talking about God

The second chapter in the book I am reading is on that scary word, theology. Tony Campolo wants to point out though, that all it means is talking about God. If you want to look at how your job relates to your faith then you are thinking out a theology of work or if we are tying to figure out issues around sex, relationships and marriages we are talking about a theology of sexuality.

The next important point from the chapter is around the idea that just because something is a theology doesn't mean it is right. Each of us will have a slightly different theology from someone else due mainly to our experiences. This means as Campolo puts it 'all our theologies are heresies'p34. They do not tell us about the fullness of God, but glimpse a small part.

Campolo would want to add to this a caveat which recognises certain absolutes, though for him this is summed up in Jesus' death that rescues us from sin and his resurrection which assures us of eternal life. Beyond this truth of Jesus Christ, he states that everything else is guesswork.

Finally, he notes that we have to recognise that there are different theologies and he highlights two of these in liberation and black theology. McLaren agrees with much of what Campolo says and asks us to recognise our theologies not as arrogant certainties but as humble thinking before God.

I would agree with much that is said in the chapter, theology is just words about God and people should be encouraged to express and converse about what their theology is in order to help work out and expand their understanding of God and his creation.

I think the most important thing to recognise is that a single theology is never right, not completely anyway. It has been white western Christians biggest sin to hold up its theology as the true and right theology and oppress, smear, torture or kill anyone who thought otherwise. Particularly as a number of these have been proved as nearer the truth later on.

Some examples for you to think about...

Copernicus a scientist in the 16th Century put forward the theory that the earth was not at the centre of the universe but that the sun was. After his death he was supported by another scientist by the name of Galileo, who through his development of the telescope said he could prove the theory. This was denounced by the Catholic church with some noting it was close to heresy and Galileo being banned from teaching on the subject. Finally, he underwent a papal trial which judged his teaching as heretical and placed him under house arrest till he died. Today the truth that Copernicus and Galileo taught is universally excepted by all including the church who deemed it as heresy.

Another example of wrong theology would be surrounding the slave trade and the racism born out of it that was a prominent part of white western culture and thinking. Many in the church thought that white people where the pinnacle of God's creation and that other races should be subservient to our demands. Again this thinking which was widely held by those in the church as well as outside is completely rejected by the church today.

The list is much longer than these two examples and it does not make for very good reading at times. We have to recognise that our promotion of certain elitist theologies has caused great problems and will continue to do so. There are still areas where the church has to struggle some more, still many refuse to allow women into leadership roles, homosexuals are still seen as less than human and there are I am sure other areas that need our attention.

I think the question we have to ask of our theologies has to be how Christ-like it is. Does it reflect the Jesus we find in the bible, who eats with sinners, touches the untouchable, does the unimaginable, but most of all loves without prejudice. Maybe if we ask this question of what we believe we will make more smaller steps forward.