Currently Reading A Wesleyan-Holiness Theology By J. Kenneth Grider see related

Reflections on Theology Part 1

Although the first question still stands, I had more thoughts to post.

In the modern world, theology served to divide Christians because it was based on abstract philosophical premises and not so much based on truths about God that are applicable to our lives and witness.  In the postmodern world, theology could serve to unite us if, as a discipline, it changes its focus from abstract principles to applicable relational truth.  After all, correct thinking about God should lead to correct service of God.  As an example, let’s look at a seemingly very abstract doctrine, justification by grace alone through faith alone on account of Christ alone.  That simply means that because of Jesus dieing on the cross in our place, God has forgiven our sins, due to his great love for us, which we don’t deserve and cannot earn, and that we can receive this gift by believing that God did it for us.  This seems pretty abstract, doesn’t it?  But this can inform our witness.  Because God has forgiven us, even though we didn’t deserve it, when other human beings sin against us, we should forgive them, even if we think they don’t deserve it.  This is relational truth.  I’m sure that all Christians can agree that we need to forgive others around us as God forgave us.