Just a quick thought on something I have been pondering as of late, and this pondering really isn't anything new for me; that is what I have been pondering about.
What I have been considering is in regard to theological reasoning and biblical truth. In other words, it is no surprise that I am a big fan of certain Christian dogmatic theologians (like Karl Barth and Thomas Torrance), but at the end of the day, who cares? Who cares what Karl Barth, Thomas Torrance, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Augustine, Athanasius says or thinks. Why should I really care? If they are just giving me their thoughts, creative as they are, about what they think the Bible teaches, or what God's life in Christ implies; how can their theological opinions, or why should their opinions mean anything to me other than simply being interesting? And yet, the interesting thing about this is, is that various and important theologian's opinions and thoughts have had a profound impact upon the way we have received and understood the Bible's interpretation.
Is it possible or advisable to really know what the Bible teaches, categorically, without the influence of certain and important theologians impacting the categories through which we are making interpretive decisions about the Bible?
These are the types of questions that have been running through my head.
Bobby, I had a long comment going, but the system knocked me out and it was lost. Keep pondering this issue - it is a major one. But understand that if this issue was ever seriously questioned, the whole academic system would collapse - and, of course, that won't happen - too many jobs depend on it! I think it is wonderful that we have access to what history has decided are the great teachers of the Church - but at what cost to truth? Because it is all outside the Church, it you care at all about historical theology, you will probably be at odds with what your local church teaches and then what - the present fragmentation of Christianity. Ponder-on, and come up with something earth-shaking, or should I say, Spirit-shaking! Take care.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve,
DeleteI'm sorry you lost your comment, I hate when that happens!!
... Academia, even for Christians, means that you join a guild, and you really must publish or perish constantly to be building up your CV (your name and pedigree). So there is some gamesmanship to the whole affair, and inherent to this process is akin to something like what Martin Luther identified as a theology of glory, which is akin to what Jesus chided the religious leadership of his day of in say John 5. Inherent to the academic game is constructing novel ideas that nobody has noticed before, and seeking to persuade others of this novel idea, with your name tied to it, which provides you status and posture among your peers. I am not attempting to suggest that this is what motivates all Christian academics, but it is inimically hard to not fall into this over the years, no matter how good someone’s intentions are.
Anyway, ultimately, the Lord has worked through the channels of Christian academia through the centuries; but it would be a mistake (of natural theology) to presume and read directly off of this, that God endorses theological guilds (or any guilds, even pastor’s guilds) in a way that would make said guilds the gatekeepers to God’s treasures. Last time I checked Jesus Christ is the gatekeeper and mediator between God and humanity.
Obviously this is just a reflection of mine, and represents a personal struggle I have. Maybe if I was a guilded academic my perspective would be different, although I doubt it; I know one prominent one in my life, who has gotten out of the guild, and has only confirmed my suspicions as more valid (unfortunately) than not. And I have had my own experience, which is obviously what I am speaking from.
I wrote what I just posted at another blog of mine in the past, and recently. I have been thinking about this ever since at least seminary and being confronted with Martin Luther's theology of the cross and glory. I have more to say about it, the irony is that a lot of thinking about this has been done by Christian academics :-) ... a necessary evil at points.
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