i hope i am theologian...at least a little bit

Speaking of theology. I'm in the midst of writing my very last paper of the semester: a 12-15 page paper for Systematic Theology. I'm trying really hard to get it done tonight because tomorrow I have an exam and Friday I fly to Regina. Time is short. The thing I find frustrating with a theology paper more than any other is that I never feel as though I've said everything that needs to be said or qualified every statement that needs to be qualified. I'm writing about the idea of a suffering God (hence the appropriateness of my theologian quiz results) and there is so much to say - I could write a dissertation. I know I'm not going to say everything that should be said, particularly because I'm running short on time. Maybe that's the real problem. I'm kicking myself for leaving this paper so late that I won't have time to do a bang up job as I'd like to. Frustrating. But at least I'm leaving town right after handing it in. That way I can literally leave it behind me and not think about it until January, when I'll have more chances to write substandard essays on really interesting topics. On that note, I think it's time to eat some food to energize myself for at least a few more hours of essay writing.

am i theologian?

Leah had this posted on Rhett's site (www.rockstarpoet.ca) and I figured I had better also take the quiz. This thing is surprisingly accurate...at least I liked the description they gave me. I'll take it ;)

You scored as Jürgen Moltmann. The problem of evil is central to your thought, and only a crucified God can show that God is not indifferent to human suffering. Christian discipleship means identifying with suffering but also anticipating the new creation of all things that God will bring about.

Jürgen Moltmann		67%
Karl Barth		60%
Martin Luther		47%
Paul Tillich		40%
John Calvin		40%
Anselm		13%
Augustine		13%
Charles Finney		13%
Friedrich Schleiermacher		13%
Jonathan Edwards		7%

Which theologian are you?
created with QuizFarm.com

The Little Towns of Bethlehem by John Terpstra

For unto us
in Aklavik
is born a child, in
Attiwapiskat
Gaspe
Cornerbrook, Newfoundland.
And a son is given, in
Westaskiwin
Bella Coola
Flin Flon.
And the future of the whole earth
is placed upon the shoulders of the daughter of
Tuktoyaktuk
Tignish
Swan Lake.
And the place of their birth is called
Vermilion
Temiskaming
Nain
Picture Butte.

An angel of the Lord appears in the night sky
over Rankin Inlet, over
Iqaluit, saying
This shall be the sign: you will find the babe
wrapped in cast-off flannel, lying
on a bed of straw, in
Esther, Alberta
in a winter feeding stall
an open boxcar, outside
Kindersley, Saskatchewan.

And sure, several hours north
from Hogg's Hollow, just this side
Englehart
you see a one, sleeping in its mother's arms
on the soft shoulder, where their car broke down.
And the dark highway shines
imperishable life
while helping them
beneath these northern lights
and driving on, through
Cochrane
Kapuskasing
Hearst
past Nipigon, and on
to the little town of Emo
Rainy River Region,
and least among the little dots
that lie scattered as stars
and litter the map
of Northwest Ontario,
where they're expecting you,
as in so many other
of these least likely dots
this expectation
also is; in
Miniota
Pickle Lake
Ohswekan
Glace Bay.

For unto us.
For into all
this night
is born a child, this night
bearing each,
and the places of their birth,
and nativity is given
every name.

awoo

sit back, close your eyes and drift away to...

http://radio3.cbc.ca/play/band/THE-HIDDEN-CAMERAS/Awoo/

thoughts after midnight

tonight we had our final church and ministry course for the semester (it's a practical theology course where we look at different issues that arise from the context of ministry). one of our classmates, cindy, spoke about her experiences as a transsexual woman. and i've been sitting in front of the computer for a while now wanting to write some thoughts but still working things through in my head. it was a really neat experience. i've gotten to know cindy a bit over the semester but this was the first time i've heard her reflections on her own experience. and it was also helpful because she explained so much basic stuff like what is transsexual (transsexual is a person who chooses to live their life as the opposite sex. interestingly, transgendered is slightly different and is in fact an umbrella term meaning anyone who dresses as the opposite sex for whatever reason - transvestite, cross-dresser, drag queen, etc. so transsexual is a more specific category within transgendered).

the first thing that struck me from cindy's talk is how although she does not feel excluded or unwelcome by the church it is difficult for her to find things that speak specifically to her as a transsexual. she commented on the way we usually lump together lgbtq (lesbian/gay/bi/trans/queer) but that these are all very different. in fact, trans people are often excluded by the gay/lesbian community because in reality, their situation is very different. the thought had never even crossed my mind. cindy pointed to a couple of passages in the new testament that speak about the eunuch and used this as a symbol for the transsexual. matthew 19:12 made so much more sense in this light: For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can."

the most incredible part of cindy's story is that she was not a christian when she first came out of the closet. she started going to church because she wanted community. and she found community at the church (a united church congregation). as she says, "i came for the community and i stayed for the christ." in light of all the awful things that happen in the name of religion my heart burned within in me when she said this. and it wasn't that everyone in her congregation are raging liberals...they've just decided to make inclusivity a part of their mission.

what makes it all the more wonderful and exciting is that cindy is now starting theological studies in the mdiv program. it's such an incredible thing that the united church openly affirms the wholeness and worth of all people in this way. and if we believe that we are saved not by what we do but by god's grace alone...well...you see where i'm going with this. i guess there's a long way to go and a need for thoughtful and prayerful dialogue and reflection.

i leave you with a story from acts of the apostles:

26 Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) 27 So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. She had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning home; seated in her chariot, she was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." 30 So Philip ran up to it and heard her reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 She replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And she invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32 Now the passage of the scripture that she was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." 34 The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" 35 Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to her the good news about Jesus. 36 As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" 38 She commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized her. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on her way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.