This is a post I am writing as a favor for my friend, Joey, over at The Charismanglican.  He wants to interact critically with the common complaint that the Church has become overly theological.  In my limited experience, there has been a sustained grievance leveled against the intellectual study of theology, pegging it to be far too reliant upon the fallible nature of human reason to be of any real good.  I agreed to contribute, because I believe it is a needed point of interaction, and because the fact that someone wanted me to write something was enough of an ego stroke that I could get the creative juices flowing.

Ironically, perhaps providentially, as I was sitting down to write this article about why the church should not, in fact, assail the ivory towers of academes and bring them crashing back to reality, a trusted friend and mentor in the ministry came into my classroom to discuss a problem he encountered at dinner last night.  It seems that he has an acquaintance that has backed himself into a personal crisis over his life’s research.  Long story short, said acquaintance has stumbled upon a theological discovery that is going to “revolutionize” the way the church approaches patristic studies, but cannot find a University that will touch his PhD research proposals.  Why is my friend in my classroom moments before I dole out the year’s last bits of academic torture on my cowering students?  As I said, he is my friend, so he does not mince words, “This guy needs someone to minister to him, but I need someone to translate,” he explains.  Apparently, said acquaintance is one of those “academics” and has lost touch with the reality of dealing with normal people in normal terms, so my friend has enlisted the help of his nerdy compatriot.  I am to decipher the hazardous waste of theological mumbo-jumbo that is coursing from his acquaintance like an exploded off-shore drilling rig.  It appears that, in the eyes of the laity, being able to decipher theological jargon and knowing dead languages is akin to attending Star Trek conventions and being able to speak Klingon.  “Come on, you nerds all look and talk the same.  Help me figure out what the hell this guy is saying.”  Okay, he didn’t say that, but it sure seems to communicate the frustration academes inspire in people – and rightly so.

With such a poignant example fresh in my mind, I intend to set out here a modest proposal for the necessity of that garrulous do-gooder, the theologian – more specifically, I intend to do so by appealing to the necessity of his craft: that oft derided and intermittently deposed, but nonetheless much-loved Queen of the Sciences. Here it is in normal-speak, “Why bother with Theology?”  As others will confess, I am sure; I too must admit that I do understand the inherent problem.  Having a class of hyper-specialized “thinkers” sitting around… well, thinking - doesn’t seem all that practical or even advisable to most folks.  One of those, “If you give a mouse a cookie” scenarios seems imminent in the arrangement.  “If you let them sit around and think all day, next they’ll want to get paid.  If you let them collect a paycheck, then they’ll want a title.  If you give them a title and paycheck, then they’ll want an office.  If you give them a paycheck, a title and an office, then we’ll never get rid of them.  What were they doing for us again?”  It all reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw recently (One could easily change “Liberal Arts” to Theology):

 

But, does this (I think I’m being generous here) sensibility warrant the annihilation of a discipline that has brought us to where we are?  All frivolous accusations from Enlightenment Era Naysayers aside, what has Theology ever done to you?  (In fact, I should at least point out here, that I think every human behavior is predicated on a “theology.”  So, perhaps, I should ask what has good theology ever done to you?)

Interestingly, the discipline of theological study seems to draw similar criticism from both within and without the Christian community.  Whether you are Richard Dawkins who doubts “that ‘theology’ is a subject at all,” Hector Avalos who believes that theology is a dead or dying subject, Graham Ward who believes that theological worldviews are the only kind that exist, or simply a member of the good ole’ boy Bible thumpin’ laity that hollers “the Bible said it, I believe it, and that settles it,” most people will agree that aside from the inherent value (or non-value) of theology, things can get a bit convoluted when you’re dealing with theologians.  It is important, then, to be clear in distinguishing between our general annoyance with obnoxious behavior and our perceived interaction with theology.  Unfortunately, the two are seldom separated.   Consequently, to whatever extent it is possible, we want at once to validate our annoyance with obnoxious, sesquipedalian book nerds and to validate the encompassing importance that theology plays in human existence. 

So, what’s so great about theology?  I’ll ditch the research paper format in favor of the homily, and let you have it in three parts like any good preacher would.  If you behave, I’ll even throw in a poem and alliterate the points.  Deal?

1) Theology Inspires Curiosity

Theology didn’t earn the moniker ”Queen of the Sciences,” because church leaders needed some impressive sounding nom de guerre for the culture wars.  The title was bestowed upon her, because theology in its true form drives the curiosity of the human mind.  In the Middle Church, theology inspired churchmen from all walks of life to pursue knowledge of God through His creation.  Tony Hunt rightly points to the fact that, “Theology is uniquely equipped to speak to most academic and truth-seeking conversations in an infinitely inter-disciplinary way.”  I would offer that this is so precisely because theology predicates most of these conversations, in at least intent.  Many early breakthroughs in math, science, et al were had at the hands of men who studied their respective fields alongside theology.  Theology properly derived and rightly practiced will fuel the human imagination and temper the ego of men in a way that lends to the discovery of truth in other academic fields.  It offers peace in the fear of new and unknown discoveries, it offers creativity and inspiration in the midst of traditional worldviews, and it offers boldness in the face of disputation.  In fact, I would say that theology demands we seek out truth through every means available.  This quality, I believe, is precisely what some (again, both within and without) are trying to avoid in disavowing theology.  Theology drives us to the heart of who God is and that “heart” is irrevocably tied to the nature of truth.  However, it is truth that stands apart from humanity – a truth that extends from the transcendent God and encompasses humanity as a member of the very creation it seeks to understand.

2) Theology Initiates Response

I reject most complaints that theology is necessarily flawed, due to its reliance on human reasoning as an intellectual endeavor, because this view misunderstands genuine theology in a fundamental way.  Theology, correctly conceived and accurately applied, will necessarily lead to action.  In fact, everyone lives out a theology every day.  Whether they can articulate that theology in a meaningful way is another issue entirely.  This, I suspect, is the real issue behind those that want to attack theological inquiry from without.  There seems to be a rampant assumption that an unrecognised or unsophisticated theology is no theology at all.  Sadly, our world is full of examples that demonstrate how dangerous bad theology is to all of creation.  Before  I go into full rant, though, let me just back up and reiterate the important point: you are not really a theologian unless the theology you talk is the theology you walk.  Unfortunately, many opponents of religious faith understand this dynamic better than many Christians.  There is an inherent national interest at stake in any religious expression by people – namely, the Church of Jesus Christ is a theological entity that transcends nationality and crosses government borders.  It demands allegiance from its adherents, and is united (or at least it should be) under one Lord and one agenda.  It stands at once in favor of all life, virtue, and truth and against human vice of all varieties, especially those commonly perpetrated by governments.  While this is a deep mine to explore, it will have to suffice to say that we should bother with theology, because theology directs the hearts and actions of people.

3) Theology Infers Necessity

The problem with rejecting Theology on the basis of its intellectual nature lies in the fact that such a rejection requires not only intellectual reasoning but also a clearly defined Theology.  How deliciously ironic, no?  And so, it seems, there exists no prospect to opt out of theology.  There is no possibility for the absence of theology; there is only good theology and bad theology.  Consequently, I am of the opinion that theology is a kind of self-perpetuating phenomenon.  The burden, then, lies with those obtuse wizards of the Word that have hidden in libraries and universities for too long.  If the Church has lost contact with theology, it is our fault.  It is time for the incarnation to inform our theology again.   God’s greatest expression of himself to humanity was in an embodied form.  Does anything in life get any more beautiful or nuanced than the loving relationships we have with family and friends?  What better way do we have than to live out, to participate in the Church’s theology with those friends and family?

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