Manifesto for Budding Theologians

So it's beginning to come clear. I'm finally starting to understand why people get all bristly when a seminary student comes into the room at church. The fear! The dread! People wondering, "What absolutely irrelevant locution is about to spill from this young guns mouth?" I've experienced perhaps a small taste of this through several conversations I've had with people who ask what I'm studying at Talbot. When I reply, "I'm working on a Master's degree in Theology," they have one of two responses:

One, they stop talking. As if studying theology is the new swine-flu and they'd rather avoid exposure.

Or, two, they guardedly (or not so guardedly) encourage me to stay relevant and not get lost so deeply in the Divine that I lose touch with the 'real' world.

Granted, both of these responses have probably been groomed into the mindset of Christians from decades of headstrong dogmatic theologians who truly did lose their theological relevance by succumbing to the wiles of autonomous philosophy. However, I would like to offer my perspective (my opinion) on theology and see if we can negotiate a satisfying conclusion.

So, what does Theology call us to?

I would like to suggest that Theology calls us to know God, to preserve sacred knowledge of God, and to accurately integrate that knowledge with the world. In one sense, according to this definition, all believers are "theologians", but a special office exists for those who are called to devote additional vocational time and energy to comprehending and preserving the substance of the Christian faith. We call these individuals Theologians.

Now, insofar as these individuals are devoted to knowing God, preserving sacred knowledge of God, and integrating that knowledge with the surrounding world they are good theologians. To the extent that they are obsessed with themselves, their own cleverness, or their ability to conquer a conversation with the drop of a 14-syllable word they are bad theologians.

True theology is not an exercise of human reason devoid of Divine light. It is the climax of a vibrant (sometimes violent) clash between God and Man. Between Creator and Creation. True theology is the outflow of human experience integrated with the knowledge of God.

I think we do a good job of preserving doctrine these days. I think we might have even preserved the hell out of people (pun intended). Unfortunately, we often fail in our mission of integration.

We've forgotten that this is the most important task!

Nevertheless, this deficiency should not discourage us. In fact, it beautifully displays the mission for budding theologians. It is our sacred task to recall the Spirit of theology. The Spirit who does not remove Himself from human experience, but effectually penetrates and defines it. This is our task.

I look forward to the day when Theologians are seen as the greatest assets of the Church, not the biggest pain in the ____. I look forward to the day when certain theologians recognize their foolish obsession with factual knowledge and resubmit themselves first to a passionate pursuit of God and teach/write from that vantage point.

Even so....Come Lord Jesus. Use your servants for your purposes. No matter how slow the process is, help us integrate our knowledge of you with our experience of life.

Oh life! What art thou?

I suppose everyone has an opinion - that is at least every sentient being I've come across has at least one (perhaps I've even observed even two or three in myself). These are the hills that the uninlisted die on. These are the barely sub-divine.

At least one could gather this from the manner in which they are often shared.

Funny thing opinions are. They have a way of becoming fact for their host, regardless of whether sufficient evidence coheres with their particular neuroses.

Now, sometimes opinions are even so socially important that they must be shared without the slightest provocation. Often they'll just fall out of someone's mouth like grandma's dentures pre-poligrip. What's that all about?

I wonder what we could call that feeling. Sort of an amoebic, visceral compulsion to regain control of a conversation by suggesting contradictory neurotic observations to a previously amiable exchange. You know what I'm talking about. That stomach-churning-fist-tightening compulsion that instinctively occurs when someone tells you that the way you breathe air is ashamedly incorrect. Right. You know. You just thought about what happened earlier today.

Now, my question is, does humanity get any further along in the quest for knowledge when we deposit our 'two-cents' into the greater bank of culture and contemporary thought? Or perhaps more pointedly, why do you open your mouth? Why do I open my mouth? What oratory temptress seduces our lips so speech becomes irresistible in situations like these?

Truth is - I don't know. What I do know is that most times it would seem more socially profitable (even preferable) for all parties involved to "shut the hell up" (<-- Insert Stewie Griffin voice for previous assertion). Are we really convinced that our personal, subjective, piece-meal, convoluted, uninformed understanding of reality holds much water?

Hmmm....might want to reconsider there Hoss.

The reality is a staunch conviction that your opinion is always right only betrays the true fear you have of being wrong.

Let's get with it people; it's ok to be wrong. In fact, why don't you go outside right now and say, "I am an elephant." Try to muster the same amount of conviction to say that as you would to affirm the doctrine of the Trinity. I am not responsible for any sudden manifestation of lightning, acts of God, etc.

I jest, but I'm serious.