Integrative theology

The Steps of Integrative Theology's Method

Friday, 22 January 2010 17:49

I am facinated how the method one uses for developing their theology controls much of the genuiness of the belief system that results from it.  So many Christians react to theologies that they don't know about or and emotionally dislike without any Biblical basis.  Integrative theology is a great attempt to develop a theologiacal method that is not entirely deductive or Inductive.  It places itself as abductive since is a

verificational method of researching one basic issue, which doesn't begin with an allegedly  blank mind (as inductive methods do), or with a confessional statement presupposed to be true (as in deductive methods), but with several historical and contemporary answers as hyupothesis to be tested (Inductive Theology, Gordon R. Lewish & Bruce A Demarest, p11).

  The steps according the Lewis and Demarest are are Summarized by 6 key phrases:

1. The Problem
2. Histoical Hypotheses
3. Biblical Teaching
4. Systematic formulation
5. Apologetic Interaction
6. Relevance for life and Ministry.

I intend to explore this method of doing thelogy myself and in teaching in the church.  My desire is the it would produce great light with out the heat that can occur when people react to biblical teaching with doing any verification of their own theological presuppositions themselves.