Formal theological education often receives criticism for being so intellectually minded that it is of no practical good. I get it. I’ve seen the blank stares of students that were more than evidence for caffeine deprivation. Waxing eloquently about the Christology of the early Church Fathers, exegeting the cento of a Church Mother, even wrestling with the application of infinite game theory to modern missions doesn’t always excite the learner to deeper devotion to God—although I obviously think it should.
No doubt, one of the hallmarks of the first century church focused on sound theological teaching. Understood properly, sound theological teaching in the first century was as much about the content as it was the corresponding character of those being taught. While the teacher possessed a knowledge worthy of learning, it wasn’t divorced from the teacher modeling how it looked lived out among others.
So, the ninth characteristic of a disciple in Ephesus is as much about the disciple as it is about the disciple-maker and the content of his teaching.
Ninth, disciples learn sound doctrine from movement leaders who are able to teach (1 Tim 4:7). (Ephesiology, loc 3753)
The Risk of Reductionism and Syncretism
Even though we might think we are transmitting sound theological teaching to others, when divorced from the practical and devotional, it easily devolves into reductionism or syncretism. On the one hand, reductionism occurs when our theology fails to consider both the biblical culture and its meaningful expression in the culture where applied. On the other hand, syncretism, similar to reductionism, also fails to consider the biblical context. Yet, unlike reductionism, it develops a theology that looks too much like culture and loses any connection with the first hearers.
Reductionism
For example, we see reductionism in an attempt to teach sound doctrine expressed as fundamentalism. Reducing Christian theology to the whim of a church board who protects its flock from other churches whose doctrinal statements do not align with theirs betrays a theological arrogance inherent in reductionism. We see reductionism even among missions organizations who have reduced their strategies to a set of methods and applied them no matter the context.
In and of themselves, a church board or missions organization has the right to determine what is core to their valves. However, when such core valves marginalize others who hold to the apostolic traditions of the first century, you wind up fragmenting the body of Christ and harming its witness in the world.
In other words, reductionism tends toward an us versus them. We see this sort of reductionism on billboards all over sub Saharan Africa and India. Such billboards advertise the message of pastors and churches who set themselves apart from other pastors and churches on the billboards next to them.
Syncretism
Syncretism is no less harmful. Not at all a uniquely American phenomenon, we observe the tendency to syncretize faith with politics all over the world. We witnessed this while living in Romania with the conflation of Orthodoxy with Romanian politics. We see it today in the manner in which the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church tie their faith to their respective political ideologies. Even recently in Kenya, the evangelical church aligned itself with the current president who professes an evangelical belief.
When faith and politics syncretize confusion occurs around our allegiances. When conflated with an ideology, the Christian faith loses its identity. It doesn’t matter whether it is political, social, or economic. It is no longer the true faith once passed down by the apostles.
Syncretism also occurs when religions unite in such ways that they are no longer recognizable from each other. Some African Initiated Churches have wed African traditional religions so tightly to Christianity that the unique expression which emerged can no longer be truly called Christian. In India, Gandhi conflated his view of Jesus with his own social agenda. In doing so, he created a new non-violent, political activist that looked more like him than the Christ we find in the gospels.
Even the Jesus of the popular multi-million dollar marketing campaign He Gets Us appears to be more like a 21st century person struggling with mental health and relational issues as a refugee than he does the incarnation of God.
Sound Doctrine
Sound doctrine encompasses more than merely transmitting theological knowledge. It also involves integrating practical and devotional aspects for a wholistic learning experience. When so doing, it reduces the penchant to reductionism and syncretism. To ensure sound doctrine, it is crucial to consider both biblical culture and cultural relevance. At the same time, we must maintain the integrity of the original message.
Concerned for the increasing numbers of Christians falling victim to false doctrines, Ignatius of Antioch wrote to the believers in the church of Magnesia in the early second century:
Study, therefore, to be established in the doctrines of the Lord and the apostles, so that in all things, whatsoever you do, you may flourish both in the flesh and spirit, in faith and love, in the Son and in the Father and in the Spirit, in the beginning and in the end. Do this together with your most admirable bishop, and the admirably crafted spiritual crown of your elders, and the godly deacons. (Letter to the Magnesians 13)
In his clearly Trinitarian understanding of theological education, it benefited the learner spiritually and physically. It manifested in acts of love and faith. But the education was not without teachers who were also learners; not above the disciples but beside them learning in community.
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