Ask a theology student...

[spankey]

Doesn't it ever pain you to know that theology is the study of absolutely nothing?

To turn your question around a little bit-- Does it pain you that you could be in for a very bad time if your beliefs are wrong? Do you have the courage of your convictions to not have a small twinge of doubt when the night is dark or danger looms?

 

[El_Machinae]

It's a combination of history and philosophy.

Pontius: my experience with detractors of Anselm is that they don't understand what he was saying.
While he fails at the last leap (assuming that the Creator cares), I appreciate the foundation.

Basically, he's like Descartes; his foundation is good, and then he tries too hard and fails at the last hurdle.

 

[El_Machinae]

To turn your question around a little bit-- Does it pain you that you could be in for a very bad time if your beliefs are wrong?

Same as anyone, I assume. Depressed people will feel more pain, manic people will feel less.

 

[classical_hero]

Isn't that a question that everyone should ask themsevles about what they belive?

 

[Margim]

Since you say that you are a Baptist, then which of these do you agree on.
Bible Authority
Autonomy of the Local Church
Priesthood of all believers.
Two Ordinances, Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Individual Soul Liberty
Separation of Church and State
Two offices, The Pastor and Deacon.

1) Depends what you mean by Bible authority
2) Autonomy, yes
3) Priesthood of all, yes
4) Ordinances? Perhaps. More like symbols, than anything else.
5) What do you mean by 'individual soul liberty'? If you mean, in the sense of priesthood of all believers... no one intercedes on our behalf, then yes
6) Absolutely seperation of church and state... although Christians, like everyone else, have a right to have their voices heard.
7) And for the last one, sure, why not, but ultimately every church will work out its own governance structure.

The central spirit of the baptist movement is the right of every believer to freely relate to God... we are the creedless creed, in that sense. What you defined above might suit some Baptist groups, but not all.

 

[Margim]

Intresting mix.I wouldn't be surprised with admixture of Islamic philosophy and your Baptist belief,that you could possibly become an averroist.

Admittedly, I wasn't embracing Islamic philosophy... the class or two I did was more out of academic interest. I was torn as to whether to take a history or islamic studies major. In the end, I didn't feel my Arabic had been good enough to justify the one, so I chose history.

I understand what youre saying, its just that theres so much that comes along with it, not just belief in God. Speaking from my own personal experience, it was necessary for me to seperate God from the ancient holy books in order to believe again. In other words I removed the baby from the bathwater

Fair enough. I sometimes feel like doing the same... but I accept the bible as having more value than just words (although without walking down the slippery slope of infalibility)

My personal basic approach to the bible atm is something like this. Its the teaser to draw you into to know God. Once you encounter God, in the person of Jesus, the rest of the bible gains relevance from who he revealed himself to be... thus, if it fails to represent the radical, challenging, loving figure of justice in the gospels, then it needs serious reconsideration.

Well, I tried to put theology in my question!!!!!

Margim--do your studies look at comparative religion analysis, usch as subsect of protestantism or buddhism?

Not in any of the subjects I've done in theology. One of the history subjects, however, was a fascinating look at the interplay between Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

And, I suppose, a classics subject looking at the emergence of Christianity amidst the Roman pagan world. I believe a few missiology subjects look at interfaith dialogue at the theological college i attend

 

[Margim]

Doesn't it ever pain you to know that theology is the study of absolutely nothing?

I'm aware of the possibility, but I don't believe it is.

And, even if God does not exist (which is still open for debate, last time I looked), theology nevertheless teaches us about ourselves, encourages to grapple with difficult questions, etc. Often, its not much different to philosophy, except for the assumption of a particular manifestation of God.

 

[aneeshm]

What is your attitude to heterodox monotheist faiths ( such as Islam and Judaism ( heterodox from your viewpoint , that is ) ) ? What is your attitude towards semi-monotheist faiths ( such as Zoorastrianism , where there is only one God , fire ( fire itself is sacred to them ) ) ? What is your attitude towards polytheist faiths ( none left on the earth now , unfortunately ) ? And what is your attitude towards pantheist faiths ( only one left - Hinduism ) ? And finally , what is your attitude towards agnostic faiths ( such as Buddhism ) ?

I ask because you are missing out a lot if you have not read anything about other belief systems . As you are a student , I would recommend you buy a book , called "Indian Philosophy" ( Volumes I and II ) , by Dr. Sarvapillai Radhakrishnan ( a former president of India , and the first person to make Indian philosophy truly accessible to the West ) .

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

What job do you want when you graduate?

 

[CartesianFart]

Admittedly, I wasn't embracing Islamic philosophy... the class or two I did was more out of academic interest. I was torn as to whether to take a history or islamic studies major. In the end, I didn't feel my Arabic had been good enough to justify the one, so I chose history.

You could always learn Greek.Most of the Arabs(theologians,philosophers,or other higher learnings) before St.Thomas Aquinas were translators and preservers of ancient classical Greeks literature when the west was in the dark age.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Fair enough. I sometimes feel like doing the same... but I accept the bible as having more value than just words (although without walking down the slippery slope of infalibility)

My personal basic approach to the bible atm is something like this. Its the teaser to draw you into to know God. Once you encounter God, in the person of Jesus, the rest of the bible gains relevance from who he revealed himself to be... thus, if it fails to represent the radical, challenging, loving figure of justice in the gospels, then it needs serious reconsideration.

I took the baby out, but I saved the 'bath water'! Theres alot of ancient wisdom in the Bible, regardless of whether or not one thinks its divinely inspired. Alot of good, basic stuff about being human, that hasnt changed a bit in all those thousands of years

 

[Adamb0mb]

I took the baby out, but I saved the 'bath water'!

I've never seen this baby.

<~ agnostic.

 

[Margim]

What is your attitude to heterodox monotheist faiths ( such as Islam and Judaism ( heterodox from your viewpoint , that is ) ) ? What is your attitude towards semi-monotheist faiths ( such as Zoorastrianism , where there is only one God , fire ( fire itself is sacred to them ) ) ? What is your attitude towards polytheist faiths ( none left on the earth now , unfortunately ) ? And what is your attitude towards pantheist faiths ( only one left - Hinduism ) ? And finally , what is your attitude towards agnostic faiths ( such as Buddhism ) ?

I ask because you are missing out a lot if you have not read anything about other belief systems . As you are a student , I would recommend you buy a book , called "Indian Philosophy" ( Volumes I and II ) , by Dr. Sarvapillai Radhakrishnan ( a former president of India , and the first person to make Indian philosophy truly accessible to the West ) .

I'm obviously a Christian... so my faith is in itself defined by a particular interest in Jesus as God.

However, to claim that we have a monopoly on truth would be, in my opinion, a gross misunderstanding.

Jesus claimed to be 'the way, the truth and the life'... what this actually means still calls for some discussion. Is it knowledge of that that is important? Is it allegience to Jesus? Or is it allegience to the principals that Jesus taught that puts one on 'the way' in a temporal sense, while, eschatologically, we don't really know strictly how anyone achieves the 'goal' of religion whatever that might be?

Curiously, the 'Golden Rule' (do to others what you would have them do to you) is found in some form accross most of the religions you've identified there.

I've read bits and pieces on other systems, particularly Islam and Judaism, but haven't made a comprehensive study. Your advice is well noted

Cheers

 

[Xanikk999]

If the bible is full of contradictions which part is correct?

 

[Margim]

What job do you want when you graduate?

I'm not closed to the idea of ordination (which simply means I gain the title 'Reverend' and become a minister of a church... can still marry, have kids etc, just in case you were wondering).

I'd like to be involved in teaching, and pushing Christians to think a little more broadly about their faith.

Alternatively, I'm growing particularly interested in the idea of advocacy and social justice, as I feel that this is inevitably where the biblical message leads. Many blank pages ahead to be filled out.

 

[Atlas14]

Do you believe in evolution?

 

[Margim]

If the bible is full of contradictions which part is correct?

Ah, I was hoping this one would come up.

Contradictions only become a problem if you are reading the bible from a particular historical/scientific perspective. I believe this to be unhelpful.

We must take into account several factors when reading the bible.
1) It was written thousands of years ago, before modern notions of science, history and factuality existed
2) The cultures, languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek), and worldviews of ancient people thus differed significantly to our own
3) Several authors, with different opinions, contributed over hundreds of years towards its compilation
4) These authors were first theologians and storytellers. Sometimes, something of a historical record comes through to us.
5) Yet, as a Christian, I maintain it has something of God's inspiration within it, and therefore truth about God may be drawn from its pages.

So, having made those assertions... what particular contradictions do you have in mind?

 

[Margim]

Do you believe in evolution?

It seems a useful scientific explaination as to how various species came into being. Of course, I haven't lived long enough to see it in action in any dramatic way...

So I affirm the plausilibilty of the theory, while, at the same time, recognising that its not an air-tight case.

 

[Mulholland]

So, which religion is right?!!! I need to make my way into heaven.

 

[Margim]

So, which religion is right?!!! I need to make my way into heaven.

I don't think any religion gets it right. Jesus' teachings do a pretty good job of it, though... I'd recommend him (obviously - else I wouldn't be a Christian!)

Particularly, I'd look to his teachings as an engagement in this world. Striving to know God, and engaging in a concern for other people around you are central components of the Christian faith... and, I think, to be commended in those of other walks too!