7 July 2006

I enjoy reading this description of what Joseph Sittler does as a theologian.

My job at the University of Chicago was called constructive theology. My responsibility required that I, as both an individual and a representative of the community of faith, put that tradition on the battle line where the theological affirmations meet general human affirmations: to reason and construct forward into a new situation the old statements of the church and the believing community.
For instance, I can say for myself and within my own community, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord," and people nod their heads in a corporeal and corporate affirmation. They too affirm that. But in the university, the moment I say, "I believe in God," somebody says, "Why? By what right? By what reasonable ground do you dare say a thing like that?" So I have to take the whole tradition of accumulated Christian thought and put it forward as a public event in the face of those who don't believe it or who don't know whether they believe it. Theologians or preachers cannot make people believe. They can only explicate what it might mean to believe, in such a way as to lead others to entertain the possibility of believing.

It was a long piece but I find it was all needed to get us rolling today. Too often, people of faith stay within the closed community of their own kind. That is quite natural and would be most comfortable. I agree that theologians or preachers (or anyone else) cannot make people believe. I also think it is important to be able to witness to that in which we put our trust. If a good talker can convince a group of people that they need to trust a God who will and who has and who promises wealth and healing in their lives, I would expect that people looking for that kind of God would jump on board and do so with some enthusiasm. And yet, I would want there to be some conversation about whether this vision of God is the same vision of God that I find in long tradition and rehearsal of our faith. No doubt, any number of visions of God can be supported by tradition and practice. We are all theologians aren't we?! Therefore, we must be willing to never let the dialogue cease. Again and again, we must ask ourselves about the one in whom we place our trust. In an affluent society, for example, the peasant, underclass, no-credentials-to-show, Jesus who gives away his life for the welfare of others and counts on the love of the community to heal and make whole the people, will not really be the one that is followed. Rather, we will follow a version of that story that allows us to remain affluent, powerful, controlling. Hmmmm... This is where talking about God also demands that we look at the life that comes from such visions and how that life is indeed, contrary to the world and a witness to the one we claim is the God of all things.

Connection: Don't settle for one vision of God. Rather, we can boldly converse about who this God is and what it means that we say we believe in such a deity. What does your God have to do with your life and the life of those around you?

My Lord, we stumble and trip and walk around confused as we move along the roads of life, and yet, you continue to tap us and call us and invite us into a journey in which we will daily see how your love unfolds and how that love and grace comes to life. Help us discern your will by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.