Dogmatic theology is a belief in an absolute truth that has been set by the Christian faith. This means the Church has put forth some truths that have been spread by word of mouth, tradition, and historical data, and the followers of the Church must accept it as a fundamental truth. Examples of this are the Immaculate Conception, Assumption of Mother Mary, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Empirical data, or facts that have been physically experienced and recorded, are usually the accepted norm in scientific study. In dogmatic theology, facts and figures are more fluid because most written historical references are backed up by word of mouth tradition. What is accepted and practiced in this field of study is that God has given humans a concept, a truth, or a miracle. Learned individuals such as priests can study it for moral improvement or guidance.
Dogmatic theology is sanctioned by an organized theological body. Some of the more recognized organized theological bodies are the Roman Catholic Church and Dutch Reformed Church. It is also commonly associated as a science with the concept of God and His works as its focus of study. As a scientific field of study, dogmatic theology is the science of objective faith through gathered data; Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican priest that became a saint, has summarized that gathered data are principles revealed by God. These principles act as the foundation of sacred science, which means that just as a student accepts a fact taught in class, a person studying dogmatic theology should also accept the fact as taught by God.
Theology is still being taught in the elementary and high school levels in a number of select schools all over the world. For a more advanced study of theology, students will need to have taken philosophy and theology courses. The next advancement in the study of theology will be to become a deacon, where a student will earn his theology degree. The last stage of study would be to become a fully ordained priest.
For priests and the faithful, learning theology is a continuing education. Some priests still read up on the published works of Rev. Francis Hall, a dogmatic theology professor, and Rev. Joseph Pohle, a philosophy professor, to create their own written works in order to teach their parishioners. Parishioners and the faithful, in turn, teach what they have learned to the next generation, which propagates a cycle of learning the Christian faith.
