Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 01:3 (Dec 1997)
Article: Systematic Theology is the Hermeneutic
Author: Ronald M. Johnson

CTJ 1:3 (December 1997) p. 220

Systematic Theology is the Hermeneutic

Ronald M. Johnson

Senior Pastor
Indian Trail Community Church, Spokane, Washington

Introduction

The systematic theologian is dependent upon sound biblical exegesis that he achieves by way of a valid hermeneutic. Exegesis means to expose all that the biblical text contains in its grammatical, historical, cultural, and literary context. Packer calls this the “…’natural’ or ‘literal’ sense…”1 Hermeneutics is the art and science by which one interprets the biblical text. The hermeneutic will determine the system of theology. Covenant theology as we know it today, survives only because contrary to the strong protest of the Reformers, covenant theologians continue to interpret Scripture by allegorizing and spiritualizing portions of the Biblical text.

Ever since Karl Barth linked his version of Reformation teaching on biblical authority with a method of interpretation that at key points led away from Reformation beliefs, hermeneutics has been the real heart of the ongoing debate about Scripture. Barth was always clear that every theology stands or falls as a hermeneutic and every hermeneutic stands or falls as a theology…2

The goal of a sound hermeneutic is to capture what has been described as a “…pure biblical theology, which is an isolation and presentation of the unchanging biblical teachings which are valid for all of times.”3

Biblical theology is simply theology which is biblical, that is based upon and faithful to the teachings of the Bible. In this sense, systematic theology of the right kind will be biblical theology. It is not simply based on biblical theology; it is biblical theology.4

Systematic theology therefore must begin with divine revelation in its entirety, engaged by the Spirit-illuminated mind, drawing out the teachings of Scripture via sound grammatical-historical exegesis, respecting provisionally developed doctrine while ordering the results in a coherent whole and applying

CTJ 1:3 (December 1997) p. 221

them to the full scope of human behavior.5

Systematized Theology is not an unalterable, timeless body of truth as are the inerrantly recorded Scriptures. This should be apparent since the study of theology necessarily involves the fallibility of human observation and reason in the pursuit of formulating a system of theolo...