Sunday, January 9, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Theological Education
It has been a LONG time since I have set myself before a systematic theology text and really poured over the content [mainly because it can put one to sleep!]. Nonetheless, I am starting Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology text as an assignment from a bunch of crazy pastors that I meet with.
At the same time, I received a magazine that comes to the church which contained an article on "34 theological terms to know." Mmmm...I am starting to get the idea here!
Where is our theological education? More pointedly...where is your theological education? If someone asked you to explain the concept of "substitutionary atonement" would you be able to? Could you have even spelled it?!
Trust me, I struggle too. I even set on an ordination committee and still forget what some of these "mega" words or concepts or truths mean. But, that doesn't mean we shrug them off as some unattainable level of academia. We need to know this stuff. We need to not only know the essentials of our faith but also the ideas and theology of those around us [ie., Universalists, Unitarians, and the list goes way past the "u"'s] so that we might better reveal the true gospel of Christ.
Maybe that would be a good starting point for both of us...grab a copy of Grudem's ST and read along with me. Sounds exciting doesn't it! OK, maybe not exciting, but wow is there a lot of things that need to be explored within our own faith and our ideas, concepts, and beliefs about our Lord. Come on...join the journey [and let me know if you do so I can keep you abreast of where I am in the book][just the preface and first chapter right now]. God bless.
At the same time, I received a magazine that comes to the church which contained an article on "34 theological terms to know." Mmmm...I am starting to get the idea here!
Where is our theological education? More pointedly...where is your theological education? If someone asked you to explain the concept of "substitutionary atonement" would you be able to? Could you have even spelled it?!
Trust me, I struggle too. I even set on an ordination committee and still forget what some of these "mega" words or concepts or truths mean. But, that doesn't mean we shrug them off as some unattainable level of academia. We need to know this stuff. We need to not only know the essentials of our faith but also the ideas and theology of those around us [ie., Universalists, Unitarians, and the list goes way past the "u"'s] so that we might better reveal the true gospel of Christ.
Maybe that would be a good starting point for both of us...grab a copy of Grudem's ST and read along with me. Sounds exciting doesn't it! OK, maybe not exciting, but wow is there a lot of things that need to be explored within our own faith and our ideas, concepts, and beliefs about our Lord. Come on...join the journey [and let me know if you do so I can keep you abreast of where I am in the book][just the preface and first chapter right now]. God bless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)