Can Theology Be a Science? Reflections From the Perspective of Philosophy of Science on Necessary and Sufficient Conditions

Abstract

This article discusses whether Christian theology can be a scientific endeavour with regard to necessary and sufficient conditions. The controversial nature of the philosophy of science perspective and the strong differentiation of theology into sub-disciplines require a differentiated approach. The criticism that theology does not fulfill the necessary conditions for scientificity is reduced to a basic argumentative form that allows an overview of possible response strategies. In addition, a diagnosis of the main problem of theology with respect to being a scientific endeavour is proposed. The article deals with positive attempts to show the scientific nature of theology, both in general and using the example of Pannenberg’s approach to theology as a hypothetical science of God. It advocates a constructive approach to such positive attempts, even if they depend on a conception of theology that is not one’s own.