Die wêreld as gelykenis

The world as likeness: A trajectory to find the middle term of “theology”

In this article the different ways of bridging the gap between the concepts theos + logos in the word “theology” are investigated. This could either be done from above or from below. In order to conceive a workable definition of theology, both directions of departure are rather important. A meaningful way of doing so is to apply the concept of analogy. In the exposition of the article, this cue is followed from the classical Greek philosophers up to Barth with his unequivocal “no” to natural theology. The solution, however, is pursued along the line of the analogy of grace of Thomas Torrance. Against this backdrop, certain indispensable trends for our understanding of church in a postmodern society are designated, for example socio-cultural niches, identity-involvement dilemma, market orientation, public theology and service. Friedrich Mildenberger’s concept of basic God-talk (“einfache Gottesrede”) plays a decisive role in this enterprise.