Fearless Faith

No doubt about it, many of us are entering the “ology” time of our lives when days are measured by medical appointments, future appointments, and mileage markers. Aside from costs of travel and wear and tear on vehicles, most of us are able to say that it is a good thing to entertain the “ologies” as needed. They certainly seem to roll off the tongue in easy enough fashion: cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, epidemiology, urology, all layered and folded into innocent enough sounding titles of providers like internists, D.O.s, M.D.s, P.A.s., N.P.s and orthopedists. It did take some coaxing, however, when a necessary coloscopy was in the offing for a grandparent. All turned out well when the doctor, tongue in cheek, got quietly serious with her and confided, “Oh, my dear lady, don’t ever tell my mama what I do for a living.”

Ology references the field of study, hopefully imparting some higher thought regarding its study. So it is with “ologies.” Some are more appropriate sounding than others. Some just seem to fit, like archeology, geology, biology and ecology. Others are esoteric, to say the least. Triology, taxology, mixology, moology. A casual search on the web reveals thousands of possibilities, and we aren’t even to the made-up ones yet. Brideology, pantology, pokerology. But of all the ologies that tie together strings of thought and contemplation, few compare with the always underrated yet undeterred “theology.”

It's simply great because it mostly presents itself as a question or theory that is ultimately debatable. Of course, for many, there are mostly single answers. They fit well, appear stylish in the moment, and leave no doubt as to where the other stands, in judgement if need be. What a surprise, then, for some who are referred to as theologians, straight from the field of theology. What sometime catches people off guard is to be called a theologian. What? Me? How could that be?

If you speak over coffee and engage the spiritual in the discussion, you are a theologian. If you write religious poems or speak in tongues - or don’t speak in tongues - you are a theologian. If you wrestle with inconsistency and alternative thought and troublesome interpretation, you are a theologian. What is the nature of The Divine? If you ponder that, you are a theologian. And underlying it all is “theology,” always patient, always waiting.

Don’t you have to be smart and learned to be a theologian? If that is the case, then churches would be empty. Instead, they are populated with quite ordinary people doing their best to understand the nature of God and where all this is taking us. We need teachers and scholars and persons revered for their insights, but we also need deep people who are willing to ask the right questions, producing and sharing soulful responses that stick with a person, sometimes for years. Let us also not forget the joyful and the courageous and the not-so-courageous who take a chance on themselves and on others in claiming the title of theologian, if even in the quietest of ways.

For those who are both deep and learned, thank you. For the other great theologians from all walks of life who blush at the thought of being special, too late. I make no apology.