Seminary and Dissecting Frogs

Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it. - E.B. White

After several years of taking theology classes at seminary, I believe I know the main reason for the irritation I've experienced at times. All of the discussing and dissecting of the doctrines of the Christian faith has done something to my heart.

And despite what you may be thinking, I am not condemning theology, the study of it, nor seminary. What I am saying is this...

You simply cannot neglect the heart and get away with it. The mind is a beautiful instrument, one we certainly want to develop all our lives and not only in the college years. But God gave us the mind to protect the heart, not usurp it. As Walker Percy said, "You can get all A’s and still flunk life.” - John Eldredge

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Prov. 4:23)

 To be sure, there has been a concerted effort on the part of many seminary faculty to warn students about this risk and to address it. Nevertheless I believe it is a significant issue among many students and, I would also argue, among many church members.

Think of the Pharisees. Brilliant, dedicated, dutiful religious leaders who totally missed the point. More importantly they missed the Messiah! Is it possible for that to be true today? At least in pockets of the Church?

My dear brothers and sisters, you and I were born into a world at war. We have an enemy out to steal, kill, and destroy us. Jesus, however, came that we might have abundant life!

HOWEVER, that abundant life doesn't just fall into our laps. It is not uncommon to be shot at or to have to actually fight when one is at war. It should also come as no surprise that suffering is involved.

And so the initiation into becoming a warrior begins. But it begins internally, with the healing and setting free of one's heart. We must unlearn many of the things we have learned. Character formation begins. Renewing of the mind. Learning to walk by faith, in step with the Spirit. Developing a conversational intimacy with Jesus. Our Father initiates this and gives us the desire and the ability to respond to His initiative.

I am so grateful for all I've learned while attending seminary. But after all of the discussions and lectures and papers and fancy words, the greatest truth I know is this:

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong.