I’m increasingly convinced that so much theology out there majors on minors. That is to say, I think that a predominant theological tendency (from my very limited vantage point) is to elevate doctrines of little ultimate consequence to the centre of attention, while neglecting those which really give Christianity its distinctive, problematic flavour.
Dogmatisms of both left and right are guilty on this front. Sure, on the right you have too much emphasis on the Bible and its status as inspired, but on the left you have too much accommodation and not enough of the scandal (of the Cross or otherwise). The right might be a little too obsessed with homosexuality, but the left is no less shrill when speaking about tolerance. This over-simplified list could continue ad infinitum, I’m sure.
Here’s my thesis in the face of this: neither right nor left speak nearly often enough, nor penetratingly enough of core Christian doctrines. I want to hear and read theology that’s soaked in notions of the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Cross and the Resurrection. Eschatology makes the list too, but with an asterisk due to it’s spectacular mishandling by a certain publishing phenomenon. Here’s the real stuff for theological reflection, stuff that I don’t hear being talked about often enough.
I’m aware that these types of theologians are out there. But they appear to be far too trapped in the realm of, well, theologians. But that’s another post…