The Fun of Being a Theologian

There are probably few little boys or girls when asked what they want to be when they grow up say, ‘Theologian.” Certainly there are few of us who would, even if we thought of that as a career to be pursued, would pursue it for the fun of it.

So, I had to chuckle out loud (would that be ‘COL’ in texting parlance?) when I read this footnote in John Frame’s The Doctrine of the Christian Life. In speaking of how we must approach understanding the ten commandments in a section he titled ‘Decalogical Hermeneutics’ he offers this explanation:

I’m not sure that decalogical is an actual word, but part of the fun of being a theologian is being able to invent new words.

There it is. ‘Fun’ and ‘theologian’ in the same sentence.

As a reader I can say that part of the fun of READING such a theologian is the fun of reading his footnotes. I’ve noted this before. Later, Dr. Frame again makes me smile when he gives credit for a particular illustration, this also in a footnote:

Thanks to Linc Ashby for this artwork. I can draw triangles and rectangles with minor computer assistance, but I look in awe at people who can draw decagons.

Thanks, Dr. Frame, for moving theology out of its musty, somber, and dull confines into the messy and delightful realities of real life.

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I’m not sure if there is a need for ‘full disclosure’ in a blog like this, but though I have written favorably about Dr. Frame’s work before moving to Orlando, I feel some constraint now to point out that now I serve not only as his admirer, but also as his pastor.