Density is a concept I get. Density is pretty clean
mathematically, D=m/v, and there are countless real world examples to help me
build up a practical framework on which I can grow my understanding. My
understanding of density also allows me to understand the colloquial use of the
word when describing someone who has an impenetrable ability to understand.
There are certain words, or maybe better said, concepts,
that I have a much harder time wrapping my head around. These concepts are ones I’ve heard over and
over again, had explained to me over and over again, and read over and over
again. Unfortunately a disconnect remains between hearing, understanding and
knowing.
This recognition happened a lot when I was in Canada this summer
thinking and worshiping and fellowshipping with a group of pastors around ideas
of faith and science. The word that week was hermeneutic. I don’t know why but I heard the word
hermeneutic more that week than any other time in my life. That week I had the
opportunity to hear about 20 pastors use the term in context and I had my own
personal pastor (who also just started a blog)
with me to explain the concept. I know that the word basically means interpretation
but when I hear it in context, my head swims rather than syncs. What’s up with that? I think part of the
problem is that I just haven’t practiced using the word enough to assimilate it
and use it naturally. Or maybe I’m just dense.
Another word in this category is theology. I think my limitations on this concept are
partially due to the way I’ve always thought about the word. Throughout the
history of me thinking (which really isn’t that long, relatively)
I have traditionally thought of theology as something you do or a class you
take. More and more lately I have been
asked to think of theology as something I have or that describes me.
Theology as an adjective? How does that work? Maybe I’m just
really dense. Or maybe I haven’t let my theology, whatever that is, describe
me.
I’d really like to hear about how others understand theology
as an adjective. If you have any
thoughts on this, post them to comments. I’d really appreciate your help.
The reason your head swims when you hear the word "hermaneutics," and that you can't seem to use it naturally is that it is a very specialized word that only a handful of people in the world would know or have reason to use. You are, by nature, a fine communicator. If I used the word "orthography" instead of "spelling," or "pedagogy" instead of "teaching," those around me would, appropriately, roll their eyes. It would be pretentious. So I know those words, and use them when the time is right, but not every time I could. Those of us who love words must guard against letting insider vocabulary interfere with the communication of our message. You are not dense. You just have good instincts.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the other matter- "theology" is not, and can not be an adjective. It's a noun. ( It's fashonable, but not correct, to use nouns as adjectives these days. "I office in the Lumber Exchange building." Grr.) There are lots of adjectives that would work to describe your theological self. Why not use some of those?
I meant nouns as verbs. Not nouns as adjectives. My bad. Oh wait. That's an adjective as a noun.
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