Theology
Noun
theology (usually uncountable, plural theologies)
- (uncountable) The study of God, a god, or gods; and of the truthfulness of religion in general. [from mid-14th c.[5]] synonym ▲Synonym: (uncommon) godlore
- (uncountable) Synonym of religious studies quotations ▼
- (countable) An organized method of interpreting spiritual works and beliefs into practical form. [1660s[5]]
- (countable) A particular belief within a religion. quotations ▼
- (uncountable, computing, slang) Subjective marginal details. quotations ▼
Hyponyms
- astrotheology
- cosmotheology
- feminist theology
- liberation theology
- pantheology
- prosperity theology
- pyrotheology
- Thomism
Derived terms
Related terms
Etymology
Main article: History of theology
The term derives from the Greek theologia (θεολογία), a combination of theos (Θεός, 'god') and logia (λογία, 'utterances, sayings, oracles')—the latter word relating to Greek logos (λόγος, 'word, discourse, account, reasoning').[9][10]
The term would pass on to Latin as theologia, then French as théologie, eventually becoming the English theology.
Through several variants (e.g., theologie, teologye), the English theology had evolved into its current form by 1362.[11]
The sense that the word has in English depends in large part on the sense that the Latin and Greek equivalents had acquired in patristic and medieval Christian usage although the English term has now spread beyond Christian contexts.