The theological life
There was a time in my life when I balked at anything that smacked of theology. The word was too grand and heavy for me. Theology was the ponderous tomes of scholasticism with their pedantry and dogmatism, intimated in Religion class and totally ignored. In college as a freshman, I found Christ anew and discovered the Scriptures for myself. I realized that I had been on a journey with God but it was only then that I knew it. God was more than just a name, or a magic word drawn from thin air; He was a person who had come alive, was comprehensible, and best of all, relatable. This simplicity of faith I guarded fiercely. If I wanted more, there were friends to talk to and books of all sorts to be bought at bookstores. I was, however, free to roam where my own studies took me. I did not want it cluttered by anything “theological.”
As time went on, the hunger for God grew and I realized I didn’t know enough. There were questions that intrigued me that required the collective wisdom of much better minds than mine to explore. And so began my forays into more structured studies — short courses here and there — but nothing resembling a formal education.
At the same time I saw how too much theologizing — of the kind preached in pulpits by leaders without positive impact on their lives or on their congregations — shipwrecked the mind and beggared the heart, making its proponents swell-headed and mean-hearted, ironically the very opposite goals of a theological education. Better to discover God for myself, I thought; let him blaze the trail for me, pry open the crevices of my soul and breathe life and light into my darkness through his word and Spirit, rather than have the sophisticated regurgitations of theologians mold my heart-mind after their image. And so, when in one audit course a classmate asked me why I did not opt for a full-blown program, I answered that I wanted to keep my mind “virgin territory.” My fear (not altogether baseless) was that theology would interfere with my understanding and enjoyment of God.
That was years ago and I must say I have no regrets over that decision. There’s nothing like discovering God for yourself and hearing his voice with your own ears. Before the voices of others and a million other distractions drown your soul, it’s best to hear from Him first. As we wrestle with God’s word, theology is born. In other words, we do our theologizing first in God’s presence. Whether we are aware of it or not, when we contemplate God’s ways in the world and our relationship with Him, we live the theological life.
There are, however, ways of deepening this life, and indeed a formal theological education, when undertaken properly, is a good way to go. I found this out last November.
Unbeknownst to many non-evangelicals, tucked in the heart of Quezon City is an excellent institution that has been responsible for educating many of our ministers. Last November, I had the opportunity to experience its Open House. For two weeks at the start of every semester, the Asian Theological Seminary opens its doors wide to the general public by allowing non-students to sit in for free on any of the classes being offered. Visitors are treated to free-flowing coffee, a food and book sale, and a tour of its premises. The open house period is then capped by a day of public lectures and symposia presented by the different departments. The informality enticed me. This was no fusty institution but a lively community that generously opened its doors to anyone.
I found myself sitting in and coming away with a healthy appreciation of the veritable feast of ideas and perspectives that a formal education can offer. But the most pleasant surprise of all was the way the courses were taught. Not only are the professors highly credentialed (most of them with PhDs from topnotch universities here and abroad) but, just as importantly, they teach, not like big-shot academics, but like older brothers and sisters who will exhaust all means to help you learn what they are most passionate to teach.
The open house also gave me an insight into the power of faith-based educational institutions such as seminaries to impact the communities in which they are situated. A seminary can serve not only as a graduate institution offering academic courses but also as a hub for learning to spur questions and critical thought on issues affecting the life of a city or nation.
To address this need, the ATS holds an annual theological forum open to the public on burning contemporary themes. Breakout sessions further cover the various permutations of the theme. Topics in the past have included the church and poverty in Asia, stewardship and the environment, and doing theology in the Asian context. In 2010, in time for the May national elections, the forum tackled faith, power and politics. Next year’s theme, “Male and Female God Created Them,” promises to be more than apropos, as it grapples with issues of sex and gender in Asian church and society.
This year’s forum, held last Feb. 9 and 10 at the Union Church of Manila, was an enlightening one as it dealt on Asian and Filipino spirituality. Plenary speaker Dr. Simon Chan, systematic theology professor at Trinity College in Singapore, noted that the theological richness of folk Christianity in Third World Pentecostal-charismatic movements owes in part to elements of primal religion. Folk Christianity sees the spirit world as a real and ever-present component of faith and views life as sacramental and communal. Rather than disparage these, Dr. Chan challenged evangelicals to reconsider features of folk Christianity that invigorate Asian Christian spirituality.
Dr. George Capaque, dean of the Discipleship Training Centre in Singapore, noted that the Filipino expression of being, or Pagkataong Pilipino, consists of terms such as loob, katawan, or kaluluwa that are meant to refer to the total person, never to a divided self. Filipino spirituality is deeply relational, highly symbolic, celebratory, spirit world-oriented, and mindful of justice in the face of poverty and suffering. As an evangelical rediscovering her Catholic roots and as a Filipino relearning her indigenous heritage, I find these words doubly comforting.
The study of God and of the workings of God in our world is precisely what a seminary does. Otherwise busy people like you and me are invited to the contemplation of God in the hopes that such contemplation, made in a systematic, progressive fashion within a supportive community, may help us make life worth living for ourselves and others, and transform our world for the better.
To be sure, I have enrolled in a couple of subjects. I do not know yet how far I will go. After all, judging from the theme of the ATS chapel service by Dr. Harold Sala on Feb. 29, which will be “What God Taught Me That I Did Not Learn From Seminary,” even seminaries understand the limitations of their offerings. Nevertheless, whether formally or informally undertaken, whether understood or not, the theological life runs deep in any human being’s quest for meaning.
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Your comments and feedback are welcome. E-mail me at urbanpilgrim2010@gmail.com.
