Pilgrim Theology: A Book Review

Pilgrim TheologyDecember 18, 2025 by Chris Peterson
Category: Uncategorized
As human creatures made in God's image, we are indelibly marked with the desire to interpret, to understand the meaning of our lives, the cosmos we live in, and the Creator we serve. The fruit of this quest for meaning is the study of theology (theo = God plus logos = word), which literally means "word related to God."


We are as humans, in our very essence, image of God, therefore it is most fitting to study the word about God. Since all creation was made to reflect the glory of God, humans add modifiers to theology to account for the various perspectives or lenses through which we study God, to name three, biblical theology, historical theology, and systematic theology. 
Biblical theology studies God's revelation of Himself and His activities through the storyline of redemption, moving linearly from Genesis to Revelation. Historical theology pays attention to the fruit of God's Word (for the gospel-word creates the body and congregation of the Messiah), a congregation that is centered on God's Word, so in effect, we pay attention to the creeds and confessions that arise out of the church's study of Scripture. Systematic theology recognizes that as interpreters of Scripture, we systematize the narrative and propositions revealed in Scripture as doctrine, the apostolic tradition, or what some may call dogmatics.  
We observe these three aspects of theology at work in the apostle Paul's epistle to Timothy, particularly 1 Timothy 1:15, 17. The apostle underlines the faithful confession regarding Christ or "the trustworthy saying": "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1:15). (Observe the redemptive story or biblical theology in the statement that Christ came into the world for the purpose of saving sinners.)
After providing a credal and confessional statement to be accepted by the church, Paul systematizes Scriptural statements made about God: "To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1:17). The apostle Paul has categorized the teaching of Scripture regarding God's essence: immortal, invisible, only. 
Biblical, systematic, and historical theology serve to guard the church's sound doctrine and motivation for worship. We observe the benefit of theology pertaining to the sound doctrine of the church with Paul's statement to Timothy: "This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience" (1:18-19). Timothy's motivation (and implicitly, the church's motivation) to wage spiritual warfare involved both his gospel-theological charge and his prophetic calling. 
In summary, the redemptive plan of God regarding Christ (biblical theology), the trustworthy statement or confession concerning Christ (historical theology), and categorical propositions about God gleaned from Scripture (systematic theology) serve the church and her leaders in waging the good warfare by holding firm the faith. And we observe the worship of the church, often called doxology, in the apostle's praise statement: "be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." "Amen" is an individual and corporate statement of faith and worship that calls for the unity of the church in response to theology. Thus, theology drives doxology.
Consequently, the trustworthy statement, the confession of the gospel, reflected in historical theology gives the church WHAT is to be guarded. Biblical theology as it reveals the purpose of God regarding the redemptive work of Jesus Christ unfolded in Scripture explains WHY doctrine is guarded. Systematic theology that categorizes God, Christ, salvation, and the ministry of the church tells us HOW doctrine is protected (the guard rails so to speak). Each aspect of theology participates in one another, working together in unity, guarding the church in the faith for the glory of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. 
With all that said, hopefully vindicating the importance of theology for guarding the faith for the church's good warfare, Michael Horton has provided a great service in his systematic theology, Pilgrim Theology. This is a synthesized work of his book, The Christian Faith. Consider Pilgrim Theology the simple version of The Christian Faith, focused on the priorities of systematic theology, that is God, Christ, salvation, and the ministry of the church.