Since joining the conversation on a number of theology blogs I realize how thin the line is between helpful and hurtful debates about doctrine and theology. As a reader and student of scripture I have followed so many developments, fads, disasters in the church and among followers of Christ.
Biblical and theological knowledge is not like physics or medicine. Even though you may have spent hundreds of hours studying and thinking through the issues, every person who owns a Bible and has attended a sunday school class has an opinion about what it teaches and how it all fits.
I have seen the tribalism of belief systems because I have been a part of several of those tribes. I have lived with one set of supposed consistent doctrines and then been exposed to the other set and frankly realize how it is possible to take one set of assumptions, one of set of hermetical rules to end of with an emphasis that is rather diametrically opposed to another.
I do not know what to do about all this, but I really desire to freedom to change, grow, question, doubt, affirm and reaffirm a whole lot of doctrine and theology. I am being so personally strengthened by this process that no one can threaten me or warn me or set the parameters of growing in the love of God and the knowledge of who God is and what the Good news is.
I am an expert after all.
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