BLOGGING TOWARD SUNDAY…

 Mark Shaw has a little book called Doing Theology with Huck and Jim.  It begins with Huck and Jim climbing aboard their raft, about to take off on a life with no cares at all.  They talk for a minute about all the things they will not miss, and then Huck says:

          “What’d you bring for food, I’m hungry.”

Jim unwrapped his bedroll.  His worldly wealth was contained in it.  There was a hat and some fruit, a pair of socks, and rabbit’s foot and a book.  Jim tossed Huck a piece of fruit.

“What’d you bring a book for?” asked Huck with a tone of irritation.

            ”T’read,” said Jim.  “What else a book good for?”

“Didn’t think you could read,” Huck said, and then wished he hadn’t.

“I can read,” Jim responded with intense seriousness, gazing into the night.

“What kinda book is it?”  Huck asked.

“Book ’bout theology,” Jim said, his voice trailing away.

“Theology!  I hate theology almost as much as I hate schools and rules,” Huck said, and emphasized the point by spitting into the river.  “What good is a theology book on a trip like this?”

Jim was silent for a long time before he answered. “Trip like this is long.  Lotta things gonna happen.  Might come in handy.”

Handy indeed.  Theological questions are good because they force us to think about God and how God relates to the world.  And thinking theologically is something we need to do far more of. 

Filed under: Blogging Toward Sunday