This was year two of my training track for Young Life. After taking a Fuller class with professor Chap Clark on Adolescence, I was excited to hear that these professors were husband and wife Cathy Barsotti and Rob Johnston. Both of them are also Fuller professors with urban experience both in Chicago and Cali. As they stepped into their teaching and training role for the week, not only did they teach with passion and heart, but it was presented in a fresh and challenging way.
Each topic was dissected by looking at the 5 things that have shaped our beliefs and theology thus far:
1. The Bible
2. Culture
3. Tradition
4. Local church/community
5. Personal experience
Upon looking at how these contributed, we were forced to see if the views we had were right or wrong, if they were biblical or not, and forced to examine. Not that any of my theological positions drastically changed, but this holistic approach to how and why we believe was much different than being force fed theology as I have been accustomed to.
Though this graduate level class was crammed into one week and I felt like I had my mouth up to a fire hose for some of it, it was amazing. As I continue to dissect what I learned (somewhat forcefully through post-class assignments) I am excited to process all of this even more.
it is a rich way of engaging. i'm glad to hear it was a life-giving encounter for you. i was wondering if you you could expound on what you mean by "bing force fed theology as (you) have been accustomed to." I think that you were contrasting the approach of systematic theology with the approach of these professors. but you used the word "force" when describing both systems. for instance, you say that this holistic approach "forced" you to examine your views and that you had to "forcefully" dissect the learning after class, but this was good. on the other hand, you were "force fed" theology in the systematic approach and this was not as helpful. i am just curious if you could give more language to what you've written.
ReplyDeleteSorry, as you may have guessed that last post was not from Adrienne, but from Jeff :)
ReplyDeleteHaha I guessed it after sentence #2 lol. Moody theology was that which we were told what to believe and why to believe it. As I look back my Sys Theo course was that which was more "forced" beliefs. If you are a solid Evangelical you will believe this. Yes, many issues do have hard lines of salvation but even those which many solid believers differ were presented as "this is how we see it and you should too." Yet in this class more life issues were brought up and discussed theologically: homosexuality, women in ministry, etc. Not that my core beliefs were changed, but the real examination of these beliefs in terms of the life and culture around me "forced" me to actualize these beliefs. Rob and Cathy put them in real life scenarios and forced us to put some bones to our jellyfish thoughts like, "Being homosexual is wrong." Yes, it is, but the real life interaction and cultural analysis took it to another level.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever have them in class?