"Theologically Blonde"

WHO AM i ? I am a 20 something female, nearing the 30 something category far too quickly. I am a person of faith who was raised in a strong heritage of faith. I am somewhat of a skeptic; a questioner, who has wrestled much, continues to wrestle and enjoys the fight. I am a Peace Corps Volunteer currently living in the middle of no where on a different continent, on a real life adventure to experience life and actively live out the faith with which I wrestle and hope in. I am an adoring wife of an incredibly hunky husband who loves me unconditionally and challenges me to be a better person every day. I am a proud aunt to 2 rambunctious nephews and 2 spunky, adorable nieces who I miss incredibly! I am a nascent, somewhat reticent, aspiring academic and theologian; a bit confused about my future academic pursuits. I am a non-stereotypical seminary graduate who felt a bit out of place and often, reluctantly identified with Reese Witherspoon’s “Legally Blonde” character – I was the out of place, feminine, resident “Theologically Blonde” of my graduate program. I am a demure academic debater but like to think of myself as a theological “shark” of sorts…appearing meek and unthreatening but found to have a surprisingly incisive bite!

WHY the bLOG? 1. It’s FUN! 2. So I don’t miss out on this exciting cultural phenomena called blogging. 3. An attempt to exercise my “theological lobe” so I do not grow rusty. 4. To put my thousands of dollars and hours of time invested in research, reading, writing and education to use. 5. To faithfully engage in the current spiritual, biblical, theological and cultural conversations that are so important to this time and generation. 6. To provide a place where people of faith and skeptics alike can discuss the real and difficult questions of life and faith.

Faith in WHAT? I said earlier that I am a person of faith, but some of you may ask, faith in what? Let me delineate a bit. I have faith in a loving and merciful God. I have faith and belief in a man, Jesus Christ, who I believe, truthfully claimed to be sent by God to be the messiah and savior of the world. I have faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have faith in a mysterious salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and trust God to work out the details of that salvation. I have faith in the Kingdom of God of peace and restoration, which began with Jesus and continues through his followers, who actively seek to bring about the love, mercy, justice, peace and restoration that Jesus sought to bring. I believe that issues of faith and belief are some of the most important issues of life, but likewise, some of the most DIFFICULT issues of life. I do not take faith, doubts or questions about faith lightly. I RESPECT all who wrestle with questions and doubts regarding faith and don’t believe there are any easy answers. I respect all who disagree with me, who do not share my faith, or do not find faith an easy endeavor – I believe there are MANY significant and valid reasons why people do not have faith and I encourage all who are on their own personal journey of life and figuring out what they can have faith and hope in. FAITH is also difficult for me so I will be the last one to judge those who do not have faith or have doubts and questions, or simply have different beliefs than mine altogether. Faith is a JOURNEY and a battle, one that I am glad to be on, and one that I will continue fighting because I have HOPE. Hope for a better life; hope for a better world; hope for love, mercy and forgiveness; hope for peace; hope for restoration; hope for new beginnings and hope in a redeemer.

If these things interest you, then please stay tuned; engage and humor one aspiring, unassuming and battling theologian. I look forward to disclosing some of my theological pondering and I solicit your dialogue. Let us discuss, debate and contemplate some of the most important and difficult issues of life together. All opinions are welcome and I anticipate the insights many of you have to offer these important conversations.

HeResy dISCLAIMER: Take this as forewarning that I may spout what some may consider heresy or unorthodox beliefs, but only in attempts to figure out and HOLD ON to faith. This blog is not an attempt to declare ABSOLUTE Truth or orthodoxy, but simply work through difficult issues of faith. I do not claim to have all the answers, the right answers, or the necessarily orthodox answers. If you read this blog you will be a witness to my journey of wrestling through tough issues of faith. When you are on a journey and in life in general, you will inevitably go down the wrong path from time to time, and some times you have to go down that path to find the right, or a better path. So as I consider some of these difficult issues of faith I will explore ALL possible answers, even if some may seem at first UNORTHODOX. Call it an experiment of sorts; an experiment in which I am truthfully searching for answers and will not limit my answers simply because they may initially seem heretical. Who are those that decided what is heretical or unorthodox anyway? People who were genuinely trying to figure out faith and make sense of this life, while holding onto their belief at the same time.