Suffering Broken Theology? what about Verification?

What about life.

What has meaning.... many ask. Many sort. Christians too.
More so all the time.

Does God seem distant? sleep at the wheel? unconcerned in your life?
Do you suffer from functional theologies that don't match your theoretical theologies Biblical or otherwise?

What do you use as a reference for your beliefs...which are in fact your Doctrines?.. yikes what a word.
Everyone is afraid of the word DOGMA... but every one ends up functioning on some kind of one, like it or not.

If we use ourselves --really our experience-- as a gauge for verification of our theology, our beliefs, we end up stranded. Eventually. Well, how could we not, really.

It's amazing how many Christians start with themselves to figure out life, and then feel so desperate, and still have no idea why. It's not entirely their fault. Christianity has been co-opting with modernity for its theology for a while, making it human centered and increasingly futile to sort out among the pervading view on ontology and millions of competing messages bombarding us. So many Christians feeling miserable, or something like it. That is a vapid life, and no wonder.

Some time tested spots for verification are-
Scripture
Devotional Classics
Church History (tradition)
Wise/trusted counsel of honorable friends or ministers
Propositional theology combined with Narrative theology

more to come on this . . .

Emerging Christianity and back to school

Are we ever done learning and growing?
It can not be!

Our dogma--beliefs-- are never really (whether we are aware of it or not) fully explored, or vetted.

If we feel so certain we have come to a good spot, then either our eyes are closed and our ears are plugged, or we have a bumpy road ahead, perhaps even a crisis of faith to traverse around the bend.

God pulls our hand into deeper water where we cannot touch bottom and must try to swim,(doggie paddle) and then when we think we are so good at swimming, he will show us how to give up and float. It was, in fact never about swimming. Our energies fail-they are suppose to-and he alone can rescue us. Our energies will fail us and he will be right there being God, should we let him, and become truly mature, in any real way.

We can always go back to school. Many Christians are dropouts, but I really believe in life-long learning!