Becoming Mastered by Theology

When I was a kid, I was serious about lightsaber battles.  If you ask my friend, he could probably tell you the exact number of blades I’ve busted, and also the total price of my vigor as they all belonged to him!  Those warm summer nights illuminated by the slashing lights of plastic tubes represented my grasping at a dream. During the day time we would take turns shooting a Nerf Bow and Arrow and, using the force, swat the arrow out of the air with our sabers.  It was our dream, our unobtainable dream, to be a Jedi Master.  As hard as I’ve tried, I have never moved something with the force, or successfully played a Jedi mind trick.  Alas, this dream will never come to pass.

As I grew up and left that dream behind, I’ve decided that the next best thing to becoming a Jedi Master would be to become a Theology Master.  Those really exist, and it’s basically the same isn’t it?

 I’ll be the first to admit that becoming a Theology Master is not nearly as cool as becoming a Jedi Master.  In fact, it may not even be as glorious it sounds. 

Friends and family like to ask what it’s like to be in a Masters program in Theology.  That is our task at hand.  I vow before this Jedi Council to chronicle my comings and goings as an MA student. Hopefully this will result in some thoughtful reflection on my current studies. Perhaps those who read this blog will even be the first to glimpse some of the seed ideas for my forthcoming dissertation.

However this shakes out, this blog will be about becoming a Theology Master…sorta.  As we will all realize as later posts come out, aside from perhaps the Doctors of the Church, few have actually mastered theology.  After all, if theology is the study of God, who can master it?  Maybe I should rework the title to “becoming mastered by theology.”  Yes that is more appropriate.  So as we take on this endeavor together, May the Force be with You (and me).