The religious significance of theology
As in the case of religions themselves, their theological reflections are also not limited to a special religious sphere, separated from common life. Who speaks of God and the gods speak at the same time of humanity and the meaning of existence. He makes the statements about the world, its conditions of creation, its distancing from the purpose of creation (for example, sin) and its determined objective (eschatology or vision of recent times). Of these statements, they result of the nation and society. In ancient times, all aspects of life (for example, the relationship between sexes, hygiene and work, among others) were determined religiously and were impregnated by forms and practices of worship. In this sense, each religion contains the totality of being that its "theology" intends to express, if it also includes certain rudiments of reflection in primitive religion in the concept of "theology."
In primitive religions, the tribe represents the axis around which all mundane relations revolve. The primitive (or mythical) time to which the tribe draws its own origins is also the moment of salvation and compliance. Therefore, primitive religions mainly care about ancestral worship. They are involved in tribal concerns in the field of religious thought are the conceptions of Maná (spiritual power or strength), that is, the teaching that tribal chiefs, medications and sorcerers are subjects of special charism (power or spiritual influence ) and more powerful powers of life. In Eastern religions, as in Western religions, this understanding is infinitely refined, developed and theologically reflected. Regarding the relationship of humanity with the world, many oriental religions (especially Hinduism) have a defined negative vision of all reality, which is especially pronounced in contrast to the Christian doctrine of creation. Although this doctrine points to a "happy event" in Christianity, the call to life and reality is understood in oriental thinking in the opposite way. As the religious and missionary scholar Stephen Neill wrote:
Being a man implies being separated from all true reality. Creation should never have happened, and its failures must be eliminated as soon as possible ... the illusion that I am is a calamity. Death is not explained, but rather birth.
The cultural importance of theology
Since theology does not remain restricted to transcendent statements and an esoteric and sacred kingdom, and since it covers all worldly dimensions (cosmology, anthropology, historiography and other areas), it has always had an important importance for cultural evolution and intellectual life general . Western historians bare In fact, it made this concept possible in the first place. A Hebrew biblical theology of history is based on the understanding of history as a linear process, as indicated to an objective (that is, the kingdom of God) and as qualified by the characteristic of singularity. This vision of history contrasts with a cyclical understanding of successive events, that is, the vision that history is repeated. The fact that the university and school were originally initiated by the Church (as is the case in the mission fields) is based on the fact that theology has theology has theology in its various issues the various dimensions of life (nature , history, ethics and other disciplinary areas).
In addition, much of modern philosophy has emerged from theological issues and categories; Even in the work of the remains of Karl Marx of this fact, they are still observable. Modern philosophy, in general, has only gradually emancipated this theological origin, but this emancipation has also taken place in a way that has preserved the dialectical relationship of theology and philosophy. That the theological questions in the modern era of secularism are raised less openly than in the time of the Middle Ages does not reduce its lasting importance. They always resurface, often disguised, as in the search for the meaning of life and existence or nihilist resignation with respect to that search; In addition, they re -emerge in the search for the dignity of human existence, the inviolability of life, the determination of human rights and many other similar questions. The American German theologian Paul Tillich specifically investigated the secular scope in view of the relevance of these latent theological questions.
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