Theological Study as a Spiritual Practice

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Summer Sampler 2025: The Spiritual Disciplines That Form Us

What are spiritual disciplines? And why are they relevant to our lives? Spiritual disciplines are purposeful practices that cultivate a deeper, richer, and more intentional relationship with God and others. They are not simply rituals, but tools for growth, transformation, and living a more Christ-like life. Each week in our Summer Sampler we will be exploring one of these disciplines. Our hope is that you’ll discover one or more that are a fit for you and that you can incorporate into your walk with Jesus.

By Bethany Stewart

Be honest – what is your first reaction when you hear the word “theology”? 

Some of you might have internally eye-rolled – no judgment if you did! Many perceive theology as a quaint hobby akin to stamp-collecting. In this view, theology is a relic of a bygone era, detached from “real life.” 

Or maybe you find yourself drawn to theology, but you assume serious study is not for you – or maybe it was for you if you’ve been to seminary, but those days are now behind you. In this view, theology is for academics and is, once again, detached from real life.

Or maybe your reaction was a different one altogether. Maybe you recoiled. Maybe “theology” is what was thrown in your face to attempt to exclude you from ministry. That has certainly been my experience, at times. In this view, theology is not quaint, and certainly not harmless or detached. Instead, it has been used as a weapon against you. 

I would like to propose that there is a way of thinking about theological reflection that is neither detached, nor irrelevant, nor exclusive, nor harmful. Instead, it is a holistic spiritual practice that more intimately connects us to God, to ourselves, to our communities, and to our world.

…a holistic spiritual practice that more intimately connects us to God, to ourselves, to our communities, and to our world.

 Amos Yong describes a theologian as “someone who thinks about and considers God, and all things in relationship to God.”* Reading good theology is not merely information-gathering; it is transforming. It is adventure, a never-ending quest for those transforming intersections between our lived experience and the God who is the ground and substance of that experience. 

Theology stretches our minds upward, toward God; downward, toward the soil that is our connection to our place in this world; inward, toward our identities and self-understandings; and outward, toward the communities in which we are embedded. To frame theological reflection as a spiritual practice simply means that we are intentional and habitual about how we think and live in relation to God, the world, ourselves, and other humans.

But “theology” can feel like such a vague thing, and we need a way to get our hands around it. Here are some practical suggestions about ways to approach theological study as a spiritual practice.

First, consider what you will read: 

  • Pick something that interests you. Theology should intersect with your lived experience and follow your curiosity and interests. If your passion is earth care, for example, look for texts that explore a theology of earth care. 

  • Read texts that are thoughtfully, beautifully written. “Theology, in its most vital and dynamic forms, should make you feel things.”** My favorite theological texts are ones that read more like poetry than engineering manuals. 

  • Read widely and pursue a diversity of perspectives. We always reflect on God from the particularity of our own context, and we need all types of contexts in order to broaden our vision of God and his world. 

Then, consider how you will read:

  • Remember that reading theological texts, even ones that are academically oriented, is a skill that can be developed. Just like any skill, practicing it will feel hard at first but will get easier the more you do it. Deep reading is one of those skills that is rapidly disappearing in the modern world. We must work to preserve it.

  • To that end, simply try to make theological study a habit and doggedly stick to it. It helps me to combine study with something I enjoy, like listening to Dustin O’Halloran and drinking a cup of strong, black coffee. For guidance on effective habit-building, start with James Clear. 

  • Engage with what you read. Theological reflection is active, not passive. Underline, highlight, make notes in the margin, keep a notebook of questions and feedback as you read. Make it your own.

  • Finally, remember that theology is a holistic endeavor. It is neither an escape from reality nor an affirmation of the superiority of the mind over the body. As Justo Gonzalez puts it, “Theology is best done with dirt under one’s fingernails.”***

Whether you are a newcomer or a veteran in the world of theological reflection, there is a place for you. It is a world of adventure, life, meaning, and purpose. It is where the world intersects with God.

If you’re looking for some resources to get started, here are a few of the books I’ve enjoyed in the past year:

  • Justo Gonzalez, Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective

  • Randy Woodley, Shalom and the Community of Creation

  • Katherine Sonderegger, Systematic Theology, Volume 2: The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity

  • Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath

  • Jürgen Moltmann, Experiences of God

  • Charles Marsh, Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

  • Sandra Richter, Stewards of Eden

  • Howard Thurman, Jesus and the Disinherited

*  Amos Yong, Learning Theology: Tracking the Spirit of Christian Faith (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2018), Kindle loc. 122.

** Charles Marsh, “Introduction,” in Lived Theology: New Perspectives on Method, Style, and Pedagogy, ed. Charles Marsh, et al. (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2017), 10.

*** Justo Gonzalez, Mañana: Christian Theology from a Hispanic Perspective (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1990), 129.

For more about Spiritual Disciplines, check out the Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Calhoun.

Bethany Stewart is a student at Fuller Seminary in the Master of Divinity program. She is currently pursuing ordination as Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). She lives in Bellbrook, Ohio, with her husband, Andrew, and 6-year-old daughter, Eliana. She loves deep conversations, reading, hiking, drinking coffee, and learning about gardening with native plants. She writes (sporadically) on Substack: https://wholism.substack.com/. 

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