I told Melissa that I was writing a post for the blog about how I wish I could go back and do college all over again… she said: ‘Why… so that you could go back and trade me in for someone else?’ She was kidding, but I am not kidding when I say that I wouldn’t trade her for anyone. She’s the best. So I should specify:
I wish I could do the academic portion of college all over again. I had a couple of things going against me the first time around. For one, I finished high school with a 2.0 grade point average. I didn’t finish low because I was stupid… I finished low because I just didn’t care. There were no classes that motivated me… there were no classes that captivated me. But, I didn’t really understand that at the time. I never really have considered myself as brilliant… still don’t for the most part… but when I first went to college… I had serious doubts about whether I belonged there at all when it came to academics.
That really affected the way I went about learning. Instead of really trying to understand issues… I really just sought to take good notes, learn dates and facts for tests… and I never really got involved in discussions. Another thing that I never truly utilized until my senior year was my professors. I was never proactive in asking for help… or getting clarification on issues… I never really asked any professors to do lunch until my senior year. I wish I would have put myself in a position to pick their brains more.
Recently, I have realized that I have a deep love (and thirst) for theology. I think it started back in 2002 or so when I took my first graduate level theology course on the Trinity. I soaked up that class. I learned so much. My view of God was clarified. I loved the class discussions and debate. It was awesome.
In many ways, it was the first legitimate theology class that I have taken. I had three theology classes in college: Theology 1, Theology 2, and Theology of Holiness. Theology 1 was taught by a teacher that I really respected, but he was getting older (I think it was his last year to teach) and had recently suffered a stroke... so he had trouble formulating into words some of the deeper truths… I didn’t take much away from that class.
Theology 2 and Theology of Holiness was taught by a guy that probably had no business teaching any college level classes in the first place. He didn’t really teach us theology so much as he preached to us. Sometimes preaching is good in the classroom… but not in this case. I remember one time… class started and he called on several students to ‘teach’ the lesson out of the notebook that we were working through. These students had no warning, no time to prepare, and quite frankly… weren’t being paid to teach theology… our professor was. Needless to say, I learned very little…
One of my favorite teachers in college was Dr. Bud Bence. I had him for several classes… but the two that resonated with me the most: Church History 1 and 2. That was where I learned most of my understanding of different theological issues. Which was unfortunate… because Dr. Bence also needed to teach us about Church History. (another topic that I love) He was cramming so much information into each class... it was great, but I always wondered how different it would have been for me to have taken my theology courses with Dr. Bence.
Anyway… all this resulted into two disappointing things. One, I entered ministry with a very limited understanding of theology. Two, I entered ministry not knowing that I had a mind and spirit that absolutely craves learning about theology. Now that I know, I wish I could go back and do it all again (with different professors, of course.)
I check several blogs that just delight me, but also make me jealous. I long to be in that intensive classroom learning atmosphere and just soak up as much as I can… but I also know that I can’t afford it, I don’t want to leave where I am, and I don’t want to leave my family for a week at a time to do it anymore.
However, since I can’t get to the classroom right now… I’ve decided to bring the classroom to me. I have decided to write a Sunday School curriculum covering some the introductory ideas of theology. I don’t know how long it will take and I don’t know how well received the class will be… but at very least, through my writing, I will be forced to research and probe. And I think that will be a blast…
4 comments:
Great stuff Josh...and you sell yourself short, you do have the mind of a theologian and are gifted with the mental faculties necessary to engange in theological conversation. I have never doubted that for one moment. Your Sunday School curriculum sounds fantastic. I'd be happy to look over any of it for you and give feedback. I'd be very interested in what you turn out. Blessings with that project. See you in a few weeks.
Kev... thanks for the kind words. Coming from you, that means alot to me. And I know you wouldn't write it if you didn't mean it.
I will definitely have you look over it and let me know what you think should be added, subtracted, tweaked... and whatever else you find.
I'm going to bring my new and improved 'Foundations' curriculum over thanksgiving so that you can look over that.
I look forward to hanging out with you for a few days. Any movies out that we should go see?
Josh- As you may or may not have gleaned from my email, one of the topics I am most eager to learn about is theology.
I couldn't think of anything substantial to say in this comment so I just decided to write three enthusiastic sentences:
1) Let's hear it for the trinity!
2) I dig the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed.
3) Boo to the west for 'filioque.'
May God bless your journey.
Right there with you on doing it differently if I could--maybe we shouldn't let some folks go to college until they're almost thirty:) A little maturity and life experience should would make my college much different. That being said, I learned so much in the painful process of not knowing what I wanted to do, dropping out, working, going back, dropping out again, finally going to community college and finding out I wasn't an academic loser. I think it needed to be that way for me, although it was painstaking and difficult at times. Another great reflection!
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