About Systematic Theology – Barabbas Road Church in San Diego

This “Whiteboard Wednesday” YouTube video, presented by Pastor Paul of Barabbas Road Church in San Diego, addresses the topic of systematic theology. Systematic theology may not be a very familiar phrase, but it is an important one. Barabbas Road Church in San Diego even offers a class about it.

Systematic theology is the orderly study of God and all of His creation and doings. There are about ten sections within systematic theology, and each section is connected to the other. Each section covers a different doctrine within Christian theology.

The first section is called theology proper and focuses on God the Father and the reasons for His existence. The second is bibliology, which is the study of the scripture as the inerrant and infallible Word of God. The third section is anthropology, which is the doctrine of man. Next is hamartiology, or the doctrine of sin. Then comes soteriology, which is the doctrine of salvation, pneumatology, or the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, ecclesiology, which is the doctrine of the church, and eschatology, or the doctrine of the future and the end times. Last comes Christology, the doctrine of Christ.

When each of these individual doctrines is studied, each and every Bible verse that pertains to that specific doctrine is compiled so that every facet and aspect of the doctrine can be studied. It helps theologians understand exactly what the Bible teaches about a specific topic.

Systematic theology, however, considers how all of these doctrines work together to make up the teachings of the Christian faith. As each aspect works together and compliments each other, it helps us understand the world as a whole in a comprehensive view. If one doctrine does not follow what the Bible says, then the others cannot connect to it. For example, if it were true that man is mostly good, then he would not have need for a Savior and there would be no reason for Jesus. However, man is sinful and needs a Savior, which paves the way for Jesus. Each doctrine compliments the others.

God works in each doctrine to create a “web” of theology. Even though each doctrine can be studied solely, together they form a tight system of strong theology. Christians need strong theology. Studying it systematically can shed greater light on how the teachings of the Bible are all connected.

You can watch the whole Whiteboad Wednesday video below.