Comments on: As Theology Totters in the West http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:16:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Dave http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6801 Dave Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:30:32 +0000 http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6801 Totally resonate with this post. My first day of my first theology class in seminary (Bethel-St. Paul) I asked a prof in the middle of class what the primary differences were between the epistemologies of Lonergan and Polanyi. Not only did the rest of the class throw dirty looks my direction, but the professor punted on the question for the sake of the rest of the class. I understood that move once I thought through it, but have wondered since: if you can't have that conversation in a seminary classroom, where can you have it? Totally resonate with this post. My first day of my first theology class in seminary (Bethel-St. Paul) I asked a prof in the middle of class what the primary differences were between the epistemologies of Lonergan and Polanyi. Not only did the rest of the class throw dirty looks my direction, but the professor punted on the question for the sake of the rest of the class. I understood that move once I thought through it, but have wondered since: if you can’t have that conversation in a seminary classroom, where can you have it?

]]> By: Dave Harvey http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6800 Dave Harvey Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:59:52 +0000 http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6800 Here at the Army's Chaplain Center & School, I've noticed an alarming trend among my future chaplains. Quite a large number of them are either enrolled or have completed Liberty University's online M.Div program - which, unlike other distance-learning programs I'm aware of, has no "intensives" or other form of student/faculty interaction. Basically, you get the assignments, read the books, write the paper, and take the test - all from the comfort and convenience of your own home! While I see the appeal for such a program - not least Liberty's generous subsidizing of much of the tuition cost for those pursuing the military chaplaincy - it's scary to think that we're raising a large group of chaplains who've never even been inside a seminary, nor been involved in any sort of theological conversation with fellow students and/or faculty members. For me, that was one of the major benefits of going to seminary; iron sharpening iron and all that. Here at the Army’s Chaplain Center & School, I’ve noticed an alarming trend among my future chaplains. Quite a large number of them are either enrolled or have completed Liberty University’s online M.Div program - which, unlike other distance-learning programs I’m aware of, has no “intensives” or other form of student/faculty interaction. Basically, you get the assignments, read the books, write the paper, and take the test - all from the comfort and convenience of your own home!

While I see the appeal for such a program - not least Liberty’s generous subsidizing of much of the tuition cost for those pursuing the military chaplaincy - it’s scary to think that we’re raising a large group of chaplains who’ve never even been inside a seminary, nor been involved in any sort of theological conversation with fellow students and/or faculty members. For me, that was one of the major benefits of going to seminary; iron sharpening iron and all that.

]]> By: Joseph F Leonard http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6787 Joseph F Leonard Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:31:00 +0000 http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6787 Wait, there is a movement on secular campuses in the west to ask the deep questions of life and have Christianity considered seriously: www.veritas.org Wait, there is a movement on secular campuses in the west to ask the deep questions of life and have Christianity considered seriously:

http://www.veritas.org

]]> By: Ross Bassingthwaighte http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6784 Ross Bassingthwaighte Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:33:26 +0000 http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6784 Jim Packer has said that theologians are "the plumbers of the church"... someone has to be responsible for the purity of the water that we drink. I had to look hard for a church in my city - and I had to wait a few years, too - that provided refreshment from a deep well. Glen has touched a tender nerve in our culture that is the cause of a general shallowness in too many of our churches and our clergy when it comes to the deeper things of God. Okay... what to do about it? Support a divinity school/seminary that still embraces the centrality of special revelation and insists on high standards concerning the way God's Word in handled. And for myself, return to some modest teaching, to share some of the things I have been privileged to learn myself... and to continue to learn myself when I put it on the line. Thank you, Glen. Jim Packer has said that theologians are “the plumbers of the church”… someone has to be responsible for the purity of the water that we drink. I had to look hard for a church in my city - and I had to wait a few years, too - that provided refreshment from a deep well. Glen has touched a tender nerve in our culture that is the cause of a general shallowness in too many of our churches and our clergy when it comes to the deeper things of God.
Okay… what to do about it? Support a divinity school/seminary that still embraces the centrality of special revelation and insists on high standards concerning the way God’s Word in handled. And for myself, return to some modest teaching, to share some of the things I have been privileged to learn myself… and to continue to learn myself when I put it on the line.
Thank you, Glen.

]]> By: John Mustol http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6780 John Mustol Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:21:20 +0000 http://glenscorgie.com/2010/07/21/the-decline-and-fall-of-theology-in-the-west/#comment-6780 This is an excellent and very helpful analysis of realities of which I have had vague and inchoate inklings. Within the church communities I have participated in, indeed, theology seems to have faded away. I have wondered why this is the case, and your essay is very helpful in understanding this. I wonder if the evangelical church's sluggish and halting response to the Ecological Problem is, in part, caused by this de facto abandonment of theology. Secular environmental thinkers have recognized that moral arguments for ecological behavior require a metaphysical framework to support them. They have casted around vigorously looking for them. Taoism and Native American spirituality are two popular ones. They have even invented some along the way. Deep Ecology is one for example. A few Christians have recognized that Christianity offers a wonderul metaphysical framework within which to speak to ecological problems and develop ecological ethics, i.e. orthodox Christian theology. Such doctrines as divine creation, the incarnation, and holistic redemption to name only three provide very good core understandings from which to build a Christian ecological perspective and ethic. But only a few evangelicals have availed themselves of these resources. Perhaps, as Glen suggests, the reason is that we have moved away from theology per se. In any case, thanks for this essay - very clear and helpful. This is an excellent and very helpful analysis of realities of which I have had vague and inchoate inklings. Within the church communities I have participated in, indeed, theology seems to have faded away. I have wondered why this is the case, and your essay is very helpful in understanding this.

I wonder if the evangelical church’s sluggish and halting response to the Ecological Problem is, in part, caused by this de facto abandonment of theology. Secular environmental thinkers have recognized that moral arguments for ecological behavior require a metaphysical framework to support them. They have casted around vigorously looking for them. Taoism and Native American spirituality are two popular ones. They have even invented some along the way. Deep Ecology is one for example.

A few Christians have recognized that Christianity offers a wonderul metaphysical framework within which to speak to ecological problems and develop ecological ethics, i.e. orthodox Christian theology. Such doctrines as divine creation, the incarnation, and holistic redemption to name only three provide very good core understandings from which to build a Christian ecological perspective and ethic. But only a few evangelicals have availed themselves of these resources. Perhaps, as Glen suggests, the reason is that we have moved away from theology per se.

In any case, thanks for this essay - very clear and helpful.

]]>