theology

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /θiˈɒl.ə.dʒi/, US /θiˈɑː.lə.dʒi/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English teologye, borrowed from Old French theologie (“philosophical study of Christian doctrine”) and directly Latin theologia,^[2][3][4][5] from Ancient Greek θεολογία (theología, “an account of the gods”), from θεολόγος (theológos, “one who discourses on the gods”),^[2][3][4] from θεός (theós, “god”) and λόγος (lógos) (see -logy).^[2][3] Etymonline traces theós to Proto-Indo-European *dhes-, a root that forms words for religious ideas.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The study of God and his relation to humanity: 1362 in the OED, before 1376 in Piers Plowman in Barnhart, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^[6][2][3]

Semantic evolution

In Latin theologia meant the study of the heathen gods,^[5] and the English word at first applied only to Christianity.^[7] It was used for metaphysics in 1390, an obsolete sense.^[6] Non-Christian systems are theologies from 1662,^[6] and a particular theological system from 1669.^[6][3] The theology of hope, translating German, is from 1959,^[6] and a disparaging use for any rigid set of principles from 1962.^[6] Theologian is from the 15th century and theological from the 16th.^[4]

Timeline

• 1362 – the study of God.^[6]
• 1390 – metaphysics (obsolete).^[6]
• 1662 – non-Christian theologies.^[6]
• 1669 – a theological system.^[6]
• 1959 – theology of hope.^[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. The study of the nature of God and of religious truth.
2. A system or school of religious opinion: feminist theology.
3. A course of religious study at a college or seminary.
4. (disparaging) A rigid system of theoretical principles.

Word family

• antitheology
• theologian
• theological
• theologise
• theologize
• dogmatic theology
• natural theology
• New England theology

Related words

• theurgy
• theism
• -logy
• enthusiasm

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press