Tag: Theology

Is There Aversion To Theology Today?

Published by Jeff Kennon on March 6, 2015

I occasionally hear and read that there is an apprehensiveness towards Christian doctrine. David Wells, in his book No Place For Truth, has led a charge that we must reestablish Christian doctrine in our North American context or we will end up with a shallow faith that will be tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes (Ephesians 4:14).

Historian Mark Noll has also chimed in along with Wells when he wrote The Scandal Of The Evangelical Mind. For Noll, the scandal is that there is no evangelical mind. He contends that there is a great divorce between intellect and piety within North American evangelicalism.

As I have thought about the issue of our North American scandal of a lack of theological thinking, I found an old copy of W.T. Conner‘s book Christian Doctrine. Conner was professor of systematic theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in the early to mid 1900’s. In the introduction to Christian Doctrine, written in 1937, he wrote…

Many people today have little patience with any kind of definite doctrinal teaching in religion. This aversion to religious doctrine is not confined to those who are altogether indifferent or hostile to religion. Even many religious people are unfriendly toward any kind of definite doctrinal teaching. They wish to confine religion to the realm of feeling or friendly good will, or make it a matter of practical social activity.

There has been much discussion as to whether religion is properly a matter of feeling, or belief, or activity. As a matter of fact, it is all three. Without the element of feeling, religion has little motive power; without doctrinal belief, the element of intelligence is lacking; without practical activity, it is vapid and empty.

No doubt, Conner does well at helping us to see that the antipathy to theology is nothing new to the 21st Century. But on the other hand, I think he helps us to achieve some balance in that though we must teach Christian doctrine, it must never be divorced from real life. As Conner has succinctly written, our faith is a matter of feeling, belief, and activity.

So what do you think? Are we needing a return to deeper theological thinking in today’s evangelical world? And what does it look like to do good theology?

For help in thinking about theology, consider reading Theology Is For The Living Room along with A Little Book For New Theologians: Why and How To Study Theology by Kelly Kapic. You can also read my review of Kapic’s book as well.

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Analyzing God?

Published by Jeff Kennon on February 18, 2015

While reading Philip Yancey’s book Disappointment With God, I was halted by a personal discovery of his. Writing about his research for Disappointment With God, he comments: “After two weeks of studying the Bible, I had a strong sense that God doesn’t care so much about being analyzed.”

“God doesn’t care so much about being analyzed.” So what does this mean? Do we dispose of any serious thinking and discussing of God’s nature and actions? I don’t think so. Plus, if that were so, then Yancey’s book goes against his own conclusion.

What I think Yancey is pushing us to reflect upon is not whether we should do theology and think about God and who He is, but the way we do it. Martin Luther wrote that one must grow “worried when people become scholars through writing lots of books—but do not have the slightest idea what it means to be Christian.” Such scholars were termed by Luther to be theologians of glory. These scholastics spent a great deal of time in speculating about God, but they did not know him.

“What God wants,” writes Yancey, “is to be loved.” Not loved because He is in need, but to be loved because it is our need and His passion. Our estrangement from God is what God seeks to reconcile. And He does so by the cross. For it is by the cross that we know what love is. John writes that this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10).

Walter von Loewenich has written that it is the cross that “leads a person out of his or her spectator stance and propels him or her into the decision of faith.” In other words, when considering the cross, it cannot just be “analyzed,” but moves those who are Christ-followers to a deeper relationship with God characterized by trust and obedience.

I believe we ought to think deeply about God. We should not be afraid of theology as it is the task of the community of God. But Yancey does well at calling us to remember that our task of “studying God” is more than just attaining some facts. It’s about pushing us into a deeper love relationship with our Creator. Doing good theology should leave us in a sense of awe of who God is and what He has done.

May we, as we grow in the knowledge and grace of God, declare the words of Psalm 100…

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

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When Does Theology Cease To Be Theology?

Published by Jeff Kennon on February 16, 2015

When does theology cease to be theology?

Just as the church ceases to be the church if it is not missionary, theology ceases to be theology if it loses its missionary character. We are in need of a missiological agenda for theology rather than just a theological agenda for mission; for theology, rightly understood, has no reason to exist other than critically to accompany the missio Dei. So mission should be the theme of all theology.

-David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission, p. 494

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Luther’s Theology of The Cross

Published by Jeff Kennon on October 31, 2014

Today, October 31, in the year 1517, Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. Though it was Luther’s first attempt of many at writing or speaking against the theological thinking of his day, it was and continues to be a defining moment in history. The Ninety-Five Theses ushered in the dawn of the reformation.

Of the ninety-five theses, it is Luther’s ninety-fifth that leads us to consider what some say is the heart of understanding Luther’s theology. It reads: Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, “Peace, peace,” and there is no peace. Blessed be all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, “Cross, cross,” and there is no cross! Luther is concerned with those who speak peace without the cross and offer glory without suffering.

In 1518, in another set of theses prepared for a debate at Heidelburg, Luther further defined his theology of the cross. He wrote: That person does not deserve to be called a theologian who looks upon the invisible things of God as though they were clearly perceptible in those things which have actually happened. He wrote further that he deserves to be a theologian, however, who comprehends the visible and manifest things of God seen through suffering and the cross.

In the Heidelberg Disputation, it is important to understand that Luther is contrasting his theology of the cross with what he termed a theology of glory. A theology of glory was the medieval practice of theology that involved mere metaphysical speculation and attempted to find God by one’s own reasoning and wisdom. In contrast, a theology of the cross finds God on the cross through faith. Luther wrote that he who does not know Christ does not know God hidden in suffering. Therefore he prefers works to suffering, glory to the cross, strength to weakness, wisdom to folly, and, in general, good to evil.

For Luther, to know God is to know him on the cross. Walter Von Loewenich writes in regard to this principle that God reveals himself in concealment, God’s wisdom appears to men as foolishness, God’s power is perfected in weakness, God’s glory parades in lowliness, God’s life becomes effective in the death of his Son.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians: Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. Would we have chosen the cross and suffering as God’s mode of saving the world? The cross is so scandalous and is only for the severest of criminals. Who would look for God on the cross? And yet Paul, and Luther, directs our gaze at God on the cross hidden in the midst of suffering.

Luther, beginning with his 95 Theses begins to direct the church of his day back to the cross. The question we must ask is do we need to recover a theology of the cross as a church? Do we prefer glory, strength, and wisdom compared to humility, weakness, and foolishness? Knowing that following Christ involves taking up our cross, are we willing to live sacrificial lives for the sake of gospel and others?

Douglas John Hall writes that a theology of the cross insists that God, who wills to meet us, love us, redeem us, meets, loves, and redeems us precisely where we are: in the valley of the shadow of death. As a result, will we engage the world around us and meet others with the truth of the gospel in the midst of their pain and struggle?

May we stand as Luther and proclaim and live life under the cross. And, may we daily remind ourselves that the word of the cross…to us who are being saved…is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18) Therefore, far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 6:14).

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In The Beginning…The Gospel

Published by Jeff Kennon on September 17, 2014

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. –John 1:1-3

John chose an incredible way to begin his gospel of Jesus Christ. He places Jesus not in the manger, but “in the beginning.” As D. A. Carson writes, “It’s possible that John is making an allusion to his colleague’s work, saying in effect, ‘Mark has told you about the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry; I want to show you that the starting point of the gospel can be traced farther back than that, before the beginning of the entire universe.'”

Before creation, Jesus was. Before Abraham, Jesus was. In fact, Jesus himself said, Before Abraham was born, I am (John 8:58). And, before John the Baptist, Jesus was as John the Baptist’s testimony was, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me (John 1:15).

There was never a time when Jesus was not. Though we may try to stretch our imagination as far back in time as possible, we will never come to a time when Jesus did not exist.

Jesus, the Word, who was with God in the very beginning, “came into the sphere of time, history, and tangibility,” writes Carson. In other words, “the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly disclosed.” And such glory and grace was made manifest on the cross where Jesus, for our sake [was] made to be sin [though he] knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Let us therefore remember that the gospel starts before creation and recall the words of Paul in Ephesians 1:3-4:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

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“God Is Now Weightless”

Published by Jeff Kennon on July 21, 2014

Convicting words by David Wells…

It is one of the defining marks of Our Time that God is now weightless. I do not mean by this that he is ethereal but rather that he has become unimportant. He rests upon the world so inconsequentially as not to be noticeable. He has lost his saliency for human life. Those who assure the pollsters of their belief in God’s existence may nonetheless consider him less interesting than television, his commands less authoritative than their appetites for affluence and influence, his judgment no more awe-inspiring than the evening news, and his truth less compelling than the advertisers’ sweet fog of flattery and lies. Weightlessness tells us nothing about God but everything about ourselves, about our condition, about our psychological disposition to exclude God from our reality.

(from God In The Wastelands: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading Dreams, p. 88)

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A Little Book On A Big Topic

Published by Jeff Kennon on March 26, 2014

Throughout the history of the church, theology has played a vital role. It has led to revivals and reformations. Today however, some are worried that the theological task is becoming detached from everyday life and spirituality. Kelly M. Kapic is one of those concerned and as a result, has written a valuable book called A Little Book for New Theologians (only 124 pages).

“My worry,” writes Kapic, “is that in our day, for many of us, we have unintentionally cultivated what might be called theological detachment: such a view produces a divide between spirituality and theology, between life and thought, between faith and agency” (p. 9). Kapic, therefore, directs his book to those who are in the beginning stages of understanding the discipline of theology in hopes of guiding them away from its possible detachment from life and worship.

A Little Book for New Theologians is divided into two parts. In Part I, Kapic writes of why one should study theology. His basic argument is that one should embark on this pilgrimage in order “to know and enjoy God.” The study of theology therefore, should lead to worship. Kapic writes that when we understand the relationship between theology and worship, “we are moved beyond intellectual curiosity to an engaged encounter with the living God” (p. 37).

The heart of Kapic’s book is found in Part II. In this section, Kapic discusses the characteristics of faithful theology and theologians. These chapters are most helpful as he begins by insisting that theology not be separated from real life. He writes that “our theology can become corrupted because we neglect to attend to our lives, for true theology must always be true spirituality” (p. 45). We must, therefore, approach theology with humility and repentance, “ready to receive what God gives rather than impose preconceived ideas” (p. 75).

It is Kapic’s chapter “Suffering, Justice, and Knowing God” that I find most challenging. Kapic writes: “God judges our theology faithful or false by our attitudes and responses to those in need” (p. 83). In other words, the proof of us being good theologians is evidenced by how we treat other people. “Genuine concern for theological truth brings with it a concern for one’s neighbor,” writes Kapic, “because the true God is known by love” (p. 91).

After reading A Little Book for New Theologians, I felt the title was a bit misleading. There is no doubt this book will be tremendously helpful to those who consider themselves “new theologians.” However, I think this little book would be helpful reading to all believers. Kapic’s writing would be an encouragement to anyone seeking to understand the necessity of theology and its proper handling. After all, theology is not just for the classroom, but for the living room. Theology is for the church by the church.

So maybe a better title for the book could be A Little Book for Why All Followers of Christ Need to Be Engaged in Theology. The title’s probably too long, but nonetheless, I think it more accurately displays the purpose and importance of this book.

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Theology Is For The Living Room

Published by Jeff Kennon on March 18, 2014

I think there is a danger when Christians believe theology is something only designed for “the “professionals.” When we as believers conclude that theology is only for those in the academy whose job description requires the writing of books and the teaching of theology classes, we miss out on the true function of theology. Therefore, we need to adjust our thinking about what the task and purpose of theology really is.

We must understand that theology is for the church by the church. It is designed to be a community discipline. Theology is the responsibility of all who claim to follow Christ. It is not just the duty of an elite group. Though the task of theology can appear intimidating to some, the community of God must be aware of its necessity. As my theology professor wrote: Because [theology’s] primary objective is to make the Christian faith pertinent to each new generation, the task of reappropriating, restating, even refocusing the past so that it speaks ever again with a contemporary voice is absolutely necessary (p. 356).

Theology, therefore, needs to be as fresh as Sunday’s sermon. In order for this to happen, I think we need to be clear as to exactly what our theological task should be. Let me offer a few thoughts on this matter.

We must realize that theology is nothing more than thinking and talking about God. So, let’s don’t overcomplicate it too much. True, theological thinking can be difficult and tedious at times, but nonetheless, it is still none other than reflecting upon who God is and what He has done.
Theology is grounded in the word of God. The reflection we do concerning who God is and what He has done is based upon His revelation found in Scripture. We never move beyond God’s Word.
Theology is not an isolated task. As has been stated above, it is for the community of God by the community of God. For one to do theology well, he or she must be in dialogue with others (I guess this means your Bible study group is actually doing theology). And the dialogue must include our contemporaries along with those who have gone before us. There must not be an aversion to the reading of old books.
Theology is never to be divorced from real life. This means that theology pertains to how we live life in the here and now. It should result in greater worship and greater humility. It should cause us to love our neighbors more and to be a bit more patient with our husbands and wives.
If you are a Christian, you are a theologian. Martin Luther wrote in his sermon on Psalm 5:17 that we are all called theologians, just as we are all called Christians.

Theology is not just about the mind, but also about the heart. Theology is not just about study, but also about obedience. Theology is not just for the classroom, but also for the living room. It is about loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31).

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