Theology Questions.....

I found these questions on Sandie's blog (see sidebar under "Blogs of Interest") and have shamelessly plagiarized them....

1. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 high), how would you rate your theological knowledge and breadth/depth of reading?

I would give myself around a 4. I've read some but am woefully ignorant of others, especially the post-moderns.

2. What thoughts and feelings come to your mind when you hear the word “theology”?

I think about how people relate to God -- how we view God, how we think about and write about God and His world, how we struggle with the big questions that will probably never be answered until we're with Him, face to face.

3. Who is your favorite theologian, and why?

I'm a big fan of Brother Lawrence. He simpifies all of theology down to praying without ceasing, to serving God with every dish washed, with every floor swept, with every person spoken to. That's my goal -- to communicate with God all the time, my thoughts continually focused on His thoughts.

4. Who is your least favorite theologian, and why?

Tim La Haye. His anti-Catholic bias and his unrelenting (and I believe incorrect) Rapture theology have done quite a bit of damage to the Church, imho. He's taught others to draw lines between Christians rather than to love people who also love our Savior. And the Rapture ideas have planted both unholy fear and innate smugness in the Church, neither of which I think are helpful.

5. Which theologians have you been meaning to read, but have not gotten to yet?

Julian of Norwich and Margery of Kempe are high on my list, as are Bonhoeffer, Chesteron, Nouwen, and Merton.

6. If you are Catholic, can you name a favorite Protestant theologian, and if Protestant, Catholic?

I don't really consider myself one or the other, so I'll name my favorite from each tradition. My favorite Catholic theologian is probably St. John of the Cross (although I love the Early Church Fathers, too), and my favorite Protestant theologian is Richard Foster.

7. What theologies do you love like a rescue dog that saved your life?

Philip Yancey's wide-open theology has probably brought me the most joy. Especially his Soul Survivor -- it said everything I believed and wanted to express. Also Thomas Howard's Evangelical Is Not Enough again spoke of everything I believed and was too reserved to express. Both opened up my theology beyond Protestant vs. Catholic to see the beauty and power possible with the unity of the two.

8. What theologies do you see commonly abused and wish people would stop it?

Tim La Haye is right up there, especially his Rapture stuff. And Luther at times, too. People have taken Luther's ideas wayyyy too far, and now we have how many denominations?????? Ugh.

9. What theologies do you think are from the pit of hell, inspired by demonic powers?

I can't say that I've seen any theologies that are "from the pit of hell, inspired by demonic powers." Perhaps Arianism?

10. What theological concept is most needed but ignored in contemporary Christianity?

I think that the concept of corporate confession and Reconciliation (confessing to a priest or pastor/elder) is very much needed in the evangelical movement. Overall, a return to a more anciently-minded worship in evangelical churches is needed, imho -- a return to reverence, to silence and solitude -- a movement away from mere entertainment (not that all evangelical churches are like this, but more than enough are) toward the real, deep, messy, true stuff of faith. The idea of convincing the evangelical movement toward a more ancient model is the crux of the book I'm working on at present....