Sound like anyone you know?
John Updike’s wonderful novel, In the Beauty of the Lilies (1996), includes a character named Matthew, who belongs to a bizarre Adventist apocalyptic sect. Have you ever met someone who fits this description:
“Matthew ... had his relentless, humourless powers of persuasion but could only talk to other Adventists; when he got among people reared on other premises, with no expectation of a Prophet and of the world’s soon ending, he was lost, dumbfounded by the vastness of such skepticism” (p. 415).
That sounds, unfortunately, like a lot of academic theologians as well. Many simply don't know how to talk with the average person, which is why they could never become pastors.
I am reminded of what Helmut Thielicke, a pastor before he was a theologian, wrote in his book: A Little Exercise for Young Theologians, Referring to a recent graduate of a theological seminary who became a preacher, Thielicke described his initial failure as due to the arrogance of a theological novice: “Under a considerable display of the apparatus of exegetical science and surrounded by the air of the initiated, he produces paralyzing and unhappy trivialities, and the inner muscular strength of a lively young Christian is horribly squeezed to death in a formal armor of abstract ideas.” It is not that theology itself is the problem, he went on to say, theology is a sacred task but it can become diabolical when it becomes “a coat of mail which crushes us and in which we freeze to death.” The Apostle Paul put it plainly: “the letter kills but the Spirit gives life“ (2 Cor. 3:6). Thielicke adds his own commentary when he says, “Whoever ceases to be a man of the spirit automatically furthers a false theology, even if in thought it is pure. . . but in that case death lurks in the kettle.” (Erdmans, 1962, pp. 8, 36)
Ray, I read Helmut Thielicke's Little Exercise at the beginning of my theological studies... what a great antidote The Esoteric, and to many other forms of pride as well.
I just gave A Little Exercise to a ministiry intern who I am supervising.
Have you ever met someone who fits this description
What about hands up those of us who have been this?
(or still are...)
Very good point, Byron. In fact, I had originally written: "Have you ever met (or been) someone who fits this description?" But I changed it at the last minute in fear that it might cause offense.
In any case, I myself have both "met" and "been" this kind of character!
Reminds me of several characters (notably Elder Babcock) in David James Duncan's excellent novel The Brothers K.
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