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Talking about God
very field has its research and development depart- ment. For the church, that’s theology. I reached this conclusion after spending a week talking to young theologians. I deeply respect theologians, but I wasn’t quite sure about their role. Do they think great thoughts all day? Is anyone listening? Does anyone care? Yes, yes and yes, I discovered. Whether they study Scripture, ethics or preaching, they are passionate about equipping us to worship more profoundly, serve more effectively and live with more integrity. Some pass along their passion through their students. Others lead congregations.
“No matter how heady and theoretical theology seems,” doctoral student Leila Ortiz told me, “it will always hit the pew because it’s always speaking of
20 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
What some of the ELCA’s young theologians are up to
By Anne Basye
COURTESY OF LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL SOUTHERN SEMINARY
experience.” For this story, I grilled women and men from many backgrounds, institutions and regions. Those approaching the half-century mark were flattered to be called young, but I was taking into account the many years and degrees it takes to become a theologian.
Only a fraction of the ideas of some of the ELCA’s young theolo- gians could be squeezed into these pages, but their enthusiasm for theology—“talking about God and everything else in light of who God is,” said Victor Thasiah of Califor- nia Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks—shines through every profile.
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