The authors identified those seeking to know God as five levels, and I identify with the first four stages:<\/p>\n \u201cFolk Theology \u2013 seeking God through feelings and results<\/p>\n Lay Theology \u2013 seeking God because of contradictions with their view and traditions<\/p>\n Ministerial Theology \u2013 seeking God using additional biblical tools<\/p>\n Professional Theology \u2013 reflection and professional preparation<\/p>\n Academic Theology \u2013 Seeking understandings for one\u2019s self and not related to faith.\u201d (Kindle, locations \u00a0205, 234, 252, 272)<\/p>\n I must admit when I was in seminary and was told to believe what these scholars presented as absolute knowledge of God, I was offended. How do I know if their interpretation is true? What trauma in their lives affected their view of God\u2019s word? How do I know that what they presented for my reading and understanding was inspired by God? The authors want us to know that we too are theologians by our desire to understand God more, \u201cTheology is not, as many wrongly suppose, a kind of esoteric knowledge possessed by a few superior intellectuals. It is simply faith seek understanding. And insofar as ordinary Christians seek answers to questions that naturally arise out of faith, they are already doing Christian theology.\u201d (Kindle, location 175)<\/p>\n According to the authors, \u201cTheological reflection should encourage one toward spirituality and discipleship.\u201d (Kindle, location 413) The word discipleship reminded me of Bonhoeffer\u2019s writing, The Cost of Discipleship. He addressed two styles of grace. \u201cCheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner.\u201d [2]<\/a>\u00a0\u201cCostly grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ, it cost a man his life, and it condemns sin.\u201d[3]<\/a>\u00a0 Discipleship should lead one to learn more knowledge about God and to have an intimate personal relationship. As DMIN students, we are experiencing costly grace. God has chosen us and we have chosen to follow him. As theologians, we must seek the guidance, discernment, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to discernment and understand God\u2019s word. Authors Grenz and Olson points out that, \u201cgood theology moves beyond stating truths; it explores the significance of our beliefs or faith assertions for all of life.\u201d (Kindle, location 399) Our weekly chats have stretched each one of us beyond what the author said but to our inner world to express how we are affected by their views.<\/p>\n The more we seek to know Him, the more intimate we are with God. The Bible says, \u201cWhatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me\u2014put it into practice.\u201d4<\/sup><\/p>\n I am ready to get closer by laying in His presence and observing all that His hands hath provided- <\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"eye_telescope\"](\"http:\/\/dminlgp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/eye_telescope.jpg\")
<\/a> What do you see?<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n![\"charlie](\"http:\/\/dminlgp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/charlie-brown-God-300x273.png\")
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