The English Language of Theology and Its Specific Features

Abstract

The article deals with the specific features of the English theological discourse and various interpretations of this term. The first part of the article emphasizes lexical peculiarities of theological texts and semantic-structural peculiarities of theological texts. In the second part of the article the authors draw a distinction between the terms “modality of theological discourse” and “mode of theological discourse”, sharing the viewpoint of T.V. Shmelyova in favour of the term “mode of theological discourse”. The definition of the concept of "mode of theological discourse" and the classification of modes are based on the works of the British theologian John Macquarie. By describing in detail, the characteristics of some of the modes, the authors draw the reader’s attention to the use of empirical mode not only as a specifically theological mode, but also for the description of acute global problems that came to the attention of theologians, such as the destruction of the environment as a result of anthropogenic factors. The theme of ecology in theology – eco-theology – is a new direction in the study of the English language of theology.