theologia viatorum

theologia viatorum: theology of the viatores, or pilgrims; a term applied to the incomplete or imperfect theology of believers in the world, in contrast to the theology of those who have reached their end in God, the theologia beatorum (Richard A. Muller, Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms: Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1985.)

Theology is a journey. It is a pilgrimage with a goal in sight: theologia beatorum – theology of the blessed. The theology of the blessed is a theology granted in heaven of a deeper, clearer, and fuller knowledge of God and his Christ. It is the perfected form of human theology. It is a theology, which Christian pilgrims strive for while on earth. It is a “theology of earthly pilgrims or wanderers searching for the heavenly city” (Muller, theologia beatorum).

It will only be obtained at the end of the journey. Once the pilgrim passes through the black river of death only then will he enter into the celestial city. Until that time the Christian wanderer is a theological pilgrim.

However, this is no wandering like the Israelites in the desert for forty years. They marched in circles year after year, but a theological pilgrim is one who, although wandering, continues to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not endless wandering. With God there is always progression.

The road traveled is one of purpose. There is a destination. As the pilgrim ventures further and further along this life so he walks closer and closer to theological truth. As Scripture becomes all the more embedded into his person so the pilgrim comes closer to Christ. Knowing Christ is the goal of this life. To know the way and the truth and the life is our end. It is a life of joy, but a life of the cross. It is a life of persecution, but also a life of hope. It is a life of law, but also a life of gospel. It is a life journeyed toward the city of our God.

The Christian life is lived out down the road less traveled. But on that road we travel not alone. The theological pilgrim wanders down this Emmaus road, walking side by side with Christ. At times the path is overgrown and the way unclear. Yet, the way is always forward, dim though it may be. It is on this road where hearts are lit afire for the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel of salvation. It is down this path where we will find our final resting place, where we will reach the city of God and entered into his eternal rest. This is the way of theologia viatorum; this is the path of pilgrim theology.