Dictionary

theology en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• thē-ŏl'ə-jē
• /θiˈɒ.lə.d͡ʒi/

Etymology

From Middle English theologie, from Middle French theologie, from Old French theologie, from Latin theologia, from Koine Greek θεολογία (theología), from θεολόγος (theológos, adjective), from θεός (theós) + λόγος (lógos). By surface analysis, theo- + -logy.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The study of God, a god, or gods; and of the truthfulness of religion in general.
2. (uncountable, usually) Synonym of religious studies.
   • On the other hand, theology is the study of religion. The word itself refers to the interpretation of the doctrines of God. But modern theology includes the study of various religions and such topics as church history, sacred writings, and the relationship between religion and human needs. 2010 October 1, Issa Kirarira, edited by Arvind Sharma, The World’s Religions: A Contemporary Reader, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, →ISBN, page 206:
   • Theology is a study, but religion is an experience. Theology is the study of religion, and when we study theology we are studying religion. 1896 September 15, William Newton Clarke, Immortality, a Study of Belief, and Earlier Addresses, Yale University Press, published 1920, page 23:
3. (countable, usually) An organized method of interpreting spiritual works and beliefs into practical form.
4. (countable, usually) A particular belief within a religion.
   • In this context, one could conceivably hold onto the theology that baptism is essential for salvation. 2018, Steven D. Cone, Theology from the Great Tradition, Bloomsbury Academic, →ISBN, page 578:
   • Another problem with the theology that Jews are chosen for a universal ethical mission is that one does not need to be Jewish to be a beacon of light. 2020 February 4, Rabbi Evan Moffic, What Every Christian Needs to Know About Judaism, Abingdon Press, →ISBN, page 59:
   • Most Muslims reject the theology that Jesus died on a cross and was resurrected from the dead (though there is some ambiguity in the Qur'an on the matter), but they do hold that he ascended to heaven and will return again. 2019, Ben C. Blackwell, R.L. Hatchett, Engaging Theology: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Introduction, Zondervan Academic, →ISBN, page 138:
5. (slang, uncountable, usually) Subjective marginal details.
   • While those folks are caught up in theological arguments about LISP versus PROLOG, […] 1986 December 9, Jim Seymour, “In plain English”, in PC Mag, volume 5, number 21, Ziff Davis, →ISSN, page 96:

Forms

Deriveds

macrotheology · replacement theology · theologian · theologer · theologic · neurotheology · ecotheology · microtheology · physicotheology · antitheology · biotheology · atheology · Mercersburg theology · New Haven theology · xenotheology · dogmatic theology · metatheology · theologist · decision theology · theologize · theologician · process theology · pectoral theology · ontotheology · natural theology · theological · pretheology · physico-theology · dominion theology · sacred theology · theologically · negative theology · theologise · New England theology

Hyponyms

prosperity theology · liberation theology · feminist theology · cosmotheology · pyrotheology · Thomism · astrotheology · pantheology

Relateds

theurgy · theologoumenon · thealogy · thealogian

Synonyms

godlore · religious studies

Translations (116)

ug تېئولوگىيە (study of God, or a god, or gods) · eo dioscienco (study of God, or a god, or gods) · da teologi (study of God, or a god, or gods) · az ilahiyyat (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sl bogoslovje (study of God, or a god, or gods) · lv teoloģija (study of God, or a god, or gods) · it teologia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · th เทววิทยา (study of God, or a god, or gods) · be багасло́ўе (study of God, or a god, or gods) · hi धर्ममीमांसा (study of God, or a god, or gods) · la theologia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · lo ເທວະວິທະຍາ (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ms teologi (study of God, or a god, or gods) · nl godgeleerdheid (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ro teologie (study of God, or a god, or gods) · nb teologi (study of God, or a god, or gods) · bg богосло́вие (study of God, or a god, or gods) · be тэало́гія (study of God, or a god, or gods) · fa الهیات (study of God, or a god, or gods) · fa تئولوژی (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sh богосло̀вија (study of God, or a god, or gods) · hy աստվածաբանություն (study of God, or a god, or gods) · lo ສາດສະນະສາດ (study of God, or a god, or gods) · hi धर्मशास्त्र (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sh bogoslōvlje (study of God, or a god, or gods) · id teologi (study of God, or a god, or gods) · yi טעאָלאָגיע (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sv teologi (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tl teolohiya (study of God, or a god, or gods) · el θεολογία (study of God, or a god, or gods) · et teoloogia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · mt teoloġija (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ca teologia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · vo Godav (study of God, or a god, or gods) · uz ilohiyot (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tr ilahiyat (study of God, or a god, or gods) · hu teológia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ckb ئیلاهیات (study of God, or a god, or gods) · vi thần học (study of God, or a god, or gods) · hi इलाहियात (study of God, or a god, or gods) · uz teologiya (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ky кудай таануу (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tg илоҳиёт (study of God, or a god, or gods) · nl theologie (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ja 神学 (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ka ღვთისმეტყველება (study of God, or a god, or gods) · io teologio (study of God, or a god, or gods) · gl teoloxía (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tk ylahyýet (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ky теология (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tg теология (study of God, or a god, or gods) · kk құдайтану (study of God, or a god, or gods) · cy diwinyddiaeth (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sq teologji (study of God, or a god, or gods) · my ဓမ္မပညာ (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tr teoloji (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tr tanrı bilimi (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ar إِلٰهِيَّات (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ps دينپوهنه (study of God, or a god, or gods) · cmn 神學 /神学 (study of God, or a god, or gods) · grc θεολογία (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sl teologija (study of God, or a god, or gods) · kk теология (study of God, or a god, or gods) · uk богослі́в'я (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sw theolojia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · de Theologie (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ckb خواناسی (study of God, or a god, or gods) · fi teologia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · be тэалёгія (study of God, or a god, or gods) · az teologiya (study of God, or a god, or gods) · fr théologie (study of God, or a god, or gods) · es teología (study of God, or a god, or gods) · my သီအိုလော်ဂျီ (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ps ديني علم (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ps تيالوجي (study of God, or a god, or gods) · cs bohosloví (study of God, or a god, or gods) · bg теоло́гия (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ms kaji tuhan (study of God, or a god, or gods) · mk богословија (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sk bohoveda (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ur اِلٰہیات (study of God, or a god, or gods) · km សាសនវិទ្យា (study of God, or a god, or gods) · id ilmu agama (study of God, or a god, or gods) · lt teologija (study of God, or a god, or gods) · pt teologia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ast teoloxía (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tk teologiýa (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ka თეოლოგია (study of God, or a god, or gods) · he תאולוגיה \ תֵּאוֹלוֹגיָה (study of God, or a god, or gods) · uk теоло́гія (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sh богосло̄вље (study of God, or a god, or gods) · kmr îlahiyet (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ug ئىلاھىيەت (study of God, or a god, or gods) · tl bathalaan (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sk teológia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · mk теологија (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ky дин илими (study of God, or a god, or gods) · mn теологи (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ko 신학 (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ru теоло́гия (study of God, or a god, or gods) · kn ದೇವತಾಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ (study of God, or a god, or gods) · vo godav (study of God, or a god, or gods) · is guðfræði (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sh bogoslòvija (study of God, or a god, or gods) · sk bohoslovie (study of God, or a god, or gods) · mk богословие (study of God, or a god, or gods) · uk богосло́в'я (study of God, or a god, or gods) · bn ধর্মতত্ত্ব (study of God, or a god, or gods) · hu hittudomány (study of God, or a god, or gods) · cs teologie (study of God, or a god, or gods) · eo teologio (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ru богосло́вие (study of God, or a god, or gods) · pl teologia (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ps الهيات (study of God, or a god, or gods) · ota الهیات (study of God, or a god, or gods) · fa یزدانشناسی (study of God, or a god, or gods)