{"id":2786,"date":"2014-10-23T05:03:29","date_gmt":"2014-10-23T05:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=2786"},"modified":"2014-10-23T05:06:05","modified_gmt":"2014-10-23T05:06:05","slug":"beware-theology-without-wisdom-is-not-theology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/beware-theology-without-wisdom-is-not-theology\/","title":{"rendered":"Beware!!! Theology Without Wisdom is not Theology"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMAG0630\"<\/a>Understanding God<\/p>\n

Theology and Wisdom<\/p>\n

Humble Transforming<\/p>\n

Trying my hand at Haiku (5-7-5 syllables) today as I attempt to assimilate the “whole shape of living”\u00a0by David Ford at a deeper level. I\u2019m struck by his words at the end of his book, Theology: A Very Short Introduction<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\u201cWho will do theology?….God will..by taking the initiative in questioning, opening up minds and \u00a0imaginations beyond anything previously experienced, inviting into deep and far-reaching affirmations, summoning to follow guidelines and imperatives, and desiring the student\u2019s transformation through wisdom and love.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

The value of theology is the interaction between God and us in the initiative, the imagination, the invitation, the transformation, all for a better understanding in our questions about God and the world around us.\u00a0\u00a0 Too often we approach theology as a means to an end: find the right answer. But in fact, theology is about relationship, first with God, and then with each other. That\u2019s why I will confess to appreciating theology, but distressing about apologetics.\u00a0\u00a0 Too many people want to prove their point, rather than take the time to listen to what another might have to say. I\u2019ve always been curious about why people feel like they have to defend their faith or defend God. Isn\u2019t God big enough? I recognize that I\u2019m to \u201cgive a reason\/defense for the hope that is in me\u201d[2]<\/a> but what is often left off is the remainder of the verse that says \u201cwith gentleness and respect.\u201d[3]<\/a> This approach of valuing wisdom reminds me of the words from one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott, \u201cIt\u2019s better to be kind than right.\u201d[4]<\/a><\/p>\n

Juxtaposed to this value of kindness is the value of discernment that Ford addresses in understanding one\u2019s own framework for theological engagement. In last week\u2019s Who Needs Theology <\/em>text, the distinction between dogma, doctrine, and belief was the most significant enlightening point for me (I discovered while I may be a heretic at times, at least I\u2019m not an apostate J). This week\u2019s most significant find is the distinction between the five approaches to help unravel what we can know about God\u2019s movement and character. With one extreme as an external framework coming from philosophy or other worldviews and the other as an internal framework in scripture and a traditional Christian worldview, I found freedom in recognizing that I had options in the middle of those extremes, other than the typical conservative or liberal labels. There are those I respect who have gone before me that profess natural theology, or \u201cthe Bible and the Newspaper\u201d[5]<\/a> of scripture and culture, or finding those places of correlation (Tillich).[6]<\/a> Additionally, discovering that fluidity is part of the dynamic process in theology offers me hope in watching what Bonhoeffer experienced; I too will continue forming, informing, and being transformed in the work of understanding God.[7]<\/a> While I am not yet able to articulate which framework I adhere to most (that\u2019s part of my assignment for this quarter in my Module Learning Plan), the clarity of Ford\u2019s descriptions help in my discernment.<\/p>\n

Two final take-aways that I want to continue to ruminate upon: the need for hard work when it comes to theology and the idea of “Docta Ignorantia.” First, while I\u2019m enjoying the value and delight (I\u2019m being honest!) of theology, I recognize that it still is a \u201c[c]omplex learning process…[that] requires trust, discipline, and long-term self-involvement (in mind, imagination, feeling, and will) to the point of being transformed in various ways.\u201d[8]<\/a> I can\u2019t just improvise when it comes to theology. It requires creative thought, tools (even suggested language expertise), and the willingness to not only sit in the questions that don\u2019t seem to have answers, but to continue to explore them without giving up. The work of transformation demands intentionality and time.<\/p>\n

Second, I want to hold onto \u201cDocta Ignorantia\u201d (learned ignorance) “that is seen as requiring a radical transformation of self and above all the virtue of humility before the truth.”[9]<\/a> The willingness to admit that I don’t know what I don\u2019t know is as valuable as ascribing to what I believe I know. Holding those two together, the knowing and unknowing, instills the humility necessary to journey towards the wisdom that comes in seeking to understand God. In my feeble attempts to understand God, perhaps there will be a theology graced with wisdom that will provide a humble transformation, not only for me but for those around me.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Ford, David F. Theology: A Very Short Introduction<\/em>. (2nd<\/sup> Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013), 175.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> I Peter 3:15 (NIV\/ESV)<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Ibid<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Lamott, Anne. \u201cPlan B: Further Thoughts on Faith.\u201d Lecture, Seattle Synthesis Series, Seattle, WA, March 16, 2005.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> \u201cQuotes by Barth?,\u201c Princeton Theological Seminary Library, accessed October 20, 2014, http:\/\/www.ptsem.edu\/Library\/index.aspx?menu1_id=6907&menu2_id= 6904&id=8450.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Ford, Theology<\/em>, 24.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> Ford, Theology, <\/em>63.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Ford, Theology, <\/em>45<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Ford, Theology, <\/em>164.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Understanding God Theology and Wisdom Humble Transforming Trying my hand at Haiku (5-7-5 syllables) today as I attempt to assimilate the “whole shape of living”\u00a0by David Ford at a deeper level. I\u2019m struck by his words at the end of his book, Theology: A Very Short Introduction: \u201cWho will do theology?….God will..by taking the initiative […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[197],"class_list":["post-2786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ford","cohort-lgp5"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2786"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2789,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2786\/revisions\/2789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2786"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2786"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2786"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}