- theology
- mid-14c., from O.Fr. theologie "philosophical treatment of Christian doctrine" (14c.), from L. theologia, from Gk. theologia "an account of the gods," from theologos "one discoursing on the gods," from theos "god" (see Thea) + -logos "treating of."
"Theology moves back and forth between two poles, the eternal truth of its foundations and the temporal situation in which the eternal truth must be received." [Paul Tillich, "Systematic Theology," 1951]
Theologian is first recorded late 15c., from O.Fr. theologien (14c.). A petty or paltry theologist is a theologaster (1620s), coined in M.L. by Martin Luther (1518).