{"id":3004,"date":"2023-04-18T12:00:15","date_gmt":"2023-04-18T16:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/studentlife\/?p=3004"},"modified":"2023-04-13T09:22:45","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T13:22:45","slug":"everyones-a-theologian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cedarville.edu\/studentlife\/2023\/04\/18\/everyones-a-theologian\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone\u2019s a Theologian"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everyone’s a theologian.<\/span><\/i> Everyone? Yes, my friend, everyone! You might think to yourself, \u201cAs a mechanical engineering major, theology isn\u2019t my thing,\u201d or, \u201cI am a nursing major\u2026 no way I am one of those professional Bible people,\u201d or \u201chey, hey, hey, I am a second-semester freshman still getting used to daily chapel. How could I be a theologian?\u201d Well, my fellow Cedarville friends (or soon-to-be friends), I am here to tell you that yes, you are in fact a theologian. How could this be? When did this happen? Did I accidentally sign up for this freshman year? To quell these questions and concerns I am here to explain how yes, you are a theologian, and no, this was not anything you signed up for freshman year, or ever for that matter.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I first heard this statement on the first day of Theology 2 here at Cedarville. This is the last class taken in the University\u2019s Bible minor program, which all students are required to complete. Dr. Ronni Kurtz, my theo professor and someone I have grown to greatly admire, defined theology as \u201cthe study of God and all things in relation to God.\u201d That seems nice and all, but you still might be wondering, \u201cwhat does this have to do with me being a theologian?\u201d No matter your academic major or life circumstance, everyone functions as a theologian passively by experiencing life in this world and receiving the common grace offered by God. Common grace is the general ability given to all that enables the basic understanding and recognition of God through the created world. Christopher Morgan, the author of the class\u2019 textbook, expressed, \u201cAll God\u2019s creatures bear witness to their Creator, for they are his creations. He also reveals himself in his caring for and guiding events in his world. In addition, he makes himself known within every human being, writing his law on our hearts and giving each of us a conscience\u201d (35). Romans 1:19-21 explains,<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cFor what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,<\/span><\/b> have been clearly perceived<\/span><\/i><\/b>, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. <\/span><\/b>So they are without excuse.<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u201d <\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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The italicized phrases direct our attention to the fact that God can be clearly perceived by all, and someday, everyone will be held accountable for how they recognized Him. At some point in our lives, we contemplate the existence of heavenly things, and through this make a statement about God. As soon as that thought enters our mind or leaves our lips, we have made a theological statement. Whether you confirm or deny God\u2019s existence is to say something about Him, which is the act of a theologian. Our position as theologians is something unavoidable \u2013 indeed, it is instilled into us by nature. This fact is unavoidable, and we are held without an excuse for what we come to believe about God.<\/span>
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\n\"College\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cedarville doesn\u2019t require theology courses within its Bible minor because they want you to switch to a biblical studies major; rather, they recognize that each of their students will function as a theologian, and they desire to cultivate you into one that is faithful in handling the Word of God. I hope I am starting to convince you that in fact, you are a theologian; however, the remainder of this post will provide a snapshot of what is to come when you take Theology 2 here at Cedarville. It is my prayer that as you dip your toe into the pool of theology, you will begin to catch a glimpse of its majestic beauty and grow in your anticipation for this course.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Do We Learn?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Diving into the details, when you first look at the syllabus, you will notice an abundance of rather large words that all end in \u201cology.\u201d Christology, Pneumatology, Ecclesiology; the list seems endless. Though daunting in appearance, these academic terms are just the cover for overwhelmingly glorious truths.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n