Out of Egypt:

St. Gregory of Nazianzen has made me realize why I don't blog about theology anymore

Contention, pretention, the desire to make a name for oneself. All these enter in to my occasional desire to philosophize about God.

So I quit.

There's a reason why I call this category "Faith," and not "Theology." I may have gotten a 98% on my doctrine test, but that doesn't make me a theologian.

I like the EO view: to them, a new theologian comes along about once a millenium.

A great theologian may come only once in a millennium, but all of us are invited to become saints. All of us can edify one another, and the work of edification may come through what we may be able to instruct or teach others. Compared to the great theologians, our writing and teaching may be mere ephemera -- but so are many of the countless daily acts of kindness and Christian service. They are ephemera insofar as they go unnoticed by the world -- but God sees. This is laying up treasure in heaven.

Seek God. Love Him and your neighbor. If your service to Him and others includes writing and teaching, you will have all the opportunity you need to practice it and advance in your abilities. Personally, I think you should be directing your literary efforts toward poetry.

Side note: on the special temptations that threaten a person of high literary gifts, a very fine analysis comes from, surprise (or no surprise), Aldous Huxley. It comes in a novel called "Time Must Have a Stop." The storyline is a little jumbled, but he makes several good points along the way.

Posted by: R.W. at April 9, 2004 12:05 PM

I'm not worried about it. I wasn't planning on writing about theology anymore, anyway. I haven't really for quite a while.

I suppose this was just to say why. And to say why the next time I see some hot theological debate come up online, I'm going to hold my tongue. Because I'm not helping anyone out by throwing my two cents in there.

Posted by: Evan Donovan at April 9, 2004 5:40 PM

Ah, I see. Blessed Good Friday, and Joyous Easter!

Posted by: R.W. at April 10, 2004 1:26 AM

Christ is Risen!

Posted by: Evan Donovan at April 11, 2004 12:09 PM