A theologian is a person who studies the nature of God, religious beliefs, and spiritual ideas in a deep, systematic way. They often write, teach, or advise about religious questions and traditions.
From Late Latin *theologus*, from Greek *theologos* 'one who speaks of the gods', from *theos* 'god' and *-logos* 'word, study, reasoning'. Theologians are literally 'God-talkers' or 'God-thinkers'.
A theologian doesn’t just believe; they analyze belief the way a scientist analyzes data. The same *-logy* that shows up in 'biology' and 'psychology' is at work here: theology is 'God‑study'.
Theologian historically evoked male clergy and scholars due to men’s institutional control of religious education and leadership. Women’s theological work was often informal, anonymous, or published under male authority, leading to their underrepresentation in the term’s typical referents.
Use “theologian” for people of any gender and avoid defaulting to male pronouns or examples. When discussing history, explicitly include women and gender-diverse theologians where records exist.
["religious scholar","theology scholar"]
Women across traditions have produced influential theological writings, taught, and led religious communities, but their work was frequently attributed to male leaders or dismissed as devotional rather than scholarly.
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