There is a sure fire way to make sure no one shows up for a new class being offered at church, just put the word Theology in the class description. You would think believers would desire to study the nature of God but I think most of us are afraid.<\/p>\n
Stanley Grenz and Roger Olson in their book Who Needs Theology? An Invitation to the Study of God<\/em>, do a great job articulating how we are all theologians. Grenz and Olson say \u201canyone who reflects on life\u2019s ultimate questions-including questions about God and our relationship with God-is a theologian.[1]<\/a>\u201d While I appreciate Grenz and Olson elevating my title to now include \u201ctheologian,\u201d more importantly I wish believers would take this new \u201ctheologian\u201d title seriously and actually start thinking about what they think about God.<\/p>\n This book has a great connection to Paul and Elder\u2019s The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking<\/em> we studied last week. Grenz and Olson say, \u201cwe use our minds to organize our thoughts and beliefs, bring them into coherence with one another by attempting to identify and expunge blatant contradictions, and make sure that there are good reasons for interpreting Christian faith in the way we do. Reflection, then, involves a certain amount of critical thinking – questioning the ways we think and why we believe and behave the way we do.[2]<\/a>\u201d As students we are again challenged! Do we just inherit other peoples beliefs or do we examine them and come to our own conclusions? No one would refute that \u201cTheology is not easy[3]<\/a>\u201d yet when it comes to God, the most important truth in our existence, we take a lazy approach to our thinking and usually let others think for us.<\/p>\n There is a real fear when it comes to thinking about God. We leave ourselves vulnerable when we ask questions about God, and if our thinking about God happens to change then it means a paradigm shift might occur in the way one lives. This makes for an understandable fear, but if we really want to know and understand God then we should desire to be vulnerable and willing to risk everything.<\/p>\n During the Cape Town advance I really enjoyed talking with Michael Badriaki and hearing his thoughts on ministry in Uganda. However, because of my ministry in Uganda I entered the conversation with him defensive. I wanted to hear his thoughts on how God is working in Uganda but I really wanted his thoughts to go along with the work I am already doing over there. Michael was patient with me and ultimately my defensive wall went down. We were able to have a real conversation about who God is, how He views Uganda, and what God is doing over there. It challenged me and has caused me to think of my work over there differently. That conversation has caused more work for me but ultimately I believe it is more centered on who God is and will eventually be more effective.<\/p>\n I understand why we fear those kinds of conversations but if we truly desire to know God then we should welcome them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Stanley J. Grenz & Roger E. Olson,\u00a0Who Needs Theology? an Invitation to the Study of God<\/em>\u00a0(Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 13.<\/p>\n
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