--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Theology is not an excursion into the…" description: "\"“Theology is not an excursion into the stratosphere that lies beyond scriptural sppech in time: it may not travel beyond the borders of faith's perspec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/g-c-berkouwer-9618_bible_theology-is-not-an-excursion-into-the-st_784543.jpg" --- # Theology is not an excursion into the stratosphere that… ![“Theology is not an excursion into the stratosphere that lies beyond scriptural sppech in time: it may not travel beyond the borders of faith's perspective. Beyond the word of Scripture we dare not go, in speech or theological reflection; for it is in this word that God's love in Jesus Christ is…” quote by G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/g-c-berkouwer-9618_bible_theology-is-not-an-excursion-into-the-st_784543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/g-c-berkouwer-9618_bible_theology-is-not-an-excursion-into-the-st_784543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40f/g-c-berkouwer-9618_bible_theology-is-not-an-excursion-into-the-st_784543.jpg) > ““Theology is not an excursion into the stratosphere that lies beyond scriptural sppech in time: it may not travel beyond the borders of faith's perspective. Beyond the word of Scripture we dare not go, in speech or theological reflection; for it is in this word that God's love in Jesus Christ is revealed. There is nothing beyond that.”” [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith must stay within Scripture; theological ideas should not exceed biblical boundaries. **In simple terms:** Keep theology rooted in Scripture. Key Takeaway Ground theological work in Scripture. Themes faith theology scripture limits revelation Mood reflective serious Type theological didactic When to use this quote - sermon preparation - biblical study - church teaching - personal devotion Key Concepts biblical authority hermeneutics Christocentric focus Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance tradition and new insight? - What risks arise when theology steps outside Scripture? A Different Perspective May limit creative theological exploration beyond text. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Faith Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-perspective-3937485/) [God'S Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Theological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theological/) [Theological Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theological-reflection-2153726/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [Theology Excursion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology-excursion-6038413/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I don't believe that God is a fussy faultfinder in dealing with theological ideas. He who provides forgiveness for a sinful life will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-thielicke/i-don-t-believe-that-god-is-a-fussy-faultfinder-in-dealing-with/) [Helmut Thielicke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-thielicke/) > [Theological reflection takes place within history, but the history within which it takes place is an ongoing, open-ended process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-novak/theological-reflection-takes-place-within-history-but-the-history/) [David Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-novak/) > [“When we downshift Christian education from the paradigm of expertise to a paradigm of love, we do not dilute the importance of rigorous theological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenda-creasy-dean/when-we-downshift-christian-education-from-the-paradigm-of-expertise/) [Kenda Creasy Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenda-creasy-dean/) > [“Love is as faith in that one's perspective becomes, usually irremediably, tainted upon contraction, so as to obscure all defects therein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yours-truly/love-is-as-faith-in-that-one-s-perspective-becomes-usually/) [Yours Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yours-truly/) > [“How is it possible to view every challenge as an opportunity and face the challenge head-on expecting the outcome to be in my favor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-c-bibb/how-is-it-possible-to-view-every-challenge-as-an-opportunity-and-face/) [Sandra C. Bibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-c-bibb/) > [First, I hate all theological controversy: it is wearing to the temper, and is I believe (at all events when viva voce) worse than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/first-i-hate-all-theological-controversy-it-is-wearing-to-the-temper/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“Much of the theology of the Bible is what we could call “task theology.” It is theological truth brought to bear on specific life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-l-strauss/much-of-the-theology-of-the-bible-is-what-we-could-call-task-theology/) [Mark L. Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-l-strauss/) > [I believe passionately that Christianity is a way of life, not a theological system with which one must be in intellectual agreement. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-weatherhead/i-believe-passionately-that-christianity-is-a-way-of-life-not-a/) [Leslie Weatherhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-weatherhead/) > [Insofar as theology is an attempt to define and clarify intellectual positions, it is apt to lead to discussion, to differences of opinion, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/insofar-as-theology-is-an-attempt-to-define-and-clarify-intellectual/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [Indeed, theological discourse offers its strange jubilation only to the strict extent that it permits and, dangerously, demands of it wokman that he speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-marion/indeed-theological-discourse-offers-its-strange-jubilation-only-to/) [Jean-Luc Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-marion/) > [Theology is not a private subject for theologians only. Nor is it a private subject for professors. Fortunately, there have always been pastors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/theology-is-not-a-private-subject-for-theologians-only-nor-is-it-a/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [Biblically sound, faithful, and intellectually satisfying theology that will . . . cure many current theological concerns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-kesler/biblically-sound-faithful-and-intellectually-satisfying-theology-that/) [Jay Kesler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-kesler/) > [“To be a Christian is to be a theologian—a student of God and his will. The church is where believers should be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/to-be-a-christian-is-to-be-a-theologian-a-student-of-god-and-his-will/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Heresy is usually quite sophisticated, actually has a meaning, and is to be taken very seriously. It is therefore to be carefully distinguished from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/heresy-is-usually-quite-sophisticated-actually-has-a-meaning-and-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Book of Job and the 19th Psalm, which even the Church admits to be more ancient than the chronological order in which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-book-of-job-and-the-19th-psalm-which-even-the-church-admits-to-be/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) ## More by G C Berkouwer > [“Lord, will those who are saved be few?” ... Jesus’ answer seems so noncommittal, so evasive ... Strive to enter by the narrow door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/lord-will-those-who-are-saved-be-few-jesus-answer-seems-so/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“The history of salvation does away with any personal glory ... in Christ, we have the exclusion of all human merit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-history-of-salvation-does-away-with-any-personal-glory-in-christ/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“The restoration of the image of God ... the new nature, created after the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness ... the new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-restoration-of-the-image-of-god-the-new-nature-created-after-the/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“On the route of faith and action, along with hope, we see that the gospel we believe is far removed from the picture of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/on-the-route-of-faith-and-action-along-with-hope-we-see-that-the/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“Genuine sanctification has a ‘continued orientation toward justification.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/genuine-sanctification-has-a-continued-orientation-toward/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“Men have tried to construct abstract and causal answers to this question of sin's origin and ... have violated the very limits of objectivity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/men-have-tried-to-construct-abstract-and-causal-answers-to-this/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“The true nature of good works cannot be understood apart from Christ who is our ‘sanctification’ (1 Corinthians 1:30).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-true-nature-of-good-works-cannot-be-understood-apart-from-christ/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“In the Gospels, being a sinner means being lost ... There is no way for man to escape the condition of being lost ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/in-the-gospels-being-a-sinner-means-being-lost-there-is-no-way-for/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“In the New Testament, "myth stands over against the truth (aletheia) of the history of Jesus Christ ... the decisive die has ... been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/in-the-new-testament-myth-stands-over-against-the-truth-aletheia-of/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“Dilemmas always are a source of polarization. We quickly move over to simplistic either-or’s … in which the fulness of truth is torn apart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/dilemmas-always-are-a-source-of-polarization-we-quickly-move-over-to/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“The church's ... certainty is bound to certain norms and ... a feeling of subjective certainty does not guarantee irrefutable certainty ... it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-church-s-certainty-is-bound-to-certain-norms-and-a-feeling-of/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“God ... is hidden from corrupt eyes, from the proud and disdainful, but revealed to those who in confession of sin and receptive faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/god-is-hidden-from-corrupt-eyes-from-the-proud-and-disdainful-but/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“I am of the opinion that … one can judge soundly of the scriptural doctrine of election only when one rejects this symmetry (i.e.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/i-am-of-the-opinion-that-one-can-judge-soundly-of-the-scriptural/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“The hesitations and doubts that are present at many points in modern theology do not in themselves indicate a deep and final uncertainty ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/the-hesitations-and-doubts-that-are-present-at-many-points-in-modern/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) > [“It is the marvel of the work of the Holy Spirit that those who really respond to the proclamation of reconciliation claim no merit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-c-berkouwer/it-is-the-marvel-of-the-work-of-the-holy-spirit-that-those-who-really/) [G C Berkouwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) [Explore all 71 G C Berkouwer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-c-berkouwer/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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