What is the Agenda of Your Theology?

Last updated on: March 31, 2017 at 3:07 pm by John O'Keefe

What is the Agenda of Your Theology? 2017-03-31T15:07:27-05:00 John O'Keefe

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A-PATHEOS-TNJ-82.fw Let’s start off with a little honesty, with the possible exception of most Pastors, Priests, Church, or Denominational Leaders, long time Church Goers, Theologians, and a few Seminary Professors, most, if not all, people outside our churches could care less about our theology. Most people could care less if we hold an Arminian, or Calvinist, view of theology; they could care less about our method of baptism; they could care less about our ‘denominational distinctions;’ They could care less if we’re Pre, Post, or an Amillennialist; they could care less about our stance on evolution vs. science; they could care less what translation we believe is the only ‘true translation.’ What they do care about is, do we love them? Do we, with every fiber of our being, truly love them? Do we desire a true, honest, lasting, relationship with them centering on love? Are we willing to cry with them when they’re sad? Are we willing to feed them when they are hungry? Are you willing to go out of your way to help those who are hurting, marginalized, by our culture? If the agenda of your theology becomes the most important focus of your church, you miss out on loving others.

You see, I believe, any church pushing their theology as the most important part of their church is simply marketing to other Christians. What those churches seem to be saying is, ‘We’re the true church, our theology, our doctrine, is pure, right, and is the only true theology that matters.’ Now, we can get into the debate of, ‘In essentials unity, in nonessentials acceptance’ argument, but then again, we’re centering on our theology, and not love. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of making theology their core, but for those outside the church, those hurting, those needing a loving embrace, none of that matters. Those living a life marginalized, hurting, hungry, lost, aren’t interesting in our theology, they are interested in our love.

While I’d never suggest that we give up searching for the Divine in our theology, or study. What I’m saying is, if our theology removes us from loving others, or if our theology becomes the center of our faith, we will never truly understand how we’re to love others. The center of our faith should be the love Christ commands us to have for others, when we understand losing ourselves, while sharing love with others, out theology starts to grow from the seed of love.

I would love to here what you think, leave a comment – do you agree, or disagree?

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