The Academic Journey - may become less academic

My academic journey may take a turn away from the academic.  Does this mean I've decided to chuck it all and go to welding school?  No, they don't trust me with extremely hot objects.  We often hear that real theology, like any kind of real scholarship, doesn't happen in the library.  It happens on the street.  It happens in the office.  It happens in the counseling room, or in the pulpit.

In the past week I've been talking with some people from the AALC.  This is a very small Lutheran denomination, formed some twenty-two years ago, as a reaction to creeping liberalism within Lutheranism in America.  They have a training program including courses which meet regularly via the Internet.  The courses appear to use good solid readings and require interaction and papers.  While participating in the training program, qualified participants may end up serving local churches as pastors under supervision from other area pastors.  

I don't know where this will lead.  It could lead the direction I thought I might end up going a couple of years ago.  Then again, it might not.  As I explore, I'll be participating in one of the courses, talking with various leaders to ascertain the denomination's values and goals, and will probably attend the annual conference in June.   In the meantime, since the course that starts the Monday after Easter is on Law and Gospel, I'll be digging up the books on the reading list and working through them over a period of about ten weeks.

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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com and http://alex-kirk.blogspot.com