Eternal Word and Changing Worlds – Memorable quotes:

“Calvin worked in a heat of a pastoral charge in Geneva; Augustine did theology in the stress of preserving the church while the Roman Empire was collapsing; Luther, Athanasius, Spurgeon—all were pastors.  They theologized, they hammered out theology meaningful to their problems and alive to their day.”  (p. 303)

Part of concern I have, as one who is in ministry is the wedge driven between theologians [theoretical and abstract] and pastors [down to earth and practical].  Too many of our theologians hide behind the safety of ivory towers of academia, trying to relive the issues and concerns of long ago.  On the other hand, our pastors and ministers down play the role of theology and seek to entertain the flocks the Lord has put them in charge over to instruct and train.  It’s very important to realize that all of the theologians of the past, starting w/ the apostle Paul himself, were not afraid to get their hands dirty in the practical matters, while at the same time not down playing the role of intellectual mind-exercise…we need both and somewhere a balance must be met.