What is theopathy?

Response

Theopathy is an emotional response to contemplating and worshiping God or a fervent religious faith. The term theopathy originates from two Greek words, theos (“God”) and pathos (“passion” or “emotion”).

It might be useful to distinguish between theology and religion. In the past, theology was referred to as “the queen of the sciences.” The common belief among scholars was that God existed and could be studied and understood, at least partially, based on His revelations in the Bible and historical actions.

In recent times, many higher education institutions, including seminaries, have renamed their “Department of Theology” to “Department of Religion.” Religion represents humanity’s reaction to God or their perceptions of God. The change may seem subtle, yet it holds significance. Theology focused on the study of God, while the study of religion delves into human thoughts about God. Nowadays, the emphasis has shifted from theology to theopathy, from objectively knowing God to analyzing human emotions towards God.

Humans are inherently religious. There is a natural inclination to worship, and as Romans 1:21–23 elucidates, if we reject worshiping the Creator, we will turn to worshiping creations. In the past, this worship may have been directed towards trees or animals. In contemporary societies, we worship celebrities, status, money, cars, houses, and perhaps most intensely, ourselves. Some may dispute this as religious devotion, but it still constitutes worship. Humans yearn for something greater outside themselves to revere and serve.

In today’s context, the term theopathy could describe a reaction similar to Isaiah’s upon seeing his vision of God:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their f

Above them were seraphim; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it, he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:1-8).