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Experience with Theology

Timothe’e Cheramie

School of Business, Liberty University

104-B27 THEO

Dr. Page Brooks

August 30, 2021

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Experience with Theology

What do I think when I hear the word theology? Before taking this course I always

assumed that theology was a strictly academic way of studying God, Jesus, and the contents on

the Bible. I believed theology was only for the most dedicated and religious minded individual

that had the time and persistence to acquire the sacred knowledge of God. However, my

viewpoint on theology and what it means to be a theologian has drastically changed after my first

week experiencing this coarse. As suggested in one of this course texts books (Etzel et al., 2016)

anyone who thinks about, acts on thoughts of, or studies God is a theologian. This statement

makes it feel that theology and the study God is not so far out of my reach. This does not say that

my viewpoint of the discipline’s legitimacy has lessened in anyway. Now that I have acquired

more information of the word and its meaning, I feel I can assess what it will take to be a

theologian and study theology academically and faithfully.

Now that I have a better grasp of theology, I can say that I have been involved with

theology for most of my life. I was born in south Louisiana where the dominate religion is

Catholicism. My family raised me traditionally Catholic, and I attended Catholic school from

kindergarten to middle school. I attended catechism and went through with my first communion

and later became a fully initiated Catholic as all my family members before me. As time went

on my family had concerns with the church and we began to drift to other dominations of

Christianity. We eventually settled into a Baptist church that was in our new town after my

father’s job transferred him to Texas. Church, sunday school, bible study, and youth groups filled

my childhood as well as my teenage years and early twenties. As a young adult my study of

Gods word expanded to more of an academic pursuit. My family always considered me the most

studied on the bible and usually come to me when they have questions or ask me to lead prayer
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when we are together for events. Being at Liberty University now feels like I am taking my

Christian education to the next level that God attended it to be.

There are many things I would like to take way from this course. As I begin to look over

the textbook chapters and I can see the methods and approaches behind theology and how it can

better improve my current knowledge. The multiple divisions of theology have already claimed

my attention and has made me very interested in learning more about their roles. I have always

been curious about the origins of the books within the Bible and how they have been interrupted

over the ages. I would also like learn more about the concept of revelation and how general and

special revelation effects Christians today. One thing above all would be to gain a better

understanding of God and his word. As one of my favorite verses in the bible (English Standard

Version Bible, 2001, Ecclesiastes. 3:2) states that there is a time and a place for everything under

Gods watch. I finally feel that this is my time to expand my knowledge of God and his word

along with this world he has created for us. Since I am married and have a family, I feel that it is

part of my job to learn for their benefit as much as it is from mine.

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References

English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/

Etzel, G., Small R. N., Gutierrez, B. (2016). Everyday Theology: Exploring the Christian Faith.

B & H Academic.