SJ
2/5
This is my review for the 8 week course of Beginners Theology module 'Living Life' that I attended. 2 stars for being very organised in a timely and professional manner with correspondence in between as well as on the day set up, meet, start, finish, warm welcome etc. The contents of the actual theology itself, I personally did not find transformative or satisfactory for a paid course. To me, unfortunately it was more like a prolonged Sunday sermon. I was expecting to find the real root meanings ie, Hebrew and Greek of bible texts being unpicked and examined on each of the topics that were delivered, so the learner could put deep, biblical, root-derived principles into learning, thinking and practice in their everyday living, but this was not the case for me. Instead, 'Desert Mothers and Fathers' were introduced..(?) I did ask the course co-coordinator where these figures were mentioned in the New Testament to glean from, but did not receive a reply. On the topic 'Vocation', the Director of the college gave his personal testimony of his journey being several years of his missionary work for teaching on this subject - which came across pretty much plain sailing for him- lucky him! What would have been really useful, would be to teach on Ephesian 2:10 and generate Hebrew/Greek teaching from that, which would have been more personalised for the leaner and therefore happily get excited with that prospect!
Who and what our positions are in Christ, the redemptive and healing power of the blood of Christ, the covenant relationship we have and the depth of what that means, exploring mercy and grace - again Hebrew racham love (womb protective love etc), the names of God we can call on eg Adonai, El, Elohim, El Shaddai and what they reveal to us in terms of the kind of Father we commune with - all this could have been put into the contents of each subject taught every week, but sadly reduced to examples of nomadic desert mothers and fathers ..... Why would any one want to explore nomadic people in comparison to Christ? Surely even his disciples would have been better to use as examples.
Even though this states this is a beginners study of theology - for my experience with St Mellitus College, it sadly falls short of strong, biblical teaching which I desired. I decided not to continue half way through the course, as to take time out to travel (as well as the cost of travelling each week) I did not think was feasible, as the ratio of learning something divine, and transformative in a powerful, applicable way, fell short for me in the modules and course I signed up for.
