A LITTLE BOOK FOR NEW THEOLOGIANS

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A Book Review

Presented to

Dr. Shane Parker

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

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In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for 80610

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by

Mark Spencer Wheeler

mwheeler547@students.sbts.edu

September 18, 2018

Kapic, Kelly M. A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology. Downers

Grove, Ill: IVP Academic, 2012.

Introduction
Does one’s doctoral research relate to how and when he washes the dinner dishes?

Does one’s reading of Barth, Kierkegaard, and Luther relate to how he drives in rush hour

traffic? In A Little Book for New Theologians, Kelly Kapic compellingly affirms “Yes.” The

central premise of the book is that theology cannot be separated from life. Theology will affect

how we live, and how we live will affect our ability to study theology. Knowing and learning
theology involves a personal relationship with God and a commitment to Him.

Summary

The book divides into two sections. The first section contends that theology is the

birthright and responsibility of all believers. Kapic affirms that theology is necessary for life and

essential to avoid truncating our view of God. He says that knowing God intimately is the only

way to true wisdom and joy. He rounds out the section describing theology as a pilgrimage—a

pathway or journey filled with challenges and joys.

The second section of the book contains less description and more exhortation. Kapic

stresses the need for personal holiness reminding the reader that “for one who is not pure to lay

hold on pure things is dangerous” (44). He then clarifies the role of reason “in the service of

faith” (52). Bolstered by quotations from sources as far apart as Augustine and John Frame,

Kapic teases out the complexities of this relationship. He then highlights one of the great pitfalls

of theology—it easily becomes merely a discussion rather than a powerful catalyst leading us to

worship (64). This pitfall can be avoided by attending to personal devotion and disciplines such

as prayer and Bible study. Such devotions should lead to a theology characterized by repentance

and humility. Kapic invokes Luther’s “theologian of the cross” to illustrate the application of
these virtues to the study of theology (78). Kapic stresses that a true theologian must live among

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people to serve and suffer alongside those he hopes to teach. He must also recognize the wisdom

and spiritual insight that men and women who have walked with God have intuitively. And

finally, the theologian must tireless the love the Bible. He must not see the Bible, let alone

theology, as an end, but he must love the Bible as means—the only means to God.

Critical Evaluation

Kapic lays out a clear, comprehensive, and heartwarming description of both the methods

and goals of theology. His writing is clear and accessible in most cases. There are few exceptions

where he refers to ideas that are more obscure than necessary, for example he drops the terms

“archetypal” and “ectypal” into his description of the theologian’s life as pilgrimage (31).

Another example would be when he refers briefly to Luther’s theologian of glory and theologian

of the cross (77). But these obscurities are exceptions. Two other concerns emerged. First, a

student might assume that many people Kapic alludes to or quotes from share the priority that

Kapic places on the Bible, but Barth, Bloesch, and Kierkegaard do not. Second, the book seems

to assume a commitment to academic rigor. Kapic does acknowledges that in some regions

biblicism and tradition resist academic Bible study, but I think an overview of the principles that

should characterize a theologian could have treated discipline and rigor more directly. In the

broader scheme of the book these concerns are not significant. Even if Kapic does not say much

about rigor, his wealth of quotations and his rich deep treatment of Scripture along with the
inclusion of remarkable subject and Scripture indices demonstrate a humble commitment to it.