I spend a lot of my time here contemplating various aspects of theology and its importance to the Church and thus the responsibility it brings to each believer. That being said, I want to take a step back for a minute and argue a point which I strongly believe needs to be said. I don’t see it in opposition to any of my previous writing, especially if you see what I’ve done as discussion more than absolute truth.

Theology is incredibly divisive. Since the early Church, the way that people articulate what they believe to be true about God has led to sectarianism, confusion, war, and even persecution. What could be more tragic than someone using something as holy as the pursuit of relationship with God through knowing what He has revealed as an excuse to harm someone, no matter the reason.

Let us not think, however, that this extremism is dead in our modern society. Here in the west it may not result in full on wars, but often it feels like it. Church against church, denomination against denomination, using the media or literature, sermons and even social media to brand some schools of thought as evil and others as inherently righteous.

None of this is to say that any theology is perfect. Far from it; in fact, it is that belief which causes many of these issues. The extremist idea that a human can truly know everything about any aspect of God is so arrogant that it flies in the face of the most basic principles which theology teaches. Believing the our broken, flawed hearts and minds could grasp an infinite God is hubris on a most extreme level.

Studying God is meant to bring edification to people and the Church. It is to help develop understanding, but even more so to develop relationship. It we go into the task thinking we can solve some kind of cosmic puzzle, we set off in the wrong direction. But, if we can humble ourselves before God and ask for his guidance, and the humble ourselves before others and seek loving conversation, then, and only then, will we be able to dig deeply into the fertile garden of this growing, thriving study.

May you always understand theology as a pursuit of humbleness.

Pax,

Paul Hart Cochran