Last week, we introduced a medieval theological dictum: theologia a Deo docetur, Deum docet, et ad Deum ducit. This phrase, when translated, means “Theology is taught by God, teaches God, and leads to God.
This week, we’ll look at that middle phrase
God it teaches
Although it is slightly ambiguous, this phrase does not picture God as the student learning theology. Rather, it pictures God as the subject which is being taught. Rather than conceptualizing this as a sentence like “I taught Suzy” it is more like “I taught biology.”
Although it seems strange, and many would object to the idea of treating God as a subject of study (we’ll get to that next week), that is what this sentence means.
We can further break this concept down into three principles.
Principium Essendi
The principium essendi or the Principle of Being, is the reality by which we study. It is the thing studied. Essentially, pardon the pun, it is an acknowledgement of the fact that if there were no existing subject, there would be no subject to study.
In Christian theology, we can also speak of the principium existendi. That is to say, not only is it true to say that if God did not exist, there would be no study of God. But if God did not exist, there would be no students to study God.
Thus God was the essential foundation (principium essendi) or the principle of existence (principium existendi) of all that has been created, hence also of science and specifically again of theology.
Herman Bavinck, Prolegomena, ed. John Bolt, trans. John Vriend, vol. 1, 4 vols., Reformed Dogmatics (Baker, 2003), 211-212.
We must understand that what we are studying in theology is not simply reflections on religious experience. It is not simply the history of thoughts people have had about God, or philosophical speculation about God.
The subject of our study itself is God himself.
Principium Cognoscendi Externum
However, we are unable to access God directly. We cannot examine him under a microscope. He cannot be constrained to our study. We will cover the details next week, but this reality leads us to our second (and third) principles.
The principium cognoscendi externum (which means external principle of knowing) is that means by which we may study God and come to know him. In Christian theology we recognize two distinct principia in this arena.
The first is General Revelation (Sometimes called natural revelation, in reference to the mode of revelation). This revelation is so-called general for two primary reasons.
First, it is general in its scope. It reveals general details about God. It teaches us what may be known about God by means of observing the things which God has created.
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 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.
Romans 1:19-20a, ESV
We can observe what has been made, and know certain things about the one who made it. We can know that God must be eternal because if there is anything, there must be something that has always been. We can know that God is powerful because someone who was not infinitely powerful could not bring something out of nothing.
Although some balk at this idea, even some within our Reformed tradition, it has always been a part of the fabric of our thinking about God.
The very light of nature in man, and the works of God, declare plainly that there is a God…
Westminster Larger Catechism, Q2
The second way that we can talk about general revelation, is that it is generally revealed to all men. The things which have been plainly declared about God, which tell us that there is a God, have been universally declared. There is no corner of creation in which this reality does not present itself. Since God is both the principium essendi and the principium existendi, there is nothing which is that was not created by God. For this reason, man is without excuse.
So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:20b-21, ESV
However, we may also speak of special or particular revelation. This special revelation has in the past has come to us in many different ways.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets…
Hebrews 1:1, ESV
However, revelation has now been centralized in the incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity.
…but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son
Hebrews 1:2a
God has most clearly and specifically revealed himself by sending his Son into the world and appointing him to be the Prophet par excellence. However, this Prophet has ascended back into heaven, but he has not left us without a sure witness
Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church, in all ages, by his Spirit and word, in divers ways of administration, the whole will of God, in all things concerning their edification and salvation.
Westminster Larger Catechism, Q43
But the Prophet no longer reveals himself in diverse ways and administrations, for the perfect has come and the partial has passed away. (1 Corinthians 13:10) Instead, we see that this special revelation of and about God has been given to us in the Holy Scriptures, for our own edification and the preservation of the Church.
… for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing his will unto his people being now ceased.
Westminster Confession of Faith, 1.1
Principium Cognoscendi Internum
However, not all who read the Scriptures, or observe the universe which plainly declares that there is a God, acknowledge the one to whom they testify. This leads us to the third and final principle of theology. The principium cognoscendi internum, or the internal principle of knowing is in fact the Holy Spirit and the faith which he creates in us.
As we observed above, the Prophet of God’s revelation does not just make known to us the Father by his word, but also by his Spirit.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14
Our minds and hearts are darkened by sin, rebellion, and selfishness. What can be known about God by nature has been made manifest before us, but apart from a special work of God’s Spirit, we will always suppress that truth in unrighteousness. For this reason the Reformed have always understood and taught that regeneration includes not only faith, but knowledge and volition.
Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel.
Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q31
The Principle of Concluding
To summarize it all… what it means that theology teaches God, is that without a God to be the subject of our theology… there would be no theology to study. Without a God to be the subject of our theology, there would be no student to study theology. And although what can be known of God is apparent to all from external reality, God himself is also active in teaching us from within.