV).

James then reminded the Christians of the “royal law” in Scripture, which is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (James 2:8). Since they were sinning by showing partiality, they were not carrying out the command, which sums up the Law (James 2:9-11).

To counter this, James reminded them that they will be judged by the Law of Christ (James 2:12). This should have served as a warning “because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13, NIV).



Thus, the discussion of favoritism is directly linked with James’ reminder of being judged and his statement that “mercy triumphs over judgment.” Without examining the context of the passage, the overall meaning of James’ message would be harder to understand.

Within context, if the Christians failed to show mercy to the poor, then they would not receive mercy at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which will include rewards and loss of rewards.

The Teachings of Jesus​

To understand how mercy triumphs over judgment, the multiple allusions to Jesus’ teachings need to be examined as well. James, who was the younger half-brother of Jesus, makes numerous allusions to Jesus’ teachings, especially from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. First, the mention of “love your neighbor as yourself” is a direct quotation from Jesus.

As Jesus had taught, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31, NIV). The entire Law is summed up in these two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40; Galatians 5:14).



Another allusion to Jesus’ words in James’ epistle is the Beatitudes. He directly says, “Judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful” (James 2:13, NIV). This reflects Jesus’ words on the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7, NIV).

Being merciful is not necessarily referring to holding back punishment or anger, but rather acting kindly and loving to others through one’s actions to them (Pulpit Commentary, “Matthew 5:7,” Bible Hub, 2010).

Hence, James refers to Jesus’ words before beginning his later discussion about showing one’s faith in action, especially by helping the poor (James 2:14-17). Those who show compassionate pity to others would receive the same mercy from the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

James’ discussion on mercy and how it triumphs over judgment could also be an allusion to Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:21-35). In the parable, Jesus describes a servant who was in debt to the king and begged for mercy.



The king forgave the man’s debt, but the servant went out and demanded money from others who owed him, not demonstrating the same mercy the king had shown him. Thus, the king declared the servant to be wicked and asked,

“Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:33-35, NIV).

Where Does God’s Mercy Fit?​

Thus, in putting together the context and allusions to Jesus’ teachings, James’ words that “mercy triumphs over judgment” teaches that Christians should show mercy to others because they have been given mercy. Jesus lovingly died in place of mankind so that all who place faith in Him will have their “sin debt” cleared and receive eternal life (Colossians 2:14).



As Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (NIV). Although all people deserve judgment, those who trust in Christ are saved from punishment since Christ endured the punishment for their sins (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Mercy triumphs over judgment because it displays undeserved loving grace and compassion, which reflects God’s gracious gift of salvation. Christians are called to show this same mercy and grace to others, both in matters of forgiveness and showing love to others.

The servant in the parable should have been willing to forgive just as he had been forgiven by the king (Matthew 18:33). Believers likewise have a strong motivation to forgive wrongs against them because of the mercy they have received from Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13).



Likewise, the Christians whom James was addressing in his letter should also have been willing to help the poor since they themselves had once been poor in spirit but had received riches in Christ (James 2:5). Because of Christ’s compassion, believers can show compassion to others.

How Does Love Defeat Sin?​

Placing faith in Christ’s death and resurrection frees people from bondage to sin and saves them from divine wrath. Truly, mankind’s sin was great, but the Lord’s love was greater.

Since believers have received such wonderful love and mercy, they should want to show the same compassion to others.

By showing mercy and love when wronged or when helping others, they will fulfill the essence of the Law and demonstrate to the watching world how God’s mercy triumphs over judgment through His gift of grace.

Look at this principle:

Focus on the Lord and...




in your life!

Make this your obsession:



Make this decision today:

Lord Jesus!!