The Paradox of a “Master of Divinity”

A “Master of Divinity” - It seems to be an odd combination of words. For even the amateur who has spent a small amount of time in the study of theology realizes that indeed the divinity cannot be mastered. It is almost an insult, a naivety to suggest that one can attain a high-order overview of God. Yet, to go to the other extreme of ignorance is just as ludicrous. “Throwing in the towel” because of the enormity of the task proves to short-change the purpose of mankind. Notwithstanding this paradox, history has seen countless of individuals who have devoted their life to the study of God. And, you are probably one of them but don’t even know it.

When we really break it down, we are all theologians; we all carry around with us a perception of God that is ever changing…one that is perhaps based on our understanding of Scripture, our experiences, our upbringing and even our relationships. Yet, if the divinity cannot be mastered, why even bother? Why go to church or read the bible or even worse, go to Seminary?

The other day I stumbled across a website that attempted to bring God down to our human level making him or “it” more manageable to comprehend. The “Church of Google” it was called. They believe that the search engine of Google is the closest thing that mankind has ever come to an actual deity. It is a sort of omniscient presence that sits stagnant in the invisible online world, a sum total of all knowledge that is accessible to anyone. In fact “Google” has made it into our everyday language now - If you don’t know the answer, you “Google it.” (Ironically, you just might “google” the “Church of Google” when you are done reading this) I like technology as much as the next guy, but I really don’t want to worship megabytes.

Interestingly, the Bible paints a different picture of this deity. Psalm 139 is perhaps one of the most enlightening Psalms in the whole collection. It talks about a personal God who is intimately involved in all the aspects of my life - Even aspects that I am not even conscience of! The Psalmist seems to be saying, “I am known by the God who knows!” Perhaps theology is not as much about me knowing God as much as it is about letting God know me. It is about opening myself up to the Creator, Sustain, and Redeemer of all, letting him come inside of me and commune with my soul. Perhaps that is why the Psalmist ends with, “Search me oh God and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way of everlasting.” If there is one thing I have learned in my studies thus far it is that, it is possible to hide from God while doing theology. It is possible to use high sounding ideas as a “smokescreen” for evil in your own life, to confuse spiritual activity with spiritual depth. Am I the only one that has done that?

Maybe it is more important that God knows me, rather than I know God. Doesn’t Jesus warn me of that in his Sermon on the Mount? “Depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matt.7:23) In a book I read recently by Reggie McNeal The Present Future he asked, “Do you read the Bible or do you let the Bible read you?” Hmm..there it is.

Although the term “Master of Divinity” seems at the onset to be a paradox, it is one that I choose to embrace with my life. Perhaps it is not a statement about “arrival” as much as it is a statement about “process” - a process of continually opening myself up to the master himself – Jesus. It is a process that starts with him, ends with him and is ultimately all about him. And, it is a process that doesn’t end when I receive my diploma. I guess, when I really break it down, a “Master of Divinity” is ultimately about letting the divinity master me.