Theology

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Theology \The*ol"o*gy\, n.; pl. {Theologies}. [L. theologia, Gr.
     ?; ? God + ? discourse: cf. F. th['e]ologie. See {Theism},
     and {Logic}.]
     The science of God or of religion; the science which treats
     of the existence, character, and attributes of God, his laws
     and government, the doctrines we are to believe, and the


     duties we are to practice; divinity; (as more commonly
     understood) "the knowledge derivable from the Scriptures, the
     systematic exhibition of revealed truth, the science of
     Christian faith and life."
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Many speak of theology as a science of religion
           [instead of "science of God"] because they disbelieve
           that there is any knowledge of God to be attained.
                                                    --Prof. R.
                                                    Flint (Enc.
                                                    Brit.).
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Theology is ordered knowledge; representing in the
           region of the intellect what religion represents in the
           heart and life of man.                   --Gladstone.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Ascetic theology}, {Natural theology}. See {Ascetic},
        {Natural}.
  
     {Moral theology}, that phase of theology which is concerned
        with moral character and conduct.
  
     {Revealed theology}, theology which is to be learned only
        from revelation.
  
     {Scholastic theology}, theology as taught by the scholastics,
        or as prosecuted after their principles and methods.
  
     {Speculative theology}, theology as founded upon, or
        influenced by, speculation or metaphysical philosophy.
  
     {Systematic theology}, that branch of theology of which the
        aim is to reduce all revealed truth to a series of
        statements that together shall constitute an organized
        whole. --E. G. Robinson (Johnson's Cyc.).
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  theology
       n 1: the rational and systematic study of religion and its
            influences and of the nature of religious truth [syn: {divinity}]
       2: a particular system or school of religious beliefs and
          teachings; "Jewish theology"; "Roman Catholic theology"
          [syn: {theological system}]
       3: the learned profession acquired by specialized courses in
          religion (usually taught at a college or seminary); "he
          studied theology at Oxford"

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  theology n. 1. Ironically or humorously used to refer to {religious
     issues}. 2. Technical fine points of an abstruse nature, esp. those
     where the resolution is of theoretical interest but is relatively
     {marginal} with respect to actual use of a design or system. Used esp.
     around software issues with a heavy AI or language-design component,
     such as the smart-data vs. smart-programs dispute in AI.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  theology
       
          1. Ironically or humorously used to refer to {religious
          issues}.
       
          2. Technical fine points of an abstruse nature, especially
          those where the resolution is of theoretical interest but is
          relatively {marginal} with respect to actual use of a design
          or system.  Used especially around software issues with a
          heavy AI or language-design component, such as the smart-data
          vs.  smart-programs dispute in AI.
       
          [{Jargon File}]