On Theology & Blogging

Timely warning for all bloggers (esp. me):

Online debates are a wonderful means of discussion unprecedented in human history, but unfortunately, a lot of what is posted neither educates nor edifies.

I’ve often wondered what would happen if bloggers were required to step out from behind their computers and personally defend every assertion made. It’s easy to pontificate through one’s digital persona, as though a credentialed “expert” in some arena of faith, but far weightier to have your perspectives tested in a “live” environment.

Taking responsibility for what we teach is no small assignment and requires much more than computer-erudition. Debates will always be a part of the honing process, but if the impersonal nature of blogging leads to so many self-styled theologians speaking condescendingly as though they’ve earned the stripes of churchmanship, maybe we’ve missed an important step in this wonderland of verbal jousting...keep reading