Theology at Belfast Bible College

When you hear the word 'theologian' what’s the first image that pops into your head?  

Maybe you’re thinking of someone old, with grey hair and glasses who’s probably a bit antiquated and ‘dusty’... or perhaps someone who has lots of deep and meaningful books on their shelves, with words and concepts that the average person finds it difficult to understand.... Stereotypes aside, before answering the ‘who’ of Theology, it’s best to answer the ‘what’ - in other words what exactly is theology? The word ‘theos’ means ‘God’ and the word ‘logos’ means ‘word’, so fundamentally theology is ‘words about God’ or in essence, ‘the study of God.’ But Theology isn’t just a theoretical understanding about God, it’s also profoundly practical, equipping us to live our Christian lives in the light of the knowledge of the truth of who God is and what He has done in our lives. Belfast Bible College Principal, David Shepherd shares something of his journey into the study of theology: "After school I took a gap year, and went to a Bible School for a semester.

Although I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do at university, I did know that I wanted to know God better, and studying about Him seemed like a good place to start.  As I studied about God, I also found that it ultimately helped me to serve Him more effectively too." This echoes the experience of many of the students at BBC, who soon discover that their time at college equips them to serve God more effectively, wherever they are. The range of biblical and practical subjects on offer at the college equips them for a wide spectrum of ministries and vocations. For some students that means serving God more effectively in their 9-5 job, and for others that means serving in a church or Christian organisation at home or overseas. BBC student Carolyn Blair shares something of her experience: “Theology is definitely not just an academic subject, but with Jesus at the centre, it is study which engages the heart, mind and soul. In my experience, studying theology has been radically life-changing.” 

If you’re interested in finding out more about studying Theology on a full or part-time basis at Belfast Bible College, please do contact us by emailing info@belfastbiblecollege.com or calling 028 90629943.