Theology

Augustine of Hippo defined the Latin equivalent, theologia, as "reasoning or discussion concerning the Deity"; Anglican theologian Richard Hooker defined "theology" in English as "the science of things divine".

In this section you will find a database of Anglicans/Episcopalians who study theology as a full-time occupation, plus colleges around the Anglican Communion where people study this rich and exciting subject.

However, for all Anglicans, at the heart of theology is the Bible. There is a well-known prayer used by Anglicans for many centuries which tells us how Anglicans approach the Bible as the revelation of God through the words of human beings:

Blessed Lord,

you have caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them,
that, by patience and comfort of your holy word
we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life,
which you have give us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

This prayer is a rich theology of the Bible. It reminds us that the authority of Holy Scripture comes from the fact that it is inspired by God, and that the Bible is meant to form Christians as a holy people, ready, willing and able to do God's will and offer our lives in worship and service.

Yet, reading the Bible is not always and easy task, as Scripture and our many varied contexts impact upon each other. Anglicans find within Scripture a range of voices and there has been a commitment to engage with them all. Hence the commission of the Bible in the Life of the Church project. This involves refusing to silence contending voices, and also asking whether ther are strong threads which hold together the diversity. 

You will also find a range of resources in this section that help you get to grips with Anglican theology.