Working on the premise that wee can do our theological thinking using any book I have to add the caveat that whilst ALL and ANY book can challenge and shape my theology this does not make them 'theological'!
A brief conversation with someone who is studying theologically left me rather confused as they regarded the aforementioned tome as an authoritative theological voice on the Trinity. This for me was on a par with the 'darkness' offerings of Frank Peretti being regarded in the same light regarding Angelology.
Please don't think I'm knocking the books or the writers, I'm not. I can honestly say that having read them and enjoyed them to varying degrees my concern is that those who would consider themselves as students of that Queen of all sciences (Aquinus' term - not mine - Schleiermacher's too!) 'Theology' are in possession of such thinking.
More concern-making perhaps is the fact that the person on the other side of the conversation also thought that the 'Left behind' series was 'great theology' and a wonderful way to teach about the end times, after all (and I quote): 'It's easier to understand than revelation, isn't it?'
It certainly is, but it is not the authority some might confer upon it!
I am becoming increasing aware that I am moving towards a similar position as that occupied by that wonderfully visceral and curmudgeonly old goat, and namesake, Victor Meldrew when I say:
'I don't believe it - and I wish you wouldn't either!' Perhaps it's increasing old age taking effect - but hopefully it's an increasing desire to see people shape, share and apply stuff that sits well with the Bible.
Mind you, gut feelings apart, I am struggling to think that there are people who see angels sitting around the church building giving demons the bird and members of the Holy Trinity as characters like Mr McHenry, zipping around sans tricycle!
Stimulation and analogous writings are great because they give us different ways of looking at things. Fiction can, as I have said, shape, inform and bring about responses in us, but we need to keep a weather eye on how far we let them take us - after all, those who take the King's shilling and seek to serve Him in the ministry have a personal and a pastoral concern to be concerned over.
The Shack? It's a book - let's not lose sight of that?
Pax
19 comments:
Vic, some friends and I ran a one-off reading group study on 'The Shack' and even people who took a similar view to you on it, theologically, found that it 'spoke' to them in quite profound ways - all of us reached the end of the evening and wanted to start again....
I'd vote for Whoopi Goldberg to play 'God' when they cast for the film.
Yep - good to see that you agree with my comment:
'ALL and ANY book can challenge and shape our theology'
Nice to know I have it right :-)
Happy Wednesday
Fiction that informs without being in any way an authoritative voice
"the Holy Trinity as characters like Mr McHenry, zipping around sans tricycle!"
LOL
Good book though it makes you think.
Anything that makes you think hard at our age is good Vic. Now you have joined the 60's Club lol
All books make you think, even if its only that you think it's rubbish!
Oh, dear...
You mean it's not?? :-0
Tri-theism, a crap theodicy, emotional manipulation and kitsch?
Fil Comley Near the end of it now.
Should I post an on-line review?
... and what do they think of the DeVinci Code?
I have a confession to make, I'm a Dan Brown fan. He rights great pot boilers, I really enjoyed the DaVinci code and his other books even though they're complete twaddle.
Do it Fil - all comment is good and all dialogue useful.
It's a good work of fiction (if a bit overly sentimental), but there is much wrong with it theologically and it is a danger that people will read it and build an understanding of God on it (as they did with Piercing the Darkness or the Left Behind series).
I don't know why you are surprised Vic..
Christians don't seem to read the Bible these days... they elevate all sorts of "Christian" writings above the authority of the Word of God.
Bob S's comment reminds me of a university chaplain (Anglo-Catholic, as I recall) who saw me reading my pocket New Testament as I waited in a queue to enrol at the start of my first term as an undergrad.
He informed me in all seriousness that he had "read lots of books about the Bible and so there's no need at all to read it."
His remark knocked me sideways as I was then a "rabid non-conformist" (my phrase) and a member of an FIEC/EFCC church of the Welsh evangelical tradition (That's Ashford Cong to you, Vic).
That was in 1977.
LOL
On a par with a bishop who told a group of us that if we didn't have time for Daily Office then Radio Four's 'Thought for the Day' was a 'good alternative!
I think there is better theology in Mumford and Sons than in The Shack, personally.
Well there someone who's just been awarded an 'ology' of the Theos kind!
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