Why Should Women Study Theology?
Sitting in a classroom as one of only a few women was not an uncommon experience for me during my education. In college, I majored in biblical studies and proceeded on to seminary to earn a Master of Divinity. I recognize that I am privileged to have studied the Bible in such a way and receive such an education. However, more and more I have recognized that there is an absence of women in studying theology – not just in the educational classroom, but also in the local church.
There may be several underlying reasons for this but let us focus on why it is important for women to study theology in some manner. Perhaps it’s reading more books about theology, participating in more Bible studies, or even pursuing biblical education in a format such as the Berkshire Institute of Christian Studies (BICS) or the Ministry Training Institute (MTI).
Here are three reasons for women to consider expanding their knowledge of theology and biblical studies.
Know why you believe what you believe
Why do you believe what you believe? An important question for any believer to consider, but particularly for women in the church. Theology, the study of God, helps us understand why we believe what we believe.
When women are sitting in the church pews in the position of learner, listener, participant – it is not a passive position to be in. It is active.
Consider the sacrament of the Eucharist, also known as Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Do you simply go through the motions whenever communion is offered? Do you think about why we as believers take Communion? Do you consider the question of why some church communities take Communion once a month, and others take it every week? Do you wonder why some church communities pass the plates of bread and wine (or juice), and others get up out of their seats and walk forward to receive Communion?
When we study church history and theology, we learn that there are reasons behind each of these decisions regarding traditions of offering and receiving the Eucharist. We begin to understand why the Lord’s Supper is a pillar of the Christian faith.
When we learn about the theology underlying various Christian traditions, beliefs, and practices; we are learning to articulate why we believe what we believe.
Expand your critical thinking skills
In asking questions about why we believe what we believe, we are also expanding our critical thinking skills in the realm of the Christian faith. When we grow our critical thinking skills, we become more adept at enacting the Great Commission.
Have you ever had an opportunity to talk to someone about your Christian faith, but got scared and chose not to talk about it because you didn’t know how to answer their potential questions? Does talking to people about Jesus make you anxious?
Critical thinking allows us to slow down, take a breath and think about the questions and topics that are up for discussion. It allows women to bolster their confidence in talking of the things of God. Women often occupy different spaces than men and have opportunities to talk about Christ that men may not have in their daily lives. We don’t want to pass by these divine appointments that God may have set before us. Expanding our critical thinking skills helps us learn how to speak of the things of God with confidence and explain why we believe what we believe.
Deepen your personal relationship with Jesus Christ
Studying theology has only benefited my personal relationship with Jesus. As I study the things of God, learn more about who God is and what he does, consider how we believers are to live in the world and yet be not of the world – I have only stepped closer and closer to Jesus.
When we study theology, we are studying and learning about God himself. We are learning about traditions from early Christians and how such traditions have continued into modern times. We learn about the character of God, we learn about his creation, we learn about his desires.
Studying theology can only benefit your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Catherine Rybicki serves as the Coordinator for Missions Engagement at ACGC. She has a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Toccoa Falls College, and a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Catherine lives in Matthews, NC.
“Why Should Women Study Theology?,” The Advent Christian Witness, Fall 2023