We are a new creation

Theology is not an academic exercise for professional theologians. In fact, theology has no place whatever in university academia. Why? Because, first, last and all inbetween, theology is the Christian community reflecting on its faith and working out its implications. University professors can only analyse theology done in the past: theology cannot be "done" in a university. It can only be done in and by the church, in the context of prayer, of worship, of living the grace life.

So this site is dedicated to enabling every member of the Christian community, should they so wish, to engage with theology.

Why is this so important?
Theology is the expression of the way we see God, and see grace in the universe. Without theology we are blind. It is as simple as that. We do not have to be Doctors of Divinity to have a theology. We do not even have to have even the basic paper qualification. If in any way you "see" God, or see grace, then you are "doing theology".

Our theology, being the way in which we see God, can therefore be both helpful and hindering; it can illuminate God, but it can also radically distort and even demonise God. Bad theology leads to bad vision which in turn leads to a destructive, not a creative faith. Crative faith needs creative theology.

Theology really is the Queen of Sciences
In medieval times, before the rise to dominance of the natural sciences, theology was known as the Queen of Sciences. That has not been true in the secular world for the last 300 years. Now, though, theology is poised to regain its throne for, when humanity faces, as it is facing in this 21st century, the ultimate challenge to its existence on the planet, it will become more and more evident that the life lived in grace - a life built on theology and sustained by theology (with the other keys of prayer and scripture) - is the foundation for human survival. Without denegrating the contibutions that come from the natural sciences and technology, it is theology that will lead the way to human survival.

How are we to do theology?
In order for there to be some structure to the way we work, the process will develop as follows:

The website will post a series of theological starting points. We are deliberately not following a formal schema because such schematic approaches to theology have become a straight-jacket. Over time, the starting statements will cover most of the ground for theological reflection. These starting statements may be experienced as provocative and challenging and if so that is their intention. They are there to be challenged, to be commented upon, to be subject to rigorous critique, to be amplified and developed.

Each section (they are numbered) will be followed by an email line that will enable anyone to comment. These comments will be monitored but those that add to the development of the starting statement will be posted beneath it. In time, the starting statement itself may be rewritten and resubmitted to take the comments into account, with acknowledgment of those who have made their contribution. That revision then becomes open to further comment and development.

The discussion is not controlled by dogma. If there is a control on the whole process it is that its entire aim is to build up the Body of Christ, and therefore is undertaken in love and grace. Love, however, does not exclude robust debate and sharply conflicting viewpoints. What it does mean that beneath all the debate and conflicting viewpoints we recognise each other as baptised into one Body, with one Lord – even if the ways we interpret that itself sharply differ.

Creative theology
In terms of the draft texts that are placed, these will be far from regergitated conventional "teaching". We make a promise that they will stimulate debate for they will being radically new insights and a new model for "seeing God". The process will be a creative one, not a didactic exercise.

So keep this page bookmarked and come back to it frequently. The first of the draft texts is not far away!

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