the Forest
I read a book today. Well, I read most of it today, just a little bit yesterday. It's entitled "Who Needs Theology?" and describes how theology is accessible (and is practiced) by everyone. It also describes what "good" theology is, what different kinds of theologies are, why theology should be studied, what its tasks are, what tools are at hand for doing theology, how to construct theology in the context of one's culture, and how to bring theology into one's life. Quite the read, really.. I think I underlined important points or comments on nearly every page.
The tasks of theology include a critical task (to examine and evaluate Christian beliefs, and to categorize valid beliefs as either dogma, doctrine, or opinion) and a constructive task (to create unified models of the diverse biblical teachings, and to relate those models to today's culture in relevant ways).
The available tools for theology are the Bible, the historical background and development and traditions of the Church, and today's contemporary culture.
Theology becomes "systematic" through the development of an "integrative motif," which essentially is a theme that guides one's understandings of theological concepts (dogma, doctrine, opinion). Examples include "community," "love of God," and "eschatology."
There is so much material for me to assimilate in such a short amount of time. I feel as if I'm reading so much that I don't have enough time to let everything settle in my mind... and it's only the first week. I feel as if I'm missing the forest for the trees - the authors of this book hit the nail on the head:
"Being a Christian theologian at any level requires that a person be more interested in knowing God than in amassing ideas about God."
I am so ready to learn about God and about the church that I have almost forgotten the need that I have, personally, to relate to God personally....the real danger of missing the Forest for the trees is that I could go through this seminary experience and wind up no closer to God than I am now. What good will all these classes do if I do not grow closer to my Creator?
How can I foster that growth? What kinds of things do I do or look for in my personal time with the Lord? How do I balance academic learning (also necessary for being a good theologian) with relational growth?
The Forest is God. The trees are the pieces of education that I will receive in seminary - classes, books, lectures, etc. They constitute the way that I can learn the bigger picture about the Forest... so maybe they're not exactly trees, but perhaps rungs on a ladder that provides a way to see more of the Forest at one time. (God is not a compilation of thoughts and teachings about God, of course.) It's a loose analogy, but it fits together well inside my mind.
God, help me as I learn to follow you here.
The tasks of theology include a critical task (to examine and evaluate Christian beliefs, and to categorize valid beliefs as either dogma, doctrine, or opinion) and a constructive task (to create unified models of the diverse biblical teachings, and to relate those models to today's culture in relevant ways).
The available tools for theology are the Bible, the historical background and development and traditions of the Church, and today's contemporary culture.
Theology becomes "systematic" through the development of an "integrative motif," which essentially is a theme that guides one's understandings of theological concepts (dogma, doctrine, opinion). Examples include "community," "love of God," and "eschatology."
There is so much material for me to assimilate in such a short amount of time. I feel as if I'm reading so much that I don't have enough time to let everything settle in my mind... and it's only the first week. I feel as if I'm missing the forest for the trees - the authors of this book hit the nail on the head:
"Being a Christian theologian at any level requires that a person be more interested in knowing God than in amassing ideas about God."
I am so ready to learn about God and about the church that I have almost forgotten the need that I have, personally, to relate to God personally....the real danger of missing the Forest for the trees is that I could go through this seminary experience and wind up no closer to God than I am now. What good will all these classes do if I do not grow closer to my Creator?
How can I foster that growth? What kinds of things do I do or look for in my personal time with the Lord? How do I balance academic learning (also necessary for being a good theologian) with relational growth?
The Forest is God. The trees are the pieces of education that I will receive in seminary - classes, books, lectures, etc. They constitute the way that I can learn the bigger picture about the Forest... so maybe they're not exactly trees, but perhaps rungs on a ladder that provides a way to see more of the Forest at one time. (God is not a compilation of thoughts and teachings about God, of course.) It's a loose analogy, but it fits together well inside my mind.
God, help me as I learn to follow you here.
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