The first week of the STEP program has been helpful in gaining a better understanding of what formal theological education entails and what are motivating factors for it. Hearing from the professors has given me another perspective to consider in my walk as a disciple of Christ.
This is important for me because I had been involved with Operation Mobilisation during my formative young adult years and the focus was very much on being used by God as we were and being developed on the job, our primary learning environment was not in the classroom but out on the mission field.
The people I looked up to were not the ones who gave the most holistic and theologically sound answers, but those who had lived out their faith with life changing conviction, most of which did not have any formal theological training.
The quote in the lecture by Dr Calvin Chong that 'we see the world not as it is but as we are' struck home to me as I became more aware of how my limited experience in the past with a handful of missionaries had skewed my view against formal theological education.
In reflection over the past week, the first devotion led by the Synod Moderator has been of help in reconciling my view of formal theological education to one that I think is a bit more holistic. In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus speaks three times and I believe these give insight on how to view formal theological education in light of our walk with God.
In verse 13, Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?". This is the starting point of discussion and also where I feel formal theological education fits in. In understanding things from church history to systematic theology, we get a more holistic view of people's perspective of God, through human history and across cultures.
This in turn helps shape our answer to Jesus' next question, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?" From a rigorous study of so many different views on who the God of the Bible is, we are then able to form informed personal convictions instead of just accepting the opinions of others as our own. This will then shape our personal experience of God in our lives.
The concluding statement by Jesus in verses 17-19 helps put the first two points of understanding people's and our own perspective of God into the kingdom perspective. In verse 17 Jesus says that Peter was blessed because the personal revelation of Jesus was not revealed to him by flesh and blood but by the Father in heaven.
In the end, it has to be God that reveals Himself to us. It is heartening to know that it is not by our own effort, not by how much we learn or who we learn from, but it is God that ultimately controls our 'theological education', of understanding who He really is. Jesus also sets out a purpose in verse 18 and 19, so that we are not acquiring knowledge for its own sake. It is for the building up of His church and the right usage of the 'keys of the kingdom of heaven'. My prayer is that as grow in our knowledge of God, we will put the knowledge into action, building up His church and participating in His will being done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Shawn Eng
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