I think a lot of people involved in theological academics are driven by a competitiveness equal to professional athletes. There is this desire to over-excel in such a way that they out produce, or equally produce, by way of quantity and quality, with reference to their academic publishing (and other accolades). A constant need to prove to themselves, and others, that they are at the top of the game, and have achieved where most others have failed (or not even aspired to).
The irony of this type of drivenness is that it is antithetical to a theology of the cross.
Addendum: In the Eschaton will it matter more if you taught and were taught theology in the halls of the accredited and glamorously instutionalized halls of Divinity in first world countries, or if instead it was in a shack in Timbuktu? Seems to me that the model is all messed up. The Kingdom flips things upside down. Neither the halls of Divinity nor the shack is the point to this: it is simply a matter of Who theology is or isn’t about. Being poor in spirit is the way.
Yesโฆ tragicallyโฆ โThe irony of this type of drivenness is that it is antithetical to aย theology of the cross.โ
The drivenness of the cross is a voluntary act of dedicationโฆ repetitive, intentional, and kept under protective guardโฆ a subjective response to an objective desire, ultimately and supremely regarded.ย
โโฆAnd you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strengthโฆโ (cf. Mark 12:30)
Yet foreverโฆ โYahweh watches over the simple.
I was brought low, but he gave me victory.
Who is the one privileged to be honored as simple ? The one who has been stripped of all pretense so as to be able to bear the responsibility and consequences of a blameless, intentional, guarded voluntary act of dedicationโฆ borne of oneโs all-surpassing love for his Master.
โTherefore, dear friends, because you are waiting for these things, make every effort to be found at peace, spotless and unblemished in him. And regard the patience of our Lord as salvationโฆโ
Reminds me of the comment of C.S. Lewis that goes something along the lines of–when I am more concerned that I said a thing than I am that the thing said was true then something has gone badly wrong. Lewis adds that we should be able to rejoice just as much when another provides a clear statement of truth as when we ourselves provided the clear statement of truth.
My apologies for just paraphrasing and not looking up exact quotes. I believe the quotes I am referencing are from the essays in the little book “The Weight of Glory.”
@Richard,
Yes. And thankfully both sides are grounded in God in Christ for us; both the objective and subjective. Nothing in and from ourselves. Jacob’s shrunken hip comes to mind.
@Robert,
Yes, what I have found is the “clear” is relative and audience dependent. People want it too quick and reduced too often. It takes work to learn and understand things; a person might even have to learn a new vocab (God forbit it!) ๐
Thank you for this. I’ve enjoyed your Blog since discovering it. I wonder what the carry over from the secular world is for Theologians and Pastors to have such a drive? We are taught competitiveness, often, in our secular jobs, but we don’t detox from this before our ministry. SO even though there is no-corporate ladder to climb (well there shouldn’t be, I should say) we strive, in vain, to over excel. Thanks again for this.
@E. Yeah, thanks for the good word. There definitely “shouldn’t be” is the key. But the flesh is unaware of its various environments, it remains the same. Still requires that we reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ.