WHAT IS A
RESIDENT THEOLOGIAN?
Vanderbilt University
Master of Divinity 2015 
Ordination in Full Connection
2019 the Rev. Bishop William T. McAlilly |
What does it mean to have a religious leader in a community? And what does it mean for that person to have a specialized education? These questions are answered in the notion of a "resident theologian." Theology, as a field of study, asks the questions of God and of the human being in relationship to God. Hopefully, like any form of education, theological study leads a person out of his or her or their assumptions and preconceived notions into a deeper understanding of reality and the human condition. To have a person who has taken serious time to think through our biggest questions means that the community can count on that person to offer meaningful guidance as we respond to our experiences of life. We expect the same from other professionals: doctors help with our experiences of illness; advocates help us navigate the laws; mechanics help us respond to the experience of car trouble; etc. A theologian is no different. Trained to think about the ups and downs of human life in terms of the ultimate questions of our existence, theologians lead in community by framing our problems in light of the reality that God exists. And in terms of Christian theology, religious leaders point the community toward the redemptive and reconciling work of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This page is dedicated to the work of pointing the community to Christ and the Spirit through the written word. We hope you will feel free to engage with pastor Jonathan when you find ideas that are interesting or challenging, or if you need a conversation partner on your spiritual journey.
|
He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.
(Isaiah 40:11)
August 2021
"Everlasting Arms"
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9: 33-37)
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In this little snippet from Mark’s gospel we find the disciples jockeying for position –– led astray into hubris and jealousy and pride by the assumption that Jesus is going to become the king of Israel, drive out the Romans, and reestablish the political, economic, and religious dynasty of his ancestor David. But as we know from the rest of the story, this isn’t what Jesus is doing at all. Jesus has come on a specific errand from the heavenly places, sent by the Father, and what concerns him is far more important that a geopolitical nation-state. His concern, as well we know, is the redemption of the Creation from the effects of evil and sin, which is death (John 3 with Romans 6:23). And we also know that, by the power of the Spirit of Life (Luke 1:35, Matthew 3:16, Luke 4:16-21), the Father has sent the Son on this errand of salvation out of love (Ephesians 2:4-7). This reminds us of an ancient biblical truth: that God reveals the Divine Power through Love to reassure us that we are not alone in our suffering… lemme say that again –– We are not alone in our suffering… God feels our suffering; God hears our cries; God’s heart is brokenby our sorrow and despair… (Exodus 3:7-12) When Jesus takes a little child in his arms, he’s showing the disciples the heart of God. Jesus wants his disciples to know that the way he’s holding that little child is how God holds each and every one of us.
In the course of my work, I have the great privilege of creating space and time for people to speak their wounds and sorrows and griefs out loud. This is where being a pastor and being a follower of Jesus are the same thing. It is in these moments of helping people meet Jesus in their hurt that the work of ministry becomes most meaningful. There are children who are sick, there are people who can’t find work, there are folks who are all a mess inside and can’t reconcile with themselves, there are people who carry around the shame and regret of their choices… So the work of a disciple is not to figure out who will have the most power in the church. Rather, the Jesus of Mark’s gospel wants us to understand that our work is to wrap our arms around the vulnerable and the wounded… And at a certain point to realize and confess that we’re all vulnerable and wounded. This is a broken world, and we are part of it: our hurts run deep. But there is One who cares, and who invites us to lean on His Everlasting Arms. His name is Jesus, and he has power to save, to heal, to restore, to cleanse, and.. yes! to love us beyond our wounds and sorrows and griefs.
Christ wants us to know that there is no glory for him while the Creation wastes away in sin and death. He wants us to know that he won’t have heaven without us. He wants us to know that neither our tears nor our hopes are in vain. As the old hymn says…
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessèd peace with my Lord so near,
leaning on the everlasting arms.
In sickness and in health, in wealth and in poverty, in sorrow and in joy… go to Jesus as a little child. He will take you up into his arms, and you will feel the warmth of his love wrapping ‘round you with the assurance of eternal life. In the quiet, secret places of your heart, wait for the Lord: you will not be disappointed. In the same power of that Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, you will renew your strength.
O gentle Savior,
Beauty so old and so new,
you loved us when you first called forth the Light,
you loved us when you walked the Galilee;
O Savior, love us still.
Pastor Jonathan
In this little snippet from Mark’s gospel we find the disciples jockeying for position –– led astray into hubris and jealousy and pride by the assumption that Jesus is going to become the king of Israel, drive out the Romans, and reestablish the political, economic, and religious dynasty of his ancestor David. But as we know from the rest of the story, this isn’t what Jesus is doing at all. Jesus has come on a specific errand from the heavenly places, sent by the Father, and what concerns him is far more important that a geopolitical nation-state. His concern, as well we know, is the redemption of the Creation from the effects of evil and sin, which is death (John 3 with Romans 6:23). And we also know that, by the power of the Spirit of Life (Luke 1:35, Matthew 3:16, Luke 4:16-21), the Father has sent the Son on this errand of salvation out of love (Ephesians 2:4-7). This reminds us of an ancient biblical truth: that God reveals the Divine Power through Love to reassure us that we are not alone in our suffering… lemme say that again –– We are not alone in our suffering… God feels our suffering; God hears our cries; God’s heart is brokenby our sorrow and despair… (Exodus 3:7-12) When Jesus takes a little child in his arms, he’s showing the disciples the heart of God. Jesus wants his disciples to know that the way he’s holding that little child is how God holds each and every one of us.
In the course of my work, I have the great privilege of creating space and time for people to speak their wounds and sorrows and griefs out loud. This is where being a pastor and being a follower of Jesus are the same thing. It is in these moments of helping people meet Jesus in their hurt that the work of ministry becomes most meaningful. There are children who are sick, there are people who can’t find work, there are folks who are all a mess inside and can’t reconcile with themselves, there are people who carry around the shame and regret of their choices… So the work of a disciple is not to figure out who will have the most power in the church. Rather, the Jesus of Mark’s gospel wants us to understand that our work is to wrap our arms around the vulnerable and the wounded… And at a certain point to realize and confess that we’re all vulnerable and wounded. This is a broken world, and we are part of it: our hurts run deep. But there is One who cares, and who invites us to lean on His Everlasting Arms. His name is Jesus, and he has power to save, to heal, to restore, to cleanse, and.. yes! to love us beyond our wounds and sorrows and griefs.
Christ wants us to know that there is no glory for him while the Creation wastes away in sin and death. He wants us to know that he won’t have heaven without us. He wants us to know that neither our tears nor our hopes are in vain. As the old hymn says…
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessèd peace with my Lord so near,
leaning on the everlasting arms.
In sickness and in health, in wealth and in poverty, in sorrow and in joy… go to Jesus as a little child. He will take you up into his arms, and you will feel the warmth of his love wrapping ‘round you with the assurance of eternal life. In the quiet, secret places of your heart, wait for the Lord: you will not be disappointed. In the same power of that Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, you will renew your strength.
O gentle Savior,
Beauty so old and so new,
you loved us when you first called forth the Light,
you loved us when you walked the Galilee;
O Savior, love us still.
Pastor Jonathan