Theology
I saw a cartoon this week that captured my interest. In the first panel, Jesus is telling the disciples “I gotta go. Don’t forget what I taught you”. In the next panel, as he is ascending, one turns to the others and asks “OK, what have we learned?” Another says, “Pretty much it is love God and love our neighbor”. The third says, “Well, that seems pretty simple-I don’t see how we can mess that up”. But in the last panel, the first says, “Uh-oh, not so fast. Here come the theologians.” OK, it was good for a cheap laugh, or at least a mild chuckle from the 8:00 congregation.
Theology is the study of religious faith, practice and experience, especially the study of God and of God’s relation to the world. Well that sounds like a good thing, doesn’t it?
When it is done right, theology is a tool, a way of developing a frame of reference for understanding God. Not that we can ever really do that, to be sure. God is more than our poor powers of reason can ever comprehend. It has been said that God created man in His image, and we have been trying to return the favor ever since. That just isn’t possible. God is more
than just a bigger or stronger or smarter version of one of us. We cannot reduce God to one of us, for God is beyond our imagining. But to attempt to understand; to endeavor to open our minds to the infinite possibilities God offers; that is the goal of theology.
So why does the word cause so much consternation among folks? Theology is intended to be helpful, but, like many other tools, it can also be used in destructive ways. Theology used in the wrong way has the potential to become a litmus test to determine if your views are “correct”. It
can be a way of measuring, of classifying, and at its worst, of excluding others. Mark Twain once remarked that “man is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn’t straight.” It is that type of theology, when used as a weapon, that strikes fear
into people and gives the entire concept a bad name.
But it need not be that way. It has been said that theology is a fragile discipline in that it is both academic and related to faith. It is fragile in that, it demands academic rigor, yet it is grounded in faith, which can neither been seen nor touched. It is more like a raft bobbing on the waves of
a vast ocean than a pyramid built on the bedrock of solid ground. Yet I contend that it is this fragility which gives it strength.
To even begin a dialogue about God, we must first accept that we do not have all the answers. If we begin with this premise, then we tend not to hold so tightly to our own thoughts, ideas and opinions. Theology that begins this way tends to be curious and inviting. It is quite liberating to
know that we cannot have all the answers, so we are freed to ask questions and debate the concepts in a collegial fashion.
I began this sermon with our cartoon depicting the ascension. The point of it was to say that Jesus gave us the great commandment, so we don’t need to have anything else. After all, isn’t the word of Jesus enough for us? At face value, that would seem to be true. Love God and love your neighbor. Simple and easy to understand.
But how exactly are we to do that? What if the way I love my neighbor is not the same as the way you love your neighbor? What if our neighbor doesn’t want to be loved? What if the way I chose to love God conflicts with the way you prefer? These may sound like strange questions but let me frame it in a way that may bring it closer to home. How many of you still prefer the “old” prayer book? You know, the sacred 1928 prayer book, rather than this “new” one? Do you see my point? By the way, the ‘new’ prayer book was published 40 years ago, so unless you are in your late 80s, you have been using it longer than the old one! I’m just sayin’!
Scripture is God’s word and it is primary. The words of Jesus are our guide to living a life of love for God and one another. But the scripture can sometimes be challenging. The bible contains differences in story, in language, and there are inconsistencies. For example, if God didn’t want
Adam and Eve to eat the apple, then why did He put a tree in the garden?
Theology is a way for us to explore these questions. It is a method of looking at the scripture to see how it applies to our modern life. Our psalm this morning tells us “The Lord is King. Clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne.”
At its best, theology is a way for us to see through those clouds and darkness so that we can base our lives on the righteousness at the foundation.
Shirley Guthrie, a professor of theology puts it this way. “The study of theology is by definition the quest for the ultimate truth about God, about ourselves, and about the world we live in.”
That is the key. Theology is not to be used as a way to classify or exclude, but as a means to help us explore more fully who we are and who we are called to be.
That may sound off-putting to some. We may feel that we have not had the necessary training or life experience to engage in so lofty a topic. To that, I offer you the words of 20 th century theologian Karl Barth. “Theology is not a private subject for theologians only. Nor is it a private subject for professors. Fortunately, there have always been pastors who have understood more about theology than most professors. Nor is theology a private subject of study for pastors.
Fortunately, there have repeatedly been congregation members, and often whole congregations, who have pursued theology energetically while their pastors were theological infants or barbarians. Theology is a matter for the Church.”
We are all called to theology in the invitation to love God and love one another. So be open to the possibilities of a lifelong exploration of God and ourselves. But be vigilant that you don’t get too comfortable that you know where it is going. I offer a warning to you from one of the world’s great philosophers. When Snoopy was writing a book on theology, Charlie Brown asked him what he would call it. The title? “Has it ever occurred to you that you might be wrong?”