Pieper, 1968. Chapter A7, "Christian Religion and Christian Theology"

Chapter A7, “Christian Religion and Christian Theology”

In this very brief segment, Pieper distinguishes between the religious knowledge typically held by “laity” (he does not use that term) and the theological knowledge normally held by theologians, pastors, and teachers. In essence, he says, they are the same, but the theologians go a bit farther in their study. Counter to some modernists, Pieper does not see a big distinction. Both the “religious” and the “theological” draw their learning and their authority from the Bible. Both use guides, though the theologian uses more exhaustive and scholarly guides. Pieper will hold the discussion of theology as a “science” or “system” until later.