About

A blog by Steve Holmes, a Baptist minister, presently employed to teach theology in St Mary’s College, St Andrews, Scotland.

This is a place where I record ideas that seem interesting enough to share, but are so minor, so undeveloped, or so exploratory, that they do not belong in any more formal published format. Comments to help me develop the worthwhile ideas and discard the others are most welcome.

The blog is mostly theology; in a post a while back, I offered my understanding of the vocation of the theologian, which perhaps explains what this blog is about as well as anything I have written:

I think a good theologian prays well, first. No theologian who doesn’t has even begun to understand the discipline. And then s/he serves the Church, and his or her particular part of it (down to a local congregation) in humility and faithfulness. Theology belongs to the Church; any theologian divorced from the Church is a bad theologian, however brilliant or knowledgeable. A good theologian has a grasp of gospel values, and would swap everything s/he has written to see one sinner repent, or one broken life healed. A good theologian writes and speaks only to help the Church be more faithful to the gospel, bringing whatever knowledge of the tradition, whatever insight into contemporary modes of thought, and whatever native cleverness s/he may possess, all into service of this one end. A good theologian is marked by humility and cheerfulness, knowing how far short of the mystery of God and God’s works his/her best efforts fall, and knowing that in the good grace of God something of lasting worth may still come from them. A good theologian, finally, does know something, and has some capacity of thought, and so can make a contribution through his/her God-given vocation.

I am not a very good theologian.