Benedict on Biblical Theology

In my post on the new ITC document, Theology Today, I quoted from a portion that is taken from an address by Pope Benedict XVI. Here I just thought I'd pull it out and cite it in full.

This is so good!

"When exegesis is not theological, Scripture cannot be the soul of theology, and vice versa; when theology is not essentially Scriptural interpretation within the Church, then this theology no longer has a foundation. Therefore, for the life and mission of the Church, for the future of faith, it is absolutely necessary to overcome this dualism between exegesis and theology. Biblical theology and systematic theology are two dimensions of one reality, which we call theology." (Address during the Fourteenth General Congregation of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 2008). 

This section of the pope's address re-appeared in Benedict's Letter on Scripture, Verbum Domini (no. 35). That it has surfaced again in the work of the theologians who assembled the ITC document Theology Today (no. 21) suggests a growing recognition of its importance.

Note the last line: "Biblical theology and systematic theology are two dimensions of one reality, which we call theology."

Wow! How many systematic theologians do you know who can say that? I know one: the pope!