An Argument for Systematic Spirituality
In 1989 J.I. Packer was appointed as the Sangwoo Yountong Chee Professor of Theology at Regent College. In his introductory lecture, he argued that any study of theology is essentially work in spirituality.
I have always conceived theology, ethics, and apologetics as truth for people, and have never felt free to leave unapplied any truth that I taught, whether orally or on paper; and to speak of the application of truth to life is to look at life as itself a relationship with God; and when one does that, one is talking spirituality.
He explained that he felt at home in his new position because Regent placed particular emphasis on spirituality, committed to the ideal that no theology should ever be taught to enrich the head while impoverishing the heart. Indeed, he rejected a merely scientific approach to theological study, arguing that cool and clinical detachment while studying doctrine was intolerable.
It drives a wedge between theology and doxology, between orthodoxy and orthopraxy, between knowing true notions about God and knowing the true God himself, between one’s thinking and one’s worshipping. Done this way, theology induces spiritual pride and produces spiritual sleep (physical sleep, too, sometimes). Thus, the noblest study in the world gets cheapened. I cannot applaud this.
He proposed a “marriage.” Systematic theology should be practiced as an element of the student’s spirituality, and spirituality should be an expression of systematic theology. That is, the study of systematic theology should be a devotional discipline, a means of relating to God.
Given the marriage, both our theologizing and our devotional explorations will become systematic spirituality, exercises in (allow me to say it) knowing God, and we shall all be the richer as a result.
Packer’s voice still echoes through our current cultural moment. This is a time for more systematic spirituality, not less. We are responsible for carefully and deliberately engaging the culture around us with theologically robust biblical truth. Indeed, biblical Christianity provides a comprehensive picture of human flourishing in Christ, and Packer’s analysis of “post-Christian culture” in 1989 applies to current evangelical struggles.
North American culture effectively lost God two generations ago; now, by inevitable consequence, it is in the process of losing man. What does it mean to be truly human? The post-Christian world around us no longer knows, and is being sucked down into deep cultural decadence for this lack of knowledge. Biblical Christianity, however, still has the answer, if anyone is still willing to listen.
Biblical Christianity still has the answer. Human beings are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). Male and female, he created them. The knowledge of such wonders mustn’t clinically detach from revelation as fuel for online polemics. Packer clarifies, “The proper subject matter of systematic theology is God actively relating in and through all created things to human beings.” God has revealed himself to sinners as the God who loves, reigns, speaks, and saves. Thus, in your study, make knowing God the objective. The study of Christian theology should be an always devotional discipline.
May those of us tasked with the study and transmission of doctrine engage the culture faithfully with this “practical divinity,” this “systematic spirituality.” May we be a people both well-versed in and transformed by our doctrine.