As promised a few weeks ago, I am going to enter into
dialogue this year about some more broad topics and hopefully we can all learn
something together. It is a bit ironic
that I want to take on something like explaining theology to anyone since in
school this was really my least favorite subject. Part of that stems from the fact that in
theology, as in so many areas, we are dealing with degrees of certainty. This was actually what bothered me in one of my
Bible classes. I was a bit upset with a
teacher’s interpretation of something and what I perceived was his assurance that
he was right. So, naturally, I asked him
why he thought this view was correct.
His answer about “degrees of certainty” really helped in my own
education from that point forward. When
it comes to theology and biblical studies, and for that matter science,
history, and a whole host of other things, we are dealing only with degrees of
certainty. Especially when it comes to
our knowledge of God, the very essence of theology, we must approach this
subject with humility and grace, acknowledging that we might be wrong. The best we can do is say, “From all the
knowledge and experience I have, this is what I believe and think today. It might change tomorrow under compelling
evidence, be that from the Bible, a new experience, or maybe just a new
realization or epiphany.”
