Theology as a Practical Discipline

From LutheranWiki

According to Luther, it can be said that theology is a practical endeavor in that it is the ability of every Christian rightly to apply God'a law and gospel to himself, in other words, to know God and himself rightly, which is how he describes the subject of theology. This ability is learned by three "methods," namely, prayer, meditation, and temptation.

Following Luther, Lutheran orthodoxy also described theology as a practical discipline However, here the concept is academized in that it is now understood as the ability to lead others to saving faith in Christ. And this saving faith in Christ was then understood as the "practice" of faith (praxis fidei, as distinguished from the practice of piety (praxis pietatis), which is basically the same as the love toward God and man that grows out of faith as its tree).