N.T. Wright uses the “steering wheel” to make some good points about justification in his new book, Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision. Arguing for reading the words translated “righteousness” in the Old and New Testaments in their historic contexts, Wright suggests we may have found a shorthand word in justification that we are asking to do more than “steer the car.” Context means something.
Conversations about theology run rampant around the Internet and Interwebs. Some would as soon pitch those forays as immense wastes of time. And, indeed some are. But, many have kept and lost their “faith” attempting to answer some of the not so simple questions. Assuming those who question their faith simply possess an antagonistic bent is to miss the depths of the human experience that looks for, if not demands, some explanation – even if one is not available. We are just that way.
Enter Bob Hyatt. Suggesting theology is only the purview of pastors (issues of pastoral care and the care of the soul) is akin to arguing only academics get theology. The matter is one of an inherent elitism if not intellectual snobbery. But, to dismiss theology as un-necessary is to proceed as though questions of/about god/God matter to no one of consequence. Bob offers some great thoughts considering the question, “Theology?”
Take him up and read his post offer some suggestions. If you like come back here and let’s carry on the conversation as well.
What I think is interesting,(and what Bob didn’t seem to emphasize), was that with the second quote, (the one he was most in agreement with), stated that theology was engaged in the context of relationships.
“Yet these great thinkers spent most of their time being pastors, and most of their theology was thought in response to specific issues of pastoral care.”
For those thinkers they only wrestled with issues as they came up with their flock. I may be off base here, but I wonder what our theological conversations would look like today if this was still the case today.
Bruce,
I do think that is precisely the point Bob was making. If we located theology in relationships and in the context of faith relationships in a local congregation we would not summarily dismiss theology nor reduce what we do to two theological statements denying them to be theological.
It is clear in the above paragraph I have elongated the space for theological conversations to more than pastors writing/engaging theology but that would include anyone grappling with the issues of life and faith birthed in relationship.