"Becoming a theologian is about becoming a beginner. It isn't about whether you're old enough, young enough, smart enough or good enough. It isn't about going to seminary, becoming a church worker or seeking ordination... and it isn't about knowing what you'll "do" with theology.
Becoming a theologian is about accepting God's invitation to get started. Beginners aren't afraid of making mistakes along the way or of having to start over. They don't mind looking and sounding like amateurs. They don't waste time and energy trying to control people's perceptions of them. Beginners just want help. And they want to make progress.
.......
Becoming a Christian theologian is about belonging to the Christian tradition, finding a theological home.
[It is] like deciding to look into family history. It's an acknowledgment that I'm already part of this tradition and am willing to take a closer look -- not just because of what I'll learn about the tradition but because of what I'll learn about myself. To attempt this without a sense of belonging, for good and for ill, is like treating my family history as though it were another family's history... It's like being a spectator instead of a full participant."
- Elouise Renich Fraser
