Is there a place for speculation in theology? On the one hand, some people are more entranced by theological speculation than knowing or caring about what biblical revelation actually teaches. Indeed, that might preclude things they want to believe in.
On the other hand, Christian theism opens up vistas of possibilities that are foreclosed in atheism. God is infinitely greater than we can imagine, so it's hard to exaggerate what might be the case. Our imagination will always fall incomparably short of God's imagination. So long as our speculation has a foothold in Scripture, and we don't confuse speculation with revelation, there's value in stretching our horizons. The opposite danger is to make our humdrum experience the yardstick.
With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
ReplyDeleteYet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me
Do not go beyond what is written.
How can something be revealed when it is just implied?
Speculate that.
hahaha.
No offense.
A necessary implication does have the force of a direct statement.
DeleteMoreover, you miss the point of the post. Possibilities may or may not be actualities, but they differ from impossibilities. There's nothing wrong with considering possibilities so long as we acknowledge the limitations of speculation. It's not binding.