I recently graduated from Union University with a B.A. in theology, and I’m now currently working on a M.Div through a seminary extension course with the hope of transferring to Beeson Divinity School or Duke Divinity School next year. Along the way in my theological studies, I’ve learned a few things. I know the chance of someone reading this is pretty low, but I’d still like to pass on some of the things I learned.
1. Be Humble
You are studying what is probably the highest of all disciplines, the study of our Lord. It is really, really easy to get prideful. Fight this pride with your life. Nothing will kill your spiritual life faster than pride. Theology should be done on your knees. Theology should be prayer. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition there are very few “theologians.” For them, a theologian means “one who prays.” Theology should drive us on to a greater love of God. Gerald Bray lectured at Union during my sophomore year and something he said has stuck with me ever since. “The most dangerous thing in the world is a theologian who does not know how to say, ‘I don’t know.’” My sophomore year was me at my worst. I liked to correct everyone who said something just slightly wrong theologically. I loved correcting pastors and professors and Sunday school teachers. Keep your mouth shut. You’re still learning. You don’t know everything. If you’re correcting a pastor, try to remember what they’re dealing with, they are shepherding people’s souls, they are accountable to God for that. If you’re correcting a professor, remember that they have a doctorate and you haven’t finished your bachelor’s (or master’s) degree. This is the most important thing I could tell you. Be humble.
2. Read
This should be obvious, but let me elaborate. Read theology you agree with. Read a lot of theology you don’t agree with. Be open-minded and I think you’ll be surprised what you’ll learn. The times where I have been stretched the most have been times where I read theology that I profoundly disagree with. This helps you sharpen your own theology and teaches you humility. Read fiction. You need a break from thinking. I love to read good sci-fi or just fiction. I love to read non-fiction like history and biographies of non-Christians. Read biographies of theologians. You can’t really understand a person’s thought if you don’t know what drove them to that thought in their life. Never stop reading.
3. Sleep
It’s really easy to stay up all night writing that 30 page paper of theology. Here’s my advice (or at least what I did). Work hard until around 10, read fiction or watch a movie or television for an hour while hanging out with your roommates or friends, go to bed around 11 or 11:30. Wake up early and finish writing or reading. I discovered that if I worked too late, my work started slipping. I was sharper if I woke up at 5 or 6 A.M. after grabbing some sleep than if I stayed up late without sleep and kept working. My worst work was done when I was tired. My best papers were written before 10 P.M. or after 5 A.M.
4. Get Critiqued
I still do this today. Have people you trust read your papers. Don’t just give them to your mom or roommates who will say it’s great because they like you. Find people who will tell you what sucks, where the holes in your thought are, where you didn’t cite a source, where your logic is flawed, etc. I have 5 people I always send my papers to who critique the grammar and content of the paper. Without them, I’d be in a lot of trouble. They have sharpened my thought and helped me get around some real problems in my work.
5. Have Fun
Theology should be fun. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, do something else. After I graduated I got really excited because I realized I got to read whatever theology I wanted, and I’ve done just that. I have a blast researching and writing, I love to read dense, tough theology. It grows me and teaches me more about the Lord that I love. If you’re miserable doing theology, you probably aren’t called to be a theologian. That’s not a bad thing, not everyone has the same calling. Just find what you enjoy, what you’re called to do, and do it.
