Ford_ A Theological Hello
In Theology: A Very Short Introduction author David Ford defines theology as “thinking about questions raised by and about the religions.” (16) As a theologian himself situated in the context of the university, Ford further clarifies his definition through adding some specifics and focusing his attention on the academy’s involvement with the topic, “Theology deals with questions of meaning, truth, beauty and practice raised in relation to religions and pursued through a range of academic disciplines.” (16) The author’s initial definitions of theology suggest the difficulty that arises in dealing with the subject overall. Its breadth is staggering. There is not much (anything?) of which theology does not ask questions and/or offer answers.
Right at the outset of chapter two, Ford acknowledges that setting/place/context affects beliefs and practices. One might think such a point hardly worth mentioning due to its obviousness. Yet, on one hand, many people continue to not recognize that differences in form do not necessarily connote differences in meaning. To use a popular colloquialism, “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” And then, on the other hand, many people are still reluctant to admit that where/how we experience life changes how we think about it. Many people like to be right ‘in all possible worlds’ (shades of Voltaire) and recognizing that context shapes understanding makes it much more difficult to be universally correct. Lack of an easy, readily available, ubiquitous correctness requires listening and humility. Listening and humility (due to taking a lot of time, effort and requiring ego-balancing) have historically not performed well when pitted against universal correctness and the power it accords in the popularity poll of history.
I found Ford’s discussion of modernity & postmodernity to be an excellent lead-up to his discussion on the idea of context/setting. The discussion of change in the first chapter offers a smooth mental introductory avenue for readers as they encounter a second major shift in reshaping thinking coming from this text in chapter two. Ford lets us know that place matters, but not solely for itself. Rather, place matters as the area in which we are in the process of being formed/shaped for the sake of caring for others. That is, in a sense theology teaches us that it is “not all about you,” instead “you are to be all about others.”
Ford sees hope in the combined drive(s) that modernity offers (e.g., Protestant Work Ethic…) coupled with the freedom(s) that postmodernity suggests is our birthright. Sustained effort and breadth of understanding theologically sit well together for Ford.
Ending the divide between “confessional” and “neutral” theologies…moving from observance/distance into practice – not narrow, rigid, blinded practice, but informed, welcoming, hospitable practice…this is Ford’s idea of an “ecology of responsibility.” (18) Ford suggests that to forge such an ecology of responsibility with theology (or any field of study for that matter) discipline, long-term self-commitment, and trust are needed. (47) I would add – as I have in other places – that trust must be a “critical trust.” That is, it must be a trust that is “faith-full” to/with/in the process, but that allows for and, in fact, requires full engagement of the mind’s faculties…bringing to bear all of its understandings, reasonings, doubts, wonders [amazement] (à la Abraham Joshua Heschel) and queries.
In the midst of all of Ford’s reflections, there were a few things that especially resonated with me. One idea was that theology is meant to accompany us and assist us traversing life’s “overwhelmings.” Ford uses the term overwhelmings to basically describe all that life hurtles our way in Olympian quantities. However, because theology aids us in important and sometimes dire conditions it therefore takes on a sense of ultimacy for us which we become willing to live and die to uphold. This can of course lead to all kinds of good through the purpose it offers to our lives, but it can also lead toward great harms when not wielded well. From this understanding, Ford offers an old phrase from the Latin near the beginning of his text, “The corruption of the best is the worst.” Unfortunately, how many times have we seen this to be true? Well, in reading the phrase, it brought two things to my mind. One, it brought to mind William Butler Yeat’s phrase from his The Second Coming, “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” And second, it brought to mind the flight of Icarus. We would do well to remember that theology is not meant to primarily get us to gaze into and long for the hereafter; it is not meant for us to seek to “fly higher” than others and hold this over them. Theology is meant to guide us in the process of living well now while we place ourselves with and among others; nothing fancy, but faithfully day-in and day-out. As this one guy one time said about faith and practice, “On earth as it is in heaven.”
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