EXPERIENCE WITH THEOLOGY ESSAY
ASHLEY SENNETT
THEO 104
AUGUST 24TH, 2020
EXPERIENCE WITH THEOLOGY
ABSTRACT
When I think of theology it probably is not related at all to the actual definition. Theology to me
is being really knowledgeable about the subject of God and being able to list all these facts and
verses. Theology to me is dedicated years of your life to studying the Bible at seminary school.
The thing I can say that I have experienced that is closest to theology is Bible study groups with
my teammates. I really enjoy the lively discussion and uplifting and encouraging each other
through difficult material and life experiences. Although that does not come anywhere as close to
theology as seminary school in my mind, I do enjoy the time I spend with my teammtes
discussiong God and his view and plans for us. Despite all this, I hope to learn through this class
how theology relares to me in my daily life as well as how to read and study the Bible more
efficiently. I hope to get a lot out of the readings we will go through as well as partake in some
great discussions about what theology is today in modern Christianity.
EXPERIENCE WITH THEOLOGY
MAIN BODY
When I hear the word theology I think of well studied pupils who spend hours
studying.When I think of theology I think of people who are able to list out the geaniology of
Jesus, I think of people who can quote 100s of verses from memory in casual conversation, I
think of people who spend hours straight praying. All of these things I picture related to strong,
confident people who know way more than myself about the Bible. A lot of this stems from my
lack of confidence in my own knowledge of the Bible and my ability to relay what I am learning
and what I know into my daily conversations. I greatly admire those who can quote scripture
flawlessly for every situation in life, I also admire those who spend hours, mpnths, and years
pouring through the Bible for seminary and youth leadership as well as many of our Spiritual
Development majors offered here at Liberty. When I think of theology I do not really picture
myself as a theologian because I do not see myself as an expert or anywhere close to an expert
on the Bible. I think of theologians as people who are experts in their fields. (203)
I have experienced the study of theology through Bible studies, small groups, and attending
church and classes here at Liberty. Over the summers especially, my team and I will engage in a
Bible study that we all chose. As we complete each day of the Bible study, we take notes on the
topics we wish to discus on our weekly gatherings. In these weekly gatherings I have learned so
much from my peers on how to read the Bible and how different people view things differently. I
find that people’s perspectives are so interesting because I never would have thought about these
things in this way but now as we discuss it things make so much more sense. I have learned so
much from my teammates and growing with them has been such a pleasure and I feel as though
that is how I experienced the closest thing to theology: through discussions with people who are
trying just as hard as I am. Beyond that, I have never had any formal learning besides the Bible
EXPERIENCE WITH THEOLOGY
and Religion classes I have taken for my college degree. So I do not feel as experienced as those
who dedicate their entire lives to learning every inch of the Bible and being able to offer it up at
a moments notice. All of my experiences that come close to theology have been very moderate
and not as serious as I think theology could be. (240)
Over the next eight weeks, I hope to learn a lot from this class and its material. I hope to
learn how to read and study the Bible more efficiently so I can gather the best understanding to
then apply to my own daily life. I have found in my daily life it is quite difficult for me to sit
down and wholly focus on the Bible and only the Bible. Learning from Bible studies and books
have helped but I often fiind myself drifting off into thought when things become to difficult for
me to understand and I begin to think myself incapable of interpreting the Bible. Through this
class I hope to learn new things to give me more confidence in my ability. Through learning and
applying, I also hope to better implement conversation about what I am learning through this
class as well as my own independent study of the Bible with my peers in an effort to
communicate the Lord’s blessings in my life. I have found that the deepest and most sincere
conversations have developed from a place of vulreability with my relationship with God and
those around me. By being more open about what I am learning in the Bible and through God, I
hope to build stronger relationships with those around me as well as encourage my peers to
follow in vulreability. (230)
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I look forward to learning in this classroom both from you as the professor
and the class material as well as from the Lord and what he teaches me through you. Thank you
so much for this opportunity to learn.
EXPERIENCE WITH THEOLOGY
