theres.life is one of the many independent Mastodon servers you can use to participate in the fediverse.
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Dr Jonathan Downie

"If you don't know where the holes are in your theology, it means you have bad theology.".
- Alexander Sellars Downie

That was one of my dad's favourite sayings. When I was growing up, I always thought he meant it as a signal to keep learning, keep humble, read the Word more and study more.

It's only after 25 sessions of counselling and facing my own traumas and coping mechanisms that I finally get it.

What it really means is that life is too big and too complicated for you to wrap it in a simple, easy-to-understand theology and be done with it. And God is too big for our finite, human minds to figure out and predict.

Dyed-on-the-wool cessationalists can find themselves faced with prophecy or healing or gifts of knowledge or wisdom or tongues that show that God is still acting in the gifts of the Spirit. The most positive Charismatics face trauma or hurt or tragedy.

The moment our theology is cut and dried, the moment we think we've got God figured out, real life will show us the opposite.

We can deny that and wrap our prejudices and pride round us like a blanket. We can run away from the hurt and throw away our confidence, deconstructing until we find ourselves floating around with every wind of doctrine.

Or we can follow the crucified and risen saviour, the beaten but praising apostles and the martyrs, heroes and examples who have gone before us and who show us that God never leaves us and that in this world, we will have trouble but we can take heart because Christ has overcome the world.

We don't have to understand or like every bit of the journey. But we don't need to do it alone. We can walk around with our holy, holey theologies and grow to know the One who still has a hole in His side.