| | | |---|---| |Exegesis|The process of seeking to determine the correct meaning out of a particular passage of Scripture.| |Biblical theology|The study of scriptural revelation based on the historical framework presented in the Bible.| |Systematic theology|A study that answers the question, “What does the whole Bible teach us today about a given topic?”| |Historical theology|The study of how believers in different eras of the history of the church have understood various theological topics.| |Philosophical theology|The study of theological topics primarily through the use of the tools and methods of philosophical reasoning and information gained from nature and reason (“general revelation”) apart from the Bible.| |Practical theology|The study of how to best apply theological truths to the life of the church and the world (including preaching, Christian education, counseling, evangelism, missions, church administration, worship, etc.).| |Apologetics|The study of theology for the purpose of defending Christian teaching against criticism and distortion, and giving evidences of its credibility.|