Re: [asa] How to Waste Your Theological Education

But the essence was buying into materialism.

On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 7:54 PM, John Walley <john_walley@yahoo.com> wrote:

> You could have just easily said:
>
> "Pursue Critical Theory"
>
> John
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* David Clounch <david.clounch@gmail.com>
> *To:* Murray Hogg <muzhogg@netspace.net.au>
> *Cc:* "asa@calvin.edu" <asa@calvin.edu>
> *Sent:* Thu, November 12, 2009 12:36:57 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [asa] How to Waste Your Theological Education
>
> Murray,
>
> May I suggest one more?
>
> "Don't study materialism to examine it's tenets. And definitely pay no
> attention to how weak it's arguments are. Instead just let the world tell
> you it is valid. Then hide the fact you accept this conclusion without
> having done any critical analysis. Instead focus on the weaknesses of
> non-materialistic religions, interpreting these through the lens of
> materialism. Talk spiritually so nobody can detect what you have done. Lead
> a discussion group. Take a job as a cleric."
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 11:08 PM, Murray Hogg <muzhogg@netspace.net.au>wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I stumbled across this whilst doing some preliminary research on editions
>> of Calvin's 'Institutes'.
>>
>> I thought it helpful material for reflection - at least for those who
>> think their own theological reflections might benefit from critical
>> self-reflection.
>>
>> Note: I'm not inferring anything about anybody with this - personally I
>> found it a helpful devotional piece - others can do with it as they will;
>>
>> <cite>
>>
>> How to Waste Your Theological Education
>> Posted on May 14, 2008 by Derek
>>
>> 1. Cultivate pride by writing only to impress your professors instead of
>> writing to better understand and more clearly communicate truth.
>>
>> 2. Perfect the fine art of corner-cutting by not really researching for a
>> paper but instead writing your uneducated and unsubstantiated opinions and
>> filling them in with strategically placed footnotes.
>>
>> 3. Mistake the amount of education you receive with the actual knowledge
>> you obtain. Keep telling yourself, “I’ll really start learning this stuff
>> when I do my Th.M or my Ph.D.”
>>
>> 4. Nurture an attitude of superiority, competition, and condescension
>> toward fellow seminary students. Secretly speak ill of them with friends and
>> with your spouse.
>>
>> 5. Regularly question the wisdom and competency of your professors. Find
>> ways to disrespect your professors by questioning them publicly in class and
>> by trying to make them look foolish.
>>
>> 6. Neglect personal worship, Bible reading and prayer.
>>
>> 7. Don’t evangelize your neighbors.
>>
>> 8. Practice misquoting and misrepresenting positions and ideas you don’t
>> agree with. Be lazy and don’t attempt to understand opposing views; instead,
>> nurse your prejudices and exalt your opinions by superficial reading and
>> listening.
>>
>> 9. Give your opinion as often as possible – especially in class. Ask
>> questions that show off your knowledge instead of questions that demonstrate
>> a genuine inquiry.
>>
>> 10. Speak of heretical movements, teachers, and doctrine with an air of
>> disdain and levity.
>>
>> 11. Find better things to do than serve in your local church.
>>
>> 12. Fill your life with questionable movies, television, internet, and
>> music.
>>
>> 13. Set aside fellowship and accountability with fellow brothers in
>> Christ.
>>
>> 14. Let your study of divine things become dull, boring, lifeless, and
>> mundane.
>>
>> 15. Chip away at your integrity by signing your school’s covenant and then
>> breaking it under the delusion that, “Those rules are legalistic anyway.”
>>
>> 16. Don’t read to learn; read only to refute what you believe is wrong.
>>
>> 17. Convince yourself that you already know all this stuff.
>>
>> 18. Just study. Don’t exercise, spend time with your family, or work.
>>
>> 19. Save major papers for the last possible moment so that you can ensure
>> that you don’t really learn anything by writing them.
>>
>> 20. Don’t waste your time forming friendships with your professors and
>> those older and wiser than you.
>>
>> 21. Make the mistake of thinking that your education guarantees your
>> success in ministry.
>>
>> 22. Don’t study devotionally. You’ll never make it as a big time scholar
>> if you do that. Scholars need to be cool, detached, and unbiased – certainly
>> not Jesus freaks.
>>
>> 23. Day dream about future opportunities to the point that you get nothing
>> out of your current opportunity to learn God’s Word.
>>
>> 24. Do other things while in class instead of listening – like homework,
>> scheduling, letter-writing, and email.
>>
>> 25. Spend more time blogging than studying.
>>
>> 26. Avoid chapel and other opportunities for corporate worship.
>>
>> 27. Argue angrily with those who don’t see things your way. Whatever you
>> do, don’t read and meditate on II Timothy 2:24-26 and James 3:13-18 as you
>> prepare for ministry.
>>
>> 28. Set your hopes on an easy, cushy pastorate for when you graduate.
>> Determine now not to obey God when he calls you to serve in a difficult
>> church.
>>
>> 29. Look forward to the day when you won’t have to concern yourself with
>> all this theology and when you will be able to just “preach Jesus.”
>>
>> 30. Forget that your primary responsibility is care for your family
>> through provision, shepherding, and leadership.
>>
>> 31. Master Calvin, Owen, and Edwards, but not the Law, Prophets, and
>> Apostles.
>>
>> 32. Gain knowledge in order to merely teach others. Don’t expend the
>> effort it takes to deal with your own heart.
>>
>> 33. Pick apart your pastor’s sermons every week. Only point out his
>> mistakes and his poor theological reasoning so you don’t have to be
>> convicted by anything he says.
>>
>> 34. Protect yourself from real fellowship by only talking about theology
>> and never about your personal spiritual issues, sin, and struggles.
>>
>> 35. Comfort yourself with the delusion that you will start seriously
>> dealing with sin as soon as you become a pastor; right now it’s not really
>> that big a deal.
>>
>> 36. Don’t serve the poor, visit the sick, or care for widows and orphans –
>> save that stuff for the uneducated, non-seminary trained, lay Christians.
>>
>> 37. Keep telling yourself that you want to preach, but don’t ever seek
>> opportunities to preach, especially at local rescue missions and nursing
>> homes. Wait until your church candidacy to preach your first sermon.
>>
>> 38. Let envy keep you from profiting from sermons preached by fellow
>> students.
>>
>> 39. Resent behind-the-scenes, unrecognized service. Only serve in areas
>> where you are sure you will receive praise and accolades.
>>
>> 40. Appear spiritual and knowledgeable at all costs. Don’t let others see
>> your imperfections and ignorance, even if it means you have to lie.
>>
>> 41. Love books and theology and ministry more than the Lord Jesus Christ.
>>
>> 42. Let your passion for the gospel be replaced by passion for complex
>> doctrinal speculation.
>>
>> 43. Become angry, resentful and devastated when you receive something less
>> than an A.
>>
>> 44. Let your excitement for ministry increase or decrease in direct
>> proportion to the accolades or criticisms you receive from your professors.
>>
>> 45. Don’t really try to learn the languages – let Bible Works do all the
>> work for you.
>>
>> </cite>
>>
>> Source:
>> http://fromthestudy.com/2008/05/14/how-to-waste-your-theological-education/
>>
>> Blessings,
>> Murray
>>
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>
>
>

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Received on Wed Nov 11 21:14:18 2009