Ch. 1 Dogmatic Theology as a Science

It may seem novel to some, futile to others, and even ridiculous to most, that the study of theology could be considered a science or done in a scientific way. So what is science? The word science comes from the Latin “scientia,” meaning knowledge. Knowledge is also closely related to truth. It would be of no value to have knowledge about make believe objects or subjects. Science, we could say, is the investigation of things that are true. We often think of the natural sciences and the methodology of the science such as the scientific method. Science as a discipline includes certain methodologies, subjects and objects. Physics , for example, uses the a certain methodology (scientific method) to study a certain subject( the physical world, matter and motion) by examining specific objects, the moon , stars, etc…

In the opening chapter, Bavinck sets out to argue and prove that theology can be done scientifically. If theology is to be considered a science, what are its method, subject, and object? And why must theology be done in a dogmatic fashion?