THE EDITOR, Sir:
HAVING READ Mark Dawes' featured Mind&Spirit article of April 8, I am constrained to respond by saying that theological education needs a makeover. Today, theology as a discipline is esoteric and not very appealing to many potential students of Godliness. The subject has been made unattractive, not because of its pure nature, but because of much of the outmoded pseudo-religious, 'pharisaical' trappings that it continues to carry from centuries ago, from which the present generation recoils.
Theology today connotes a stoic-looking clergyman in some flowing robe and collar, standing behind a podium, pontificating on some philosophical theme distilled from a line, prose or passage in the Bible to a captive audience whose spirituality is relegated to a lower class/category essentially by the dynamics of the religious structure. In today's world the question must be asked: "What is the basis for the divide between clergy and laity?" It is an archaic thing which many truly spiritual people are not drawn to. Otherwise, theology connotes special studies of books and literary materials on religious themes for aspiring and career clergymen, a perpetuation of the same outdated religious system.
There is also sexist/gender connotation in the perception of theology that is a turn-off today because for centuries it has been the purview of men who specialised in ministering to congregations numerically dominated by women. The irony is that most men view the subject as irrelevant while the majority of women to whom it has been appealing have been excluded.
NEED FOR NEW, IMPROVED THEOLOGY
In plain and simple terms, the 21st century needs a new and improved theology from those institutions and religious leaders which identify their calling as the upholding of Judeo-Christian values and world view. The well-known chorus, 'Give me that old time religion, it's good enough for me...", is still relevant because the gospel is everlasting and unchanging but the modes of expression and the relationships within the faith community need updating.
This is the view of one who has been a pastor and theology student in Jamaica and Canada.
I am, etc.,
ERROL FINDLAY
etn_findlay@simpatico.ca
