Requirements of Theology

In a perfect world, theology would be everyone's task because we would perceive things, in general, and God especially in particular, as perfectly and fully as a finite creature could. However, this is a fallen world, so the Christian/believer does their best, but some desire more than that. To be effective and safe in such pursuits, one ought to be careful about how one goes about if one intends to be both orthodox and effective. Here are some very important considerations when studying a theological topic, which of course is not exhaustive, but hopefully, it helps one to approach the task with discretion enough to find other important considerations along the way:

1. Si comprehendus non est Deus - the mystery ever remains. Logic only penetrates so deep, and human reason in its height and grandeur is still human. This is the reason why atheists and other religions exist, but it does not justify their error. No system of thought, however orthodox, presents the only valid perspective.
2. You have not achieved perfect obedience to nor interpretation of the Divine calling and message. - We are creatures in progress and until the eschaton, we will not have everything we need to do all that is expected of us, but this does not mean we are excused from progress. Progress then is our calling becoming more and more like Christ. Do not expect people or things to fill the space of Jesus as though they can.
3. You are never enough in love with God. - With God, knowledge is love. If it does not make you fall more in love with God, it is not true. Since you cannot have perfect knowledge of God there is always a deeper level of relationship to be achieved. If you don't think so you are momentarily blind to it. Healing must be a part of this growth, or else there will be a terminal point to growth, which is always false.
4. Truth is not yours. - You are a sinner who is trying to live perfectly and stumbling about it, but that does not mean there is nothing objective to appeal to. (Your story helps demonstrate both difficulty and possibility share it when you talk about morality). Conversion is not behavioral but from love and truth. There is no truthful understanding of the spiritual life that does not involve great struggle, it is proper, to seek to resolve the corruption within as a finite creature, subjected to futility. Speak with/Pray to Truth often or else you will not have it where it is needed. Follow, find, and appeal to truth wherever it may be found. No one has a monopoly on truth, even should the Church possess the Spirit of Truth itself and be institutionally obedient to it, it is imperfectly possessed by Her earthly members. Never stop practicing everything you preach and seek a deeper understanding of what you already know. Be healthily suspicious of your own conclusions.
5. The basics are always primary and anything else is secondary. - "Dumb questions" in theology are always the most meaningful. There is no point in knowing the intricacies of living love in a particular circumstance (moral knowledge), if you are not first trying to love in all circumstances (being moral). God does the evangelizing, we receive His love, and then we adapt our lives. Willing the good of others is always worth doing, and vulnerability is often required.
6. You are not the savior, Praise God! - You may be a distant acquaintance with, a friend of, or at best a sidekick/spouse of The Protagonist but you are not the protagonist. This is great news. You are not responsible finally for the way people respond to evangelical efforts, except for how much you really understand them. There are fatal attempts at compassion and logical engagement, avoid them where possible. Don’t stand in God’s way but like the Blessed Mary let God Himself pass through you into the lives of those around you, by being present with both God and them. It is God who wills this not you, just be open and follow and love with all you got, until it hurts and maybe a little more.
7. You aren’t the only theologian. - Cite your sources and read a lot (which I am not good at doing). Know that every Christian is called to be a theologian in some less capacity, i.e. to seek understanding from faith. This does not mean God does not call you, it means he calls everyone and you in a particular way. Someone else will more often than not be better at some aspect of being a theologian than you are, but it does not mean you don't have strengths. Keep in mind that the best allies to the enemy are mistaken zealots of faulty theology. Using the Catholic tradition as a guide in such matters is always helpful, if not essential. 
8. Do not oversimplify or overcomplicate. - Say things as simply as possible maintaining precision of meaning. If you speak from the heights of complexity, you will bore your audience. If you try too much to be simple, you will lose the truth. Some things are very complex understand why and approach it from many angles, learn the constants and variables, and at the end of the day do not have a simple answer. Some things are simple, do not impose complexity on them as though it changes the truth (e.g. murder is always wrong, no matter the circumstance).

In conclusion, sure many considerations that can help keep one from choosing one aspect of the truth over another. Ultimately that is the problem is it not? To be best conformed to the truth, one must not limit oneself to only one perspective. Even if you disagree with someone it does not make their perspective invalid or without any truth. Many try to pretend like philosophy has no relevance in theology, however, philosophy has equal utility in all situations and is helpful in theology if we are to understand the best of what we can. The great thing about the Catholic faith is it does not depart from truth in the name of compassion nor compassion for the sake of truth. It embraces both, one concerning the other. No truth or aspect of reality is meant for something other than our greatest good, whatever its inconvenience. There is no aspect of God's love which is oppressive and forceful. Humility and honest and diligent research are what everyone is expected to do in all things, and as the New Atheists will tell you the grander the conclusions, the better their backing must be.

Written by Carter Carruthers & also available soon at Missio Dei