People tend to assume that theologians must all have
faith. Not necessarily. Theologians are the father of jurists, and grandfather
of scientists. They all formulate hypotheses, and prove — from existing
evidence — an all-encompassing theoretical framework that is logically
coherent.
If one manages to use Plato’s theory, or any other
tools, to prove the fundamental coherence of all things Christian, s/he is a
qualified Christian theologian. If one attempts to prove the inherent coherence
of all custom, and comes up with a logically consistent theory, s/he is a
jurist — although her / his jurisprudence is not a law in itself, and there is
no guarantee that a jurist would not break any law. If one seeks to prove the
inherent causality or correlation amongst all planets or diseases, s/he is an
astrologist or biologist.
History develops from theology to jurisprudence, and
from jurisprudence to science. The most difficult part, rather than proving or
falsifying the validity of any specific fact, is how one justifies the inherent
coherence from a large body of seemingly contradictory evidence. Most people
would think that the world is in a natural state of chaos, and there is no
all-encompassing law. Apparently, the existence of law in itself is a matter of
faith…
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