I really like your opening statement, “Theology shouldn’t play a supporting role in the Christian transformation we need so desperately today. It should play the main role!” and the comment by Clayton, “Imagine groups of us struggling together to apply our Christian world and life views to the begging questions in our local communities and to the greater challenges facing humanities.”

Your review here has piqued my interest I am going to have to add this and McLaren’s books to my “to read” list.

I so agree with the need for rigorous theological leadership in church renewal. I have heard some of the flakiest, most heretical things being floated around as evidence that renewal is happening or would happen if these ideas or practices were adopted. What I would most love to see are theologians and pastors working side by side in local churches. The cross-fertilization would help both and could produce a more Kingdom and church centric theology. In the past, too much theology was divorced from the world of funerals, marriage counseling, teacher training and plugged toilets. Likewise, too many pastors never engage in true theological wrestling so they adopt the latest pop-psychology or Oprah teaching without realizing how damaging some of those ideas are. Thus, we must get pastors and theologians together if healthy renewal is to happen

I really think the idea you mentioned about how after seminary folks revert back to “popular notions of theology” is crucial.  I think of my own undergrad schooling and regret that I was not prepared well in how to do theology—merely told what “our theology” should be.  Thankfully my professors at NNU straightened me out.

I got a mailing and noticed that this particular “pastor’s resource” is giving out a free book by Mark Driscol: “Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe.”  I cringed at the title.

John

I’ve apparently had a much different reaction to reading Clayton’s book than yours.  I began it with great hopes, and finished it with much disappointment – although, admittedly, finding useful insights along the way.  As a result, I disagree strongly with your opening statement: “Theology shouldn’t play a supporting role…. It should play the main role!”

I’ve got nothing against “theologizing” – and think that Clayton’s encouragement of theological reflection at the grassroots level—as a shared, ongoing activity of Christian community – is extremely valuable.  Yes indeed, we should seek to express in words and concepts/beliefs our experience of being grasped by God’s love.  That attempt to formulate such concepts can assist in sorting through our internal inconsistencies, in marshalling our personal resources so that we get them moving in a coordinated direction, as well as cause us to wrestle with those annoying “loose ends” from scripture, tradition, experience and reason which DON’T fit our formulations. 

And, of course, those “loose ends” are ALWAYS there – and for good reasons.  Those loose ends, as gifts of God, remind us that the experience of faith – of being grasped by God’s love – is something that can never be fully reduced to words.  They warn us against turning our ideas –  our beliefs, our theology – into an idol, even as we realize that we can (and must) never stop trying to express our faith experience in words.  It’s just that we need to be humble about those formulations – and it’s perhaps the ongoing feedback from others who are likewise grasped by God’s love, but who formulate things differently from our own favorite ways, that keeps theology honest – and useful.

That, though, means that theology must never “play the main role.”  Transformation of church and society does not originate from “getting our theology right,” because theology is always derivative – and partial – and ongoing.  Clayton acknowledges this (72-73), to be sure, but I don’t think he takes that seriously enough.  A life of love does not result from “theology” (even a theology that talks about the centrality of love!) – but self-critical theology can strengthen and support a life of love.  Placing theology center stage ultimately undercuts its usefulness, for it raises expectations that theology can never meet.  A theology that is not willing to be backstage or just part of the cast (without whom, of course, the “show” can’t go on!), rather than the star, is counterproductive.

For a large part of the ministry I have been given I have attempted to live by this maxim, “I want to help others believe in the God that believes in them.” Though I often fall short in this area I think reading Clayton’s book and his emphasis on the “narrative” aspects of the Gospel have bolstered my desire to honor the statement above.

Having come from an abusive and tumultuous background I find comfort in knowing that I have been included in my Father’s story; and that all those evil things have been used of God to draw me close to Him. Yet, at the same time I see so many others who are also included but are not yet aware. This leads me to think that somehow, someway my story and theirs will intersect meaningfully. This thought challenges me to look beyond the superficial attempting to see the grace at work in lives.

There is, no doubt, unending power in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The story of His life and sacrifice have changed the course of history on a universal scale. But we must not forget the power that story has to change just one life. A life that was hopeless and without purpose now has a new story because of “the” greatest story of all. No matter which end of the modern/postmodern spectrum you may fall on that is good news!

I am on board with Clayton and Dr. Oord in incorporating Transformation theology into every person’s life.  After reading Clayton’s book and Oord’s blog, I desperately want my actions to match my theology.  I want to everything I do to align with how I view God and his relation to creation.  I have been called to express to people that their theology is their life and a Christian theology is their life to the fullest.  Theology is not secondary to telling and living the good news of God’s love.  Theology is telling and living the Gospel which is a missional act and fulfilling the great commandment.
I resonate with Oord’s interpretation of Clayton’s book and with Clayton when he said that he wants every believer to have, “A desire for a robust, nuanced theology.  One that can handle paradox (forward viii).”  This task is not an easy one, it is a lifelong endeavor.  Wrapped up in a post modern shift allows for a missiological approach to overcoming contextual barriers of new thoughts and pluralisms.  Clayton provides a spring board of questions to get the theological conversation started, so that people may come to a transformed life.  I want use Clayton’s suggestions to be a catalyst to ignite a passion in people to become aware of the power in a formed articulated Christian theology, so that theology can play the main role.

Hamish