II. The Classical Order of Theological Study.
The following is the classical order of various disciplines of theology.
A. Apologetics defends Christianity against critics of Christianity (Christ, the Gospel, and the Bible, etc.).
B. Biblical Theology traces the historical and chronological development of special revelation in the Scriptures. This discipline studies the progressive revelation from Genesis to Revelation. Though God cannot change, what we know of Him has grown as God has revealed more and more to His people. When God has revealed additional truth to His people, it is not new to Him. Nor is any additional revelation contradictory to what has already been revealed. Rather, it works to give fuller revelation about Jesus, who is the central figure in all of the Bible.
D. Systematic Theology arranges Biblical Theology topically into a comprehensive and integrated system of belief.
C. Historical Theology studies the development of theology throughout the Church age. Historical Theology studies heresies as an important part of theology, since the Church developed her creeds and confessions largely in response to attacks on orthodoxy.
E. Practical, or Pastoral Theology seeks to apply all truth to how the Church and Christians are to live. This directs preaching, teaching, and counseling in the Church, ecclesiology, worship, evangelism, etc. In the end, all good theology has practical implications and applications.
Next: The Value of Systematic Theology