Theology uses documents, philosophy uses reason.

[Dichanthelium]

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say:

"Theology uses documents and reason, as does philosophy."

[xris]

Originally Posted by Dichanthelium

Wouldn't it be more accurate to say:

"Theology uses documents and reason, as does philosophy."

Philosophy can be just reason, theology is only documents.

[Didymos Thomas]

How is theology "only documents"? Theology, like philosophy, utilizes documents. Both also utilize reason. Both also make use of personal experience.

Theology and philosophy were the same study until relatively recently. The difference between theology and modern philosophy is that modern philosophy is secular: modern philosophy need not relate to God.

[xris]

Originally Posted by Didymos Thomas

How is theology "only documents"? Theology, like philosophy, utilizes documents. Both also utilize reason. Both also make use of personal experience.

Theology and philosophy were the same study until relatively recently. The difference between theology and modern philosophy is that modern philosophy is secular: modern philosophy need not relate to God.

So what is the reason in belief through documents ?

[Didymos Thomas]

I'm not sure what you mean by "belief through documents".

[xris]

Originally Posted by Didymos Thomas

I'm not sure what you mean by "belief through documents".

So what is belief in theological terms ? what else has it but documents.Reasons ?I dont think so just justification..

[Dichanthelium]

Originally Posted by xris

So what is belief in theological terms ? what else has it but documents.Reasons ?I dont think so just justification..

Not sure where you are headed with this, but I would say that "belief" can mean "mental assent," meaning, "I accept this as the truth."

But it could also be "trust in something or somebody," right? "I truly believe in my team! I just know they will win."

So to believe in God seems to include both notions. You can believe God exists "mental assent to the proposition," and you can say, "I truly believe in God! I know he is doing a good thing in the universe."

There are documents that support theism, but there are also rational arguments, and so-called "natural revelation."

[Didymos Thomas]

Originally Posted by xris

So what is belief in theological terms ? what else has it but documents.Reasons ?I dont think so just justification..

To believe in something is to think of some statement or proposition as being true.

The documents used in theology are not accepted for no reason. Depending upon the nature of the document, different criteria may be used.

Theologians justify belief through reason, personal experience, mystical revelation and so forth. Depends on the particular topic, the theological tradition and a host of other factors.

If you take the time to read some theology, you will find that reasons are given. You might skim through some Aquinas for an example.

Nothing beats finding out for yourself. Go sample some theology.

[xris]

Sorry from my perspective there is no reasoning in believing in scriptures.I listen while theological debate tries to reason about the triology , why you either accept it as the word of god or not,each part is part of the whole.Take one brick out of the wall and you have not got a wall.

[Dichanthelium]

Originally Posted by xris

Sorry from my perspective there is no reasoning in believing in scriptures.I listen while theological debate tries to reason about the triology , why you either accept it as the word of god or not,each part is part of the whole.Take one brick out of the wall and you have not got a wall.

Your expression, "believing in scriptures" apparently represents the idea "accepting as absolutely true every part of the Bible."

I know people who have adopted that perspective, and though I disagree with them, it's not fair to say that "there is no reasoning" in that position. There is a lot of reasoning going on, but I do not find their reasoning persuasive.

As for the brick wall analogy, I would say that there's no need to adopt such an all-or-nothing stance. I'm quite confident that you and I would agree on many of the statements in the book of Proverbs, for example.