Theological Journeys

When I was a kid, maybe 8 years old, I was watching a movie at my grandma's apartment. I recall a character from the movie--an elderly man, not a regular gambler by any means--at a casino playing roulette. He started with a small sum and within a half an hour his luck had grown his cache to a sum of tens of thousands of dollars. A crowd had gathered in the meanwhile, cheering him on. He took his winnings, around $70K and bet it all on one number and lost to the dismay of the crowd and me, the juvenile viewer. To the crowd, fearfully waiting for a reaction, the old man calmly states, "Things Change."

Man that hit me. How earth shattering of a revelation to learn that nothing is static! It is scary to change, to move, to correct a misunderstanding, etc.

I thought of this movie after reconnecting and talking to a good friend, Leighton, from college recently whom I had not spoke with in over six years. For those of you who don't know, I went to an Assemblies of God (pentecostal) bible college, and then to seminary. My studies focused on theology and biblical languages. Leighton, the rest of my friends, and myself all entered the school not questioning a tidbit of AG doctrine. But things change, and so has Leighton, in a good way.

It is interesting to see where our theological journeys have led us. My friend Josh in CA is now Baptist. My friend Mike in Indianapolis is now Methodist. Leighton, in Chicago, while not claiming denominational allegiance, is very Reformed in his theology. All these guys have traveled a good deal in their theological journeys. I equally respect those who remain convinced of their beliefs, so long as they are objectively informed.

Change for the sake of change when it comes to any metaphysical musing is silly. But I admire the journeys of those that occur as a result of conviction, love, and learning. N.T. Wright, a intellectual hero of mine, is no different from my friends.

Have you traveled far from your first suppositions on God? Where did you start and where are you at today?