I hear quite often from women who are struggling to find other women who are interested in theology. In some cases women are intimidated by it and in many cases they just aren’t interested. A lot of Christian women don’t understand why theology should be important to them.
If you visit a Christian bookstore, you’ll quickly see the result of women neglecting theology. Most popular resources for women are not grounded in Biblical truth, and many women don’t have the discernment to recognize it. In so much of American Christianity, the emphasis is on “experiencing God” over knowing Him through what He’s revealed about Himself in His Word. This tends to be the primary emphasis of many Christian women and the books they love. Some even think doctrine is a distraction from their experience. That’s exactly what one woman told me upon leaving the Theology Gals Facebook group recently. An emphasis on experience at the expense of truth is just one example of the problems you’ll find in the most popular of these books.
Theology is important for every believer:
“Theology simply means ‘the study of God,’ and doctrine means ‘teaching.’ Since the main message of Scripture is the unfolding mystery of Christ, who reveals his Father and reconciles us to him, theology is a central concern of every believer. It would be odd if we told our spouse or other loved ones that we wanted to spend time with them and experience their fellowship regularly but did not want to know anything about them—their characteristics, accomplishments, personal histories, likes and dislikes, and plans for the future.” – Michael Horton
Here are just a few of the reasons why women should be studying theology:
- To know God As children of God, we should know the One who has saved us, and how He has saved us, the story of redemption. We should know our Lord, who we are to love and worship. How can we love and worship a God we don’t know? In Pilgrim Theology Michael Horton explains, “Many Christians assume that we can just experience God in a personal relationship apart from doctrine, but that’s impossible. You cannot experience God without knowing who he is, what he has done, and who you are in relation to him. Even our most basic Christian experiences and commitments are theological. ‘I just love Jesus,’ some say. But who is Jesus? And why do you love him?”
- For discernment We need to discern those things which are consistent with Scripture and those which are not. We learn discernment through the knowledge of God’s Word. Philippians 1:9-10 says, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ;…”
- For life Whether it’s parenting, suffering, or a variety of other life issues, God’s Word gives us everything we need for Christian faith and practice. Understanding who God is – His sovereignty, love, grace and other attributes – brings us comfort during suffering. It’s through His Word that we find wisdom for our lives. There are a lot of practical books available for women, but many of those are absent of doctrine and based on unbiblical principles.
- To understand who we are in Christ Many of the resources available for women downplay sin, and therefore don’t emphasize our need for and magnificence of the gospel. Knowing theology is essential in helping us understand the weight of our sin, along with the the amazing grace lavished on us through the gospel. As believers we don’t hear the gospel once and then we’re done. As Rod Rosenbladt says, “The gospel is for Christians too.” I’ve spoken with women who lack understanding of the true gospel, including justification and sanctification. It’s through theology that we know what Christ has done for us. It also points us to the how and why of obedience, along with our standing before God through Christ, even as we continue to struggle with sin.
One reason Theology Gals exists is to encourage women in the study of God’s Word. We want women to understand why theology is important, and also offer resources which may be less intimidating for women who are new to the study and understanding of theology. On our podcast we will be discussing various topics and encouraging further study. Please write to us with any ideas you have on things you would like us to discuss.
Some of our favorite sites for women: