theology as a ball and chain

I wrote a post last week about learning a lesson on theological conversation from Tony Jones. Seriously, that incident got me thinking.

Theology is important to me. I love it. I enjoy it. I am on a mission to understand the truth. I have a suspicion that there is a unifying theory that would be the key to understanding it all. I also concede that I could be wrong about this. But this is the theory that motivates me in my search.

But that says a lot. The Tony Jones incident last week made me realize that even though I love theology, behind it is a belief that we are all involved in a huge project to understand, and that all our ideas are somehow participating in this process of discovery. Even though I have passed through Anglican, Baptist, Pentecostal, Vineyard, Charismatic, Presbyterian, Reformed, Catholic, Evangelical, etcetera, etcetera, and even though I accept some of what each of these offer and reject some of what they offer, somehow all of these merge together in my search for truth.

So it more crucial for me to remember that that Pentecostal woman is my sister, and that even though our ideas might be different, we are still somehow connected at a deeper level. And if we both realize this and participate intentionally in this process, then our theologies do not need to separate us.

This is what we endeavor to practice at The Lasting Supper, and so far it’s working! So I know it’s possible.