Being "Christian"

So, I am thinking again.

I read this article about a politician. It was talking about people committed to the Democrat/Republican Party (you must choose the one you align yourself with for this to work) that are trying to make sure that they gain control of the Senate/House. It made me think - at what point do we stop being committed to Democracy and the best interests of the country, and more committed to Being a "Democrat" or "Republican"?
I mean the "Republican" Party used to be the more "Liberal" party, but over time and change - etc. they are on the oposite end of the spectrum for the most part. So what it means to be "Republican" is not some set in stone thing.

This leads me to think - can Christians become too caught up in being "Christian" and all the things we think are attached to that, and lose sight of following God? So we(humans) set up this agenda of what it means to be "Christian" and we commit ourselves to that, instead of to doing God's will in our day and time?

I think so. I think it happens all the time.

Forgiveness

What is Sin, and how does the Atonement/Reconciliation of Christ work?

Went over a bunch of models for this today in my Theology class - see what I mean that my school work can be devotional?

The story/question idea that came up was forgiveness. The professor told a story of a murderer who killed the daughter of a woman, who confessed his wrong, and appologized in court to the mother. The mother forgave the murderer, shook his hand and embraced the man who killed her daughter.
This activity only happened because of the willingness of the man to admit to his wrong, otherwise the forgiveness that she offered wouldn’t have made any sence.
So if we killed God’s son, we can only accept God’s forgiveness through our own admission of Guilt. Leads you to the story of our sinful nature as the bridge to Christ.
What do you all think?

Some News Articles about Forgiveness:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1898848,00.html

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/mar/06030306.html

http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/04/14/paralyzed.girl.ap/index.html

Finals are finito

I have completed my first semester at seminary. What a joy.

5 more to go. Learned a lot, but it isn't all about the learnin'. One thing I hadn't anticipated is the roller coaster ride of faith that would go on while I was delving into all this theology.

Did you know that the Nicene Creed specifies bodily resurection. Not quite Zombies, but kinda close. What about the fact that the soul is not immortal? Interesting stuff that are part of Christian tradions for many thousands of years.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying any of this is wrong - I am just processing it. When you hear what Jean Calvin said, and what Augustine said, and what Barth said, you really want to get your head around it. These are all men that were probably much smarter than me ( I can't believe I just said that) you say very different things (even though Calvin really wants to be able to say the same thing as Augustine, he really doesn't)

We all have our beliefs that make God real, that make His kingdom present for us. Many of those would lump us in with heretics who were excommunicated fifteen hundred years ago. I mean, just look at the Trinity, and modalism and patripassianism. Most God fearing Christians don't know the difference and probably fall into the camp of the later heresies.

Not that it really matters? Or does it? People were killed over this stuff before, and now we are pretty sloppy with our theology. Hmph. Well I got 2.5 years to figure the rest of this out.

I am finally doing it...

So maybe I should start worrying other people with my crazy musings about God, faith and the world at large? Here it is a place to tell my story, and share with any who might care about the struggle of attending Seminary while I prepare for a vocation "of the cloth" Watch me change my theology on a weekly basis, and poke fun at me for it.