Systematic theology should only be formed by the building blocks of diligent Bible reading and interpretation.
Karl Barth: “Take now my last piece of advice: Exegesis, Exegesis, and once more, Exegesis!”
The context for the quote is in my dissertation.
I substitute preached yesterday on Philippines 4:6-9 on Anxiety and How to take in the world and Paul’s emotional cognitive behavioral therapy.
I reread the novel At Home in Mitford (1994) by Jan Karon. I would be curious what pastors think. I think it’s great. And I read it right after Diary of a Country Priest, Kristin Lavransdatter, Brothers Karamazov, Death Comes for the Archbishop, Hannah Coulter, and Ordinary Grace.
I could imagine Mitford being called a beach read, Christian fiction, sappy, sweet, a sentimental person’s description of a small town pastor, rated PG, preachy. But I think it describes well the meaningful and amusing life of most good pastors.
Thinking of TV series, is the life of a pastor (The Vicar of Dibley) dissimilar to that of a high school football coach (Friday Night Lights) or from the life of a principal (Abbot Elementary) or a rural veterinarian (All Creatures Great and Small) in the sense of caring for lovely and troubled people?
In memoirs of pastors, there are similar stories to that of Mitford (David Hansen’s The Art of Pastoring or Richard Lischer’s Open Secrets). In each, you see the amusing and heart-felt pastoral work of caring for good and troubled people (while also navigating one’s own needs).
I think people considering pastoring could be helped by reading Mitford. But most don’t need to read Mitford because it is what they have already experienced—a warm, caring, interesting, challenging, creative Christian community. And that’s why they are considering pastoring.