ToJesusMyHeart Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 This is how college has been described to me by college students. Then they're doing college wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Is Bill Nye a theologian? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 No. He's the science guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 FP, a theologian is a title for someone who engages in academic theological discourse. The types of works most people read are by apologists, not theologians. Scott Hahn is one of the few people who crosses both lines, because he writes actual academic papers and articles and stuff. But even then, he's not a super famous theologian, he's a super famous apologist and spiritual writer. Ratzinger is a theologian because he went to graduate school, and wrote things and participated in the greater theological discourse with other academic people. You've gotta go to grad school in order to learn how to participate in the academic discussion. :) And, ya know, to get the credentials so that you'll be taken seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poiesis Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 First off, welcome to Phatmass! Secondly, I suppose the question is, what makes someone a theologian? What do you do at college? Read books your professors tell you to read and make book reports on them, and listen to lectures. These are both things you can do outside of college. I can read all the books you've read and listen to all the lectures you have without actually going to college. Would you consider me a theologian, or would you not, because I didn't technically go to university and get a paper that says I'm knowledgeable about the specific field? I am in no way against college or university. I advocate for them wholeheartedly. I do, however, disagree with the notion that a person can't be a theologian if he/she didn't go to college. Thanks for the welcome! :) That's a good question to ask and something I neglected to define in my last post. In the early Church theologians were often times conflated with apologists as many theologians employed theological discourse to defend the Church against pagan accusations and a variety of gnostic sects. These thinkers were oftentimes priests, usually bishops or monks, of some sort and were, to one extent or another, trained in either classical rhetoric or philosophy and law. Being trained in these things, however, didn't equate to an acceptance of them (i.e. Tertullian). "Theologian," these days usually refers to someone involved in the academic discussions of theology like this poster said: FP, a theologian is a title for someone who engages in academic theological discourse. The types of works most people read are by apologists, not theologians. Scott Hahn is one of the few people who crosses both lines, because he writes actual academic papers and articles and stuff. But even then, he's not a super famous theologian, he's a super famous apologist and spiritual writer. Ratzinger is a theologian because he went to graduate school, and wrote things and participated in the greater theological discourse with other academic people. You've gotta go to grad school in order to learn how to participate in the academic discussion. :) And, ya know, to get the credentials so that you'll be taken seriously. You certainly could read all the books yourself and maybe even sneak into the lecture halls, but much like the liturgy, participating in theological discourse is very much a communal thing. Theologians serve the Church in their work (even ivory-towered academics), and as such it is the coming together as a Church which makes a theologian able to do her job! Though, strictly speaking, within the purely academic realm, you don't have to be a very good Christian to be a theologian - you just have to write good papers. Also, you would have a hard time getting anyone to take you seriously if you didn't participate in the community of theological discourse. As for what I do at college...it's nothing like that all. It's usually frustration that I can't buy into the violent meta-narrative of modernity (well frustration that I realize that modernity has an inherently violent meta-nerrative) which results in my studying of Theology...a profession where making money is incredibly difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotreDame Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Is Bill Nye a theologian? Now THAT was funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poorly Catechized Convert Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 So as I'm reading through this- despite all of the references to having a low income- my wish that I was studying theology now is increasing. I don't know, is this a bad thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I wonder, did St. Jerome go to college? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Though, strictly speaking, within the purely academic realm, you don't have to be a very good Christian to be a theologian - you just have to write good papers. Also, you would have a hard time getting anyone to take you seriously if you didn't participate in the community of theological discourse. Ain't THAT the truth. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I wonder, did St. Jerome go to college? Yeah, more or less. He was a student of rhetoric and philosophy in Rome and had students of his own, so he certainly participated in the academic discourse of his time in an official capacity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kateri89 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 .... seconding beatitude. Before you go back to school for something else ... have you considered the other stuff you can do with a nursing degree? I know an R.N. who works in a law office, one who teaches at a nursing school, another who works for a pharamceutical company, another who manages human resources at a hospital, another who helps patients coordinate their medical care ... ... all those options are not in the direct patient care side of nursing ... which I know (and I hope everyone on this thread realizes) is absolutely grueling on every level. The typical human being cannot labor with the psychological and physical burdens of direct care nursing long-term. Teaching is like that, in that the majority don't make it past 10 years in a record classroom role. Those sort of RN jobs that aren't direct patient care tend to require a master's degree and I promise I am not interested enough in nursing to pursue a master's. Let me just say that I've been a nurse for several years and have switched jobs during that time. I know that the job I'm at now is better than the last job I had but I still have a strong dislike for the profession. I've known of many nurses who feel the same way but it seems to be the kind of job that pays well enough that people tend to stay, especially in an economy like this. I can't fathom still being a nurse in 5 years let alone 35 years. This isn't a spur of the moment decision to switch careers. It's been a consideration for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeingstar Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Those sort of RN jobs that aren't direct patient care tend to require a master's degree and I promise I am not interested enough in nursing to pursue a master's. Let me just say that I've been a nurse for several years and have switched jobs during that time. I know that the job I'm at now is better than the last job I had but I still have a strong dislike for the profession. I've known of many nurses who feel the same way but it seems to be the kind of job that pays well enough that people tend to stay, especially in an economy like this. I can't fathom still being a nurse in 5 years let alone 35 years. This isn't a spur of the moment decision to switch careers. It's been a consideration for years. Theology is a noble pursuit. No, it's not a spur the moment decision but it's quite a leap. There isn't much one can do to sustain oneself on a theology degree when all said and done. The jobs that are out there require a lot of sacrifice and aren't really theology, but as one poster pointed out about Scott Hahn, more apologetic or ministerial. Changing careers is very difficult. Is there anything that might appeal to you more than nursing, but still be in the medical field, like being on an ethics board? I was a manager for 5 years and it STUNK, but I took a lot in order to step into a position that I wanted, staying within that same industry. Employees are going to look for gradual transitions not giant leaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kateri89 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Theology is a noble pursuit. No, it's not a spur the moment decision but it's quite a leap. There isn't much one can do to sustain oneself on a theology degree when all said and done. The jobs that are out there require a lot of sacrifice and aren't really theology, but as one poster pointed out about Scott Hahn, more apologetic or ministerial. Changing careers is very difficult. Is there anything that might appeal to you more than nursing, but still be in the medical field, like being on an ethics board? I was a manager for 5 years and it STUNK, but I took a lot in order to step into a position that I wanted, staying within that same industry. Employees are going to look for gradual transitions not giant leaps. I'm not saying I'm going back to school to major in Theology. I was simply asking if there were any promising jobs with that degree before I would consider that major. It seems like there aren't many so consequently, I probably won't major in it. I think people are misunderstanding me. I'm looking at all my options, have given this a lot of thought and prayer, and am simply looking into other possibilities. I'm not trying to take giant leaps anywhere. This is a decision I'm taking very seriously because I really believe I made the wrong decision the last time I chose a career and I don't want to make that same mistake again. Right now, I'm trying to figure out what my big interests are and then see if any of them could lead to a career with a livable wage. That's all. I'm not making any decisions at the moment. Just pondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pliny Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) It's not easy to be self-employed, especially if you lack discipline as I do, but I would never trade the freedom and enjoyment I've had for over 20 years for punching a time clock and the alleged security that goes along with it. Are you inclined to be your own boss and do you have an interest or skill that could lead to being a business? Edited February 19, 2014 by Pliny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 We've got an opening at our seminary for a pastoral theology professor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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