Brett's Discernment

What follows is my second reflection for prolog - on two sessions we had on 8/20 with three professors each taking a different slant on preparing to "think theologically." But I should mention my fabulous house here in Philly! My roommates and I lucked out and are living in a house which until now had been a professor's home with his family. It is huge, stone, quite old, with neat architecture and interesting details. See the picture at right!

Prolog Reflection – Thinking Theologically

I believe that we have to examine our own perspective quite well before we can try to lay aside our biases and think theologically as Christians first. So yesterday's sessions made me reflect on who I am – where I come from and how my faith was shaped – and how that impacts my theological thinking. First I think it an important distinction, though an obvious one, that my faith and my theology are quite different things. Faith is gifted through the Holy Spirit, and cannot be increased by our own power or by study, unlike the strength of one's theology.

So who am I? By looking at me you can see that I am a white, middle class female. I realize that I come from a privileged background. But certain things shape the way I am and approach diversity that are not outwardly apparent. Both my mother and father grew up in poor households in New England. So, although we were economically stable enough for my mom to stay home and raise us, a priority to her, my parents kept a tight budget and put other things ahead of the things my brother and I wanted. I could list the little sacrifices and choices my parents made to keep things lean, but that is not what is most important. What is important is that even though they did not discuss it, my parents acted out of their faith to put their own comfort behind the needs of others and their call to ministry. Through the church, my parents put financial giving and social ministry work as an important part of their lives. As a kid I always thought people just gave stuff away regularly and that everyone did things with the homeless and mentally disabled. Dr.s Grafton and Scott's comments made me reflect on what cultural perspective I come from, while Dr.s Grafton and Leonard's comments made me reflect on who I am to become in my call.

Part of who my parents shaped me to be, my own personal cultural perspective is to be very hungry for an academic challenge. So when Dr.s Pahl and Rajashekar,especially, shared their thoughts on thinking theologically, I felt quite inspired and excited to be starting down this academic road. I loved how they all spoke so passionately and like teachers, not just lecturers. Dr. Pahl's way of evaluating cultural narratives was really interesting to me and having always been a student of cultural history, I liked how he described his field. I felt affirmed in my own beliefs by Dr. Rajashekar's simple assertion that there is no theological absolute and that they are all culturally bound and hence biased.

Jesus asks his disciples to lay aside everything – their culture, their loved ones, and their lives – in order to open up their minds enough to barely think theologically with Jesus. I hope to, as Dr. Grafton described, have the faith and strength of belief to lay aside part my culture to take up my cross and follow my call as a Christian first.