The Dreaded T-Word
Food for thought from "The Dreaded T-Word and Why Women Avoid It" by Carolyn Custis James (email me if you want the article)
"You can't read too far into the New Testament before you begin to wonder if our modern theological timidity would raise a few apostolic eyebrows"
"Far from diminishing her appeal, a woman's interest in theology ought to be the first thing to catch a man's eye. A wife's theology should be what a husband prizes most about her"
"As the wife of a seminary professor, I have encountered more than one distraught student wife who has discovered theology is her husband's mistress"
"Maybe the fact that so many women have withdrawn from the conversation partially explains why theology has become such a cerebral endeavor in the church...Rather than being detriments, I tend to think our instinct for relationship and practical matters are assets in understanding theology, because they compel us to take our theology to heart-to explore how knowing God makes a difference in our lives"
posted by Hannah Grace at
10:20 PM
2 Comments:
Having read the article, I think I agree with her evaluation of "theology" as having been "intellectualized". We "study" theology.
But, in reality, theology is (put simply) how one thinks of God. It is complete nonsense for a woman to refrain from theology, because she is in constant relationship with God. If she is in constant relationship with God (and not with the God her husband tells her to believe in), then she'll develop a theology.
As for whether a woman should "cut back" on the theology when her husband is "falling behind"--I think the issues go deeper than theology proper in that scenario. What I mean is that such a situation is probably more indicative of something else.
A woman who knows why she believes what she believes in and understands where her faith has been and how it got to where it is today is much more valuable than a woman who simply absorbs the theology of the men surrounding her. Granted, her pursuit of theology may look different from the way a man may pursue theology--perhaps as different as how men and women approach relationships; and, maybe, we'll one day have jokes that make fun of how men and women miscommunicate on the topic of theology.
April 16, 2007 at 8:57 PM
From the article, this needs to be said more often and louder:
"Christian submission, which finds its ultimate example in Christ, is an act of strength, understanding, and determination. Jesus modeled not a mindless limp compliance but a thoughtful vigorous resolve. His actions did not result from a power struggle with his father but expressed their union. Jesus was not defeated; he was determined to fulfill his father's will."
"The problem, as [Dr. Packer] later discovered, was not so much with theology as with the hearts of those who misused it."
Thanks for the article Hannah!
April 16, 2007 at 10:33 PM
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