Forget about forgetting

I know ya'll (smile) have your own classes and therefore don't really want to hear all the lectures I heard today, which is good because I don't remember them, but I wanted to share a few quotes and the reflections they brought. First, however, is a quote from Iain Torrance's convocation speech.

"The presence of God means the absence of fear, the increase of love, and an increase in dissatisfaction at the way things are."-Iain Torrance

This was interesting to hear preached. I have a growing sense of dissatisfaction with the church and have sometimes felt misunderstood, because of my lack of gusto for my denomination and it's practices, or for organized religion. Along with this I have a growing sense of the limitations of my knowledge on my denomination and the church universal. In love, I must seek to understand before passing judgements. To some extent I feel called to speak things to the church which may seem radical, although I don't quite know what these things are. Yet, I am afraid of what will happen when this is made clear to me. I am working backwards from what Torrance spoke, but I think it serves the same purpose-no matter what direction you are working from God's presence is still required.

The second quote is from Intro to NT Exegesis.

"It's ok to sit here for three years and still not know what you believe deep down on some of these key issues."-Ross Wagner

In our interpretation of scripture there are issues which come up that are not always clear. It's easy to get caught up in figuring the right interpretation that you forget that much of the Bible is, and will be until God reveals it, a mystery. We don't have to have everything figured out. Dr. Wagner also made an example of love and our reaction to it. When you love someone you want to listen to everything they say. You want to get to know them because you value their conversation. So it should be in the way we approach our reading. Respect the author and hear what they have to say because they are contributing to the conversation.

In Church, Community, and Nation it was questioned,

"What are the times we live in and how does that affect our moments (what is said and done now)? What are our moments and how do they affect the times we live in?"-Richard Fenn

After today's lecture I was reminded how much I don't know about politics. I have never been a fan of politics, because it never seems to go beyond the name calling and negative reports on the opponet. This class will not allow for that I am afraid. Sometimes I feel like there is no way to come across the real issues, and, that even when I do, I will be as Dr. Wagner mentioned-unable to know what I believe. This is the same for the issues we will discuss in Bio-Medical Ethics. How will I ever be able to voice my opinion on controversial issues, such as homosexuality, when I can't seem to decide on the right interpretations?

Yet, it seems like the time has come for me to begin to really seek out these issues. Is the church living out the gospel? Is the church as involved in the nation as it should be? Do we really need denominations? At the same time, is a split in the denomination over homosexuality (or any issue) the best for all involved? Why are we continually for racial reconciliation and yet, take little or no steps towards the relization of this in our congregations? How do you find a balance in worship that doesn't restrict people who feel the Spirit, and yet does not loose the traditions of the litergy? I seem to think these questions will dissappear, but that is not the case. And, yes, after 3 years of a theological education I will not have all the answers, and I may still not have a strong case for certian issues, but the least I can do is forget about forgetting them.