We are all natural-born theologians. Consider the endless variety of religions in the world. From animism to Zen, from Zoroastrianism to atheism-everyone is a theologian. But not everyone is a good theologian. In fact, by nature, we are all lousy theologians. St. Paul puts it this way:
We are fallen, so our natural-born theology is fallen, too. Paul continues: "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles" (Rom. 1:22-23). Our fallen theologies are man-shaped, bird-shaped, animal-shaped, or reptile-shaped theologies.
What do all these theologies have in common? Paul says, "they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him … [but they] exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images."
Instead of giving glory to God, fallen humanity always seeks its own glory. It began in the Garden of Eden: "'You will not surely die,' the serpent said to the woman. 'For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God…'" (Gen. 3:4-5). In all of their fallen theologizing, human beings seek for themselves the glory that belongs to God alone. This is the theology of glory.
Scripture says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Prov. 16:25). The way that seems right is the theology of glory. We are all natural-born theologians of glory. A theologian of glory believes that:
God's ways are apparent.God's favor is manifested in the circumstances of life, in particular, life's successes and victories.God is pleased by sincere human effort.
Except for Christianity, all theologies are theologies of glory. Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism-all are theologies of glory, but this theology is the way that leads to death.How is God disposed toward me? Is he pleased or displeased? To answer these questions, the theologian of glory must speculate based upon his or her own life's circumstances. If things are going well in life, you can conclude that God is pleased with you.
Why is God pleased with me? The theologian of glory speculates further and draws the only conclusion that his theology permits: God is pleased with me because I have pleased him. But if things are not going well, God must be displeased, and more effort to please him is required. The theologian of glory invents a god who can be-and must be-manipulated with human works.
But Christian theology is fundamentally different. Christianity is not the theology of glory, but the theology of the cross. In contrast to the theologian of glory, the theologian of the Cross believes that:
God's ways are paradoxical and hidden to human reason.God's favor is manifested in Jesus, in particular, his suffering, death, and resurrection.God is pleased only by Jesus.
Isaiah writes, "Truly you are a God who hides himself, O God and Savior of Israel" (Isa. 45:15). Why does God hide himself? The answer is a paradox: God hides himself in order to reveal himself as our Savior.
Where does God hide himself? The answer is another paradox. God, who is all-powerful, hides himself in weakness. God, who is all-wise, hides himself in foolishness. God, who is ever-living, hides himself in death.
Here is where the theologian of glory objects: God is not weak, foolish or dead! Here the theologian of glory shows his true colors. Luther rightly diagnosed the problem:
This is clear: He who does not know Christ does not know God hidden in suffering. Therefore he prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, wisdom to folly, and, in general, good to evil. These are the people whom the apostle calls "enemies of the cross of Christ" [Phil. 3:18], for they hate the cross and suffering and love works and the glory of works. (Heidelberg Disputation, "Proof for Thesis 21")
To know Jesus Christ is to know God hidden in weakness, foolishness, and death-the weakness, foolishness and death of the cross.
How is God disposed toward me? Is he pleased or displeased? In the suffering and death of Jesus, the theologian of the cross sees God's favor, forgiveness and mercy. Why is God pleased with me? The theologian of the cross knows that God is pleased by Jesus alone. There is no need to speculate. God is pleased with me because of Jesus and Jesus alone. The circumstances of my life, good or bad, are not signs of God's favor or displeasure, but are comprehended in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
The theologian of glory defines God according to human concepts of reason, power, and wisdom; the theologian of the cross permits God to define himself, regardless how paradoxical, weak, and foolish he may appear. It is a cross-shaped theology.
Christians are not immune to the theology of glory. In many churches today, the glory of works outshines the cross of Christ. Pulpits free of paradox proclaim the Christian rather than the Christ. God is presented as easily understood and easily pleased by human effort. But this is a god who requires neither a cross nor a dead Jesus. The theology of glory leaves sinners speculating.
The cross and its theology require no speculation about God or his disposition toward sinners. There, written in the broken body and shed blood of his Son, is God's final Word.
