Shaggy Dogmatics
A Week with W. H. Auden
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.”
Dogmatic theological statements are neither logical propositions nor poetic utterances. They are “shaggy dog” stories; they have a point, but he who tries too hard to get it will miss it. –A Certain World, “God” (1970)
When I was in college, I was enamored with the theology proclaimed by one of my professors. He was a conservative Lutheran from England who received his Ph.D. from Cambridge University in England. With his recommendation, I was accepted to the same house at Cambridge. His theology was accessible for me to internalize and repeat. It didn’t require deep thought as much as it took a good memory for remembering theological facts from the reformation.
The further I went into my studies, the more I realized memorizing five-hundred-year-old theological statements did not make logical sense in the 20th century (this was 40 years ago). Each report by Luther, Philip Melancton, and others had intellectual and inspiring points, but the further interpretation was required to address contemporary issues and the post-modern mindset. Dogmatic theology simply requires memorizing the proper statements. A living theology requires an additional set of skills.
A living theology, always reforming, requires the Holy Spirit’s guidance as we seek to remain faithful as we interpret the Bible in new situations. Trying to take a 500-year-old interpretation of scripture to address contemporary issues becomes putting the shaggy dog’s tail in charge of the K-9’s decision-making. Today, prayerfully seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance in embracing the complexity of the Bible when enhanced with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. When we interpret the Bible with the Spirit’s understanding, we move beyond the simplicity of shaggy dogmatics.
Notice: Pastor Scott’s Daily Devotions will be taking a holiday break from December 20th, 2021 through January 2nd, 2022.
