A Brief Encounter With Theology


The graduate with a Mathematics degree asks, “Why does it work?”

The graduate with a Science degree asks, “How does it work?”

The graduate with an Engineering degree asks, “How does one build it?”

The graduate with an Accounting degree asks, “How much will it cost?”

The graduate with an Arts degree asks, “Do you want fries with that?” 


H/T to Kester Brewin blog and these from the comments section are just a few answers to the question : What would theology graduates ask ?:

Best answer : "I know the answers to all these questions.”

Classical theologians ask: “Is it true?”

Liberation theologians ask: “Who does it oppress?”

Postmodern theologians ask: “Can we know it at all?”

Process theologians ask: “Is it actualized?”

Feminist theologians ask: “How can we stick it to the man
?”





 More serious discussion of apophatic theology from here


The Second Vatican Council, which took place in Rome between 1962 and  1965, was the watershed event in the history of modern theology among  Catholics. 


Here in this short video two theologians, both of whose lives and work have been  shaped by the Second Vatican Council  discuss its long-term impact on  Catholicism and Christianity more generally.

Theologians in Conversation: Henri Gagey and Tom O'Loughlin from Nottingham University UK I love this comment from Tom O'Loughlin:

"Catholicism must be the opposite of a sect: the sect defines itself by who cannot join whereas Catholicism has to be all embracing;

its history is that its been engaging with cultures, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Ethiopian, and today it has to engage with the culture of today with that openness that somehow the spirit is already at work there. We never enter a void or a tabula rasa. 

Whenever we engage with a culture we engage with something that the spirit is already animating.!"
















3 comments:

Phil Ewing said...

Thanks Pete. Glad we are sorted on this one.
I thought you might be the arts graduate !
 It's great when an exchange like this can be done with humour and civility.
Blessings

Black Pete said...

Not to worry, Phil. In fact, given the richness and diversity of your blog's contents, I've learned to watch for the "I statements", which are you speaking for yourself (and they are generally quite eloquent!).

As to what you may or may not agree with, look at it this way: this exchange gave you an opportunity to express your own disquiet with the above statement {mischievous diplomatic grin}!

--Peter the arts grad

Phil Ewing said...

Yep- thanks Pete. It is difficult to know when "one person's meat is another's poison." The post was done quickly. But that is what comment boxes are for so I am glad you raised it.

No offence was intended and I wasn't that fond of that particular one Pete; it's not a  very elegant phrase nor would it be used much in here in the UK either but the post was done to show snaps of different viewpoints - not all necessarily my own -  and that one was part of the pack so all I can say is don't shoot the messenger !  I also thought that arts graduates were bundled a bit unfairly into a box in this one.

Nothing here is meant to offend and I thought the title of this post gave a clue as to the fact it was a glance at some things in a light - hearted way but I would hope people can see irony in things.
 Also I have a disclaimer at the bottom of my blog which says I don't necessarily agree with all the content of what I post . Sometimes I put stuff  "out there " and sometimes it is for the purpose of making me and whoever visits think outside our own boxes.

Blessings