Friday, 5 November, 2004

This week's devotions are written by Redeemer member John Caron.



I used to be an active collector of quotes. This series of devotions will be based on some of my favorites.



Theology is the study of God and his ways. For all we know, dung beetles study [people] and call it humanology. If so, we would probably be more touched and amused than irritated. One hopes that God feels likewise.

Frederick Buechner

Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC

One of the most dangerous traps the church can fall into is to idolize its theology. If we worship the study of God, rather than God him/herself, then the object of our worship is, in reality, ourselves. Besides idolatry, this overconfidence in our own God-constructs diminish the scope of God's reign and dramatically increases the likelihood that we the golden calf of our own hubris on the backs of those who are the most powerless and disenfranchised within our societies. Some of the greatest acts of harm done in the name of religion have been when God's followers are most certain of their theological veracity. I wonder if the opposite is true... would a dose of healthy doubt and a willingness to be wrong be a counterbalance to the evils caused by arrogance? Maybe the Church might be well to offer questions in addition to creeds as part of it liturgical rites. What would the Church look like if this were part of our tradition?



Connection: A former professor of mine once said that the purpose of theology is to be about the business of continuously tearing itself down and rebuilding again from its ruins. Some voices proclaim boldly that they have the answers, including the ultimate answers of God and God's will for humanity and its institutions. Rather than answering those voices with different opinions having the same certitude, ask questions, pose alternatives, be willing to live with ambiguity and unanswered mysteries. A sign of wisdom for the aforementioned dung beetle would be to understand and accept that it will never have the capacity to comprehend the experience of being human and to be content with the mysteries of human existence.



Prayer: We release the need to try and understand your experience, O Lord. Help us to understand our reality through the life and ministry of your Son and by doing so, draw us closer to your essence. Amen.