Is theology bad for you?
As an autodidact whenever I am interested in something it is my natural instinct to read as much about it as possible. I will dive in and read, read, read, picking up the history, philosophy, private languages, infighting and inside jokes as I go. If I am really interested I may even switch over to more formal study and pay for classes in the topic to help ramp up more quickly and completely. So while I have been reading a lot of books about Christianity in the past six or seven years it is also natural for me to consider a more formal theology study process online either through a college (boy, there's a hard one to figure out the gold from the dross) or The Theology Program, which gets good reviews from people who should know. I am not interested in getting a degree in the topic because I feel no "calling". It is more just my usual knowledge acquisitiveness.
But here's the deal - I think when it comes to following Christ that approach is toxic - faith-killing. It was my introduction to historical textual and source criticism of the Bible in my early 20s that caused my first crisis of faith, and that lasted 20 years. It was only by me being able to come to grips with the acceptance of mystery and faith that I was able to reconcile myself to Christianity and return to a place that filled the longing in my heart (weirdly enough, this book helped). I note that while we've been "doing theology" about Christianity for 2,000 years nothing seems settled, and in fact it appears to me there is simply ever more schism and argument and out-and-out hostility and hatred. The buzzword bingo page is up to 260 terms (and growing), many of them quite "technical", and I think every single word or phrase in it is somehow a stumbling block in the way toward what Christ said, lived and died for.
I've already written about why I don't read "the pros" online, and I think after I finish the current theology book I am reading (because I have to finish it - besides, Jeff and I are discussing synchroblogging our reviews) I am going to call a sabbatical on those types of books for a while. Maybe a long while. I just don't see them helping. In fact, they're all no different than any other political or philosophical screed, any other work of man. Each has a bone to pick, a viewpoint to push, and demons to make of anyone who disagrees with them. Each of them dissects God's love for us and leaves us with neither God nor love, but just dry, rattling bones of mere words. "By their fruits ye shall know them."
What about you? Do you think reading about theology as opposed to doing theology (praying, reading the Bible, getting out and loving and helping others) has any place in a life of faith? If "yes", are you sure? Why are you sure? How do you separate any insights gained from mere spiritual materialism? How do you pick who to read?
7 comments:
Jim,
I took a break from fiction to MAKE myself read non-fiction in an effort to change.
I'd just recently started going to a church where an elder asked me what he could pray for. I took a chance and said what was on my mind. "To grow up."
I actually started reading "Grumbles from the Grave" by Robert A. Heinlein because I wanted to write. Never finished.
Started reading Charles Stanley's devotionals at Crosswalk.com and saw this funny blog by John Shore. (How I found you, by the way). So I bought "Penguins" at the same time I bought "When Bad Christians Happen to Good People" by Dave Burchett who also has a blog at Crosswalk.com.
Read "Penguins" in three days. Still stuck with "Bad Christians."
So from there I picked up "Midlife Manual for Men" that I reviewed at my blog and Amazon.com. That one takes work, but I'm hoping I'm growing up now.
Next I plan to read "Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places" by L.L. Barkat just because of the review at the Hearts and Minds Bookstore website. It sounds like a book I'll wish I had written.
As far as serious theological tomes, I never could read any despite many attempts unless you count "Practicing the Presence of God" by Brother Andrew.
-Sam
Sam,
I KNEW John Shore would be good for something. :o) I actually didn't get into "Penguins", but I loved "I'm OK - You're Not". He's a good guy, and bringing you and I into contact is just a side benefit.
And I am going to have to write follow-up to this because there are some "theological" works that've had a HUGE effect on me. "The Way of the Pilgrim", "Amazing Grace" and everything else by Kathleen Norris, "Orthodoxy" by G.K. Chesterton, "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis, etc., etc.
Peace, brother.
Jim
Jim,
I'm a thinker and love to learn, but my particular bent steers me away from a lot of heavy theology--simply because I'm more interested in knowledge I can apply than knowledge for knowledge sake. In other words, I study to know what I need to know, when I need to know it. :) I currently tend to pick books in and around the emergent stream of thought, because I'm finally embracing being out of the box, and I'm hungry for new ways of looking at the same things.
One book that has really affected my outlook lately is "The Shaping of Things to Come" by Michael Frost & Alan Hirsch--especially a few chapters in the middle where they deal with returning to a Hebraic/Messianic worldview. It turns out that most of our theological approach comes from a Greco-Roman viewpoint (the same influence "PC" rails against). It's that kind of viewpoint that likes to condense the whole N.T. into four spiritual laws. :) Hebraic thought (out of which the Scriptures were written) was much more holistic, more integrated, more about "doing" than "being", more about encountering God in the real world than philosophizing and discussing the finer points of what He is like. It's a much more practical way to approach one's faith, and that's why it appeals to me.
I don't deem theological study to be bad, per se; just think that the Greco-Roman approach to Scripture is an incomplete way in itself to look at God and faith.
Jeff,
I am really beginning to think the G-R approach is quite literally toxic to belief. Jesus said to follow Him, not analyze Him.
Thanks for the comment!
Jim
I think I'm a lot like you on this one, Jim. At some level, it would be easy -- my natural inclination even -- to get way too deep into the purely theological theoretical doctrinal aspects of my faith. And I probably still do that a bit too much. But it doesn't take long for me to start getting discouraged and empty-feeling from that sort of thing.
Sometimes I wonder how anybody can take on seminary and not come out an absolute atheist. There is definitely a degree of attempting to apply too much science and too much scholarship to understanding God, and being left "shipwrecked" in your personal faith. I still get that sense when I stumble into an on-line theological argument and watch as people divide into teams, each with their own players and heroes, each certain that there's something deeply flawed with all the other teams.
But this leaves me in a bit of a conundrum. God has given me a bright, inquisitive mind. Intellectual and academic pursuits have always come very easily to me. Though I act sheepish and self-abasing about it when people tell me, the truth is that I am very blessed, and don't think God gave me that just to shut it down and neglect it.
And I can think of no higher purpose, calling, or use for a strong mind than to apply it to knowing, understanding, and glorifying my Creator. But by that I don't mean knowing all the answers or always getting it right.
I no longer believe that I have to turn my brain off and accept things by blind faith, just because I can't reconcile my faith with science. The evolution vs. creation debates, for example, used to consume a lot of my time and energy. They rocked me back and forth, and I couldn't seem to let it rest with "Well, the Bible says this is what literally happened, so science is bad and evil and trying to deny God."
These days I can't even tell you what I believe on that question (evolution vs. creation), and a whole host of other such things. But somehow, in spite of myself, God has strongly but gently grown my faith by leaps and bounds, at least in most areas. I'm much more content to let Mystery be Mystery. I know He made and literally holds together the very fabric of the universe itself, from the most infinitely small to the most infinitely large. I don't really care how He did it.
I cite that example because I think it can apply to many other areas of doctrine and theology as well. He predestined everything, but gives us all a choice. He tells us to live a holy and pure life, but tells us that our entire human nature apart from Him is broken and flawed and utterly incapable of doing it. And on and on.
(Sorry, this comment is running longer than I meant for it to.)
I agree with what you're saying, and relate to Jeff's comments and approach, and I think that's the direction I've gradually been heading with all this too. Now if I could just learn to say things without rambling on so much...
Jim,
Wow, I forgot about how I was reading "Mere Christianity" when realizing how unrepentant I was over many sins.
Jeff McQ nailed it for me too as Chaotic Hammer said. Gives a whole new meaning to "Greco-Roman Wrestling" - that as applied to theology and thought.
This community of blogs - and resulting comments - may in itself be part of the new emergent church.
-Sam
CH,
"Sometimes I wonder how anybody can take on seminary and not come out an absolute atheist."
I wonder that all the time. I think if I went into a formal theology program the results would either be that, or a belief so dry, dessicated and intellectual as to not even count as "belief".
Sam,
I am moving away from the "emergent" label because it really doesn't seem to mean anything any more. That said, I do think discussing these things via blogs can be part of (but not all of) the process of learning about and following Christ.
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