The wisest man in Athens...

Socrates realized something that every person should consider...

I have been reading a book written by a former Princeton Seminary professor Diogenes Allen titled Philosophy for Understanding Theology. The book provides a very helpful descriptions of specific examples of philosophy that have informed theology throughout church history. I have always avoided philosophy but I have come to the realization that the study of philosophy opens doors of interpretation of the Bible, especially the letters of the Apostle Paul.

In the second chapter, Allen describes how the oracle of Delphi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi) had said that Socrates was the wisest man in Athens. Socrates did not believe this assertion until he started to question his fellow citizens concerning the nature of virtue. The answers included contradictions and Socrates determineded that they did not know. Socrates concluded that the oracle of Delphi was correct.

Allen describes his conclusion as "he was the wisest man in Athens, for he knew that he knew nothing, whereas his fellow citizens thought that they knew but they did not." (Philosophy for Understanding Theology, 40)

In many ways, I feel like this provides a window into my first year at Princeton Seminary. I am not saying that I am the wisest man in Princeton but I am saying that I feel like I interact with individuals every day who think that they know but they do not. I am one of many who does not know. I do not know theology. I cannot even begin to say that I have "figured it out."

I constantly see how individuals here put on a facade that they are figuring it out when they are just as confused as everyone else. The reality is that most individuals talk past each other without truly interacting. Individuals are in their own silo of thinking because they are scared to appear stupid. The reality is that we are all theological adolescents who have cracking voices when we share our ideas that are far from being finalized.

My sense is that we would learn a lot more from each other and from the individuals teaching us if we were as humble as Socrates and admitted what he admitted. I am not sure what will happen during my second year but I definitely will be looking for others who admit that they do not have it all figured out. From there, we can then more humbly share what we are learning together as opposed to trying to figure it out all by ourselves.