The Awe of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge: The Significance of Awe for Theological Epistemology

The most common accounts of what constitutes theological knowledge emphasize the need to hold to true theological propositions. Such accounts ignore an important feature of knowledge, namely that the manner in which one comes to hold a particular belief is a significant factor in saying that the belief that one holds to actually counts as 'knowledge'. Drawing upon T. F. Torrance's theological epistemology as well as Jewish philosophical work on the topic of 'awe,' this essay argues that if a theologian is to accomplish her task, she must cultivate her sense of awe for God. The essay concludes with some recommendations for cultivating awe that justifies theological knowledge.