Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The terms ‘doctrine’ and ‘dogma’ have come to possess developed meanings, which distinguishes them from the broader notion of ‘theology’ tout simple. There has been a perceived need to make a distinction between corporate belief on the one hand and individual viewpoints on the other. Theology may be taken to refer to the views of any individual thinker on the nature of God. The term does not imply any commitment to a Christian denomination. ‘Theology’ is an individual's ‘talk about God’, which is not subject to the limiting conditions and insights of a tradition or community. The use of the word ‘doctrine’ implies reference to a tradition and a community, where ‘theology’ more properly designates the views of individuals, not necessarily within this community or tradition, who seek to explore ideas without any necessary commitment to them. Doctrine defines communities of discourse, possessing a representative character, attempting to describe or prescribe the beliefs of a community. Doctrine entails a sense of commitment to a community, and a sense of obligation to speak on its behalf, where the corporate mind of the community exercises a restraint over the individual's perception of truth. Doctrine is an activity , a process of transmission of the collective wisdom of a community, rather than a passive set of deliverances. The views of theologians are thus doctrinally significant, ... log in or subscribe to read full text