In the search for the critical functions of theology, we can find a growing number of dilemmas, which come from the theology itself and from the modern knowledge about the world, which theology has to face, not only offering expected answers, but also formulating its own Christian doctrine proper for contemporary times and consistent with the Tradition of faith. The only way to present such a broad and difficult problem in a short paper is through a general perspective. The key to the systematization of the problem is by observing that the tasks of theology can be seen from four different perspectives, according to the distinction ad extra – ad intra. Astrong emphasis is put on the encounter between theology and science. The attempt to make predictions about the future is based on analysis of the contemporary situation in theology and on the extrapolation of existing trends for the near future.