Each week has a different theme (or a couple). The main theme for the week of October 19-23 was to make God bigger. At the evening sessions, we discussed the multiple viewpoints on major issues in evangelical theology as presented in Across the Spectrum written by Gregory Boyd and Paul Eddy. To prepare, we’d read a chapter each day and (in my case at least) look up the Scriptural references to see if they really backed up the argument when read in context. The late-night reading and studying reminded me of all the nights I’d stayed up working on homework for high school, which I actually didn’t mind too much. When people discuss what they believe and why, it’s very probable that someone will spew angry, derisive words towards those who disagree with them; however, such was not the case for our discussions. Everybody learned the beliefs of opposing sides in order to understand and respect them, even if he/she didn’t agree with their points. Sometimes, my brain was simply unable to fully comprehend the different ideas stated or questioned, but that was okay. As you could probably imagine, many of us felt like our brains had turned into mush by the end of the week.
You might be wondering how could you possibly make God bigger by debating different theological views? An excellent question! Tag Thompson (the director of the Novas Project) illustrated this in a wonderful way. When figuring out a theological issue, we tend to think that the answer is somewhere on a line; however, God isn’t on the line. His answer is isomewhere in the empty space surrounding the line.
God is beyond our comprehension. He will not fit neatly into the little boxes so many (me included) create in order to explain His ways because God is bigger.
Following our discussion on the Genesis debate, we started to admire all of God’s creation by enumerating whatever we found to be fascinating (i.e. the human body, funny-looking animals, the weather, etc.) With our words, we were worshiping God in a unique way.
Spend time outside and truly see God’s bigness, as evidenced through nature. I guarantee that He’ll blow your mind away.
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”
– Psalm 8:3-4
