The role of a theologian

I am so, so, SO excited that my boyfriend will be going to Rome next week for an International Theology of the Body Symposium. I've been to three and he has never been to any. Unfortunately I won't be able to go with him (we imagined admiring the Sistine Chapel together, eating gelato, listening to the wonderful speakers together...sniff, sniff), but I am still happy he is going. I'm sure there's some reason for him to be going alone. And maybe this way he'll come back with the Theology of the Body FEVER I seem to be having recently.

I heard this debate yesterday between Janet Smith and Charles Curran and it was WONDERFUL. Just thinking that my boyfriend will be able to listen to JANET SMITH in person next week makes me want to dance a little jig. This debate is called "Humanae Vitae Revisited" and has a very respectful and very intelligent discussion between two moral theologians... one who defends (wonderfully) Church teaching and another who openly dissents:

https://www.mycatholicfaith.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1945:janet-smith-debates-charles-curran-on-contraception-&catid=67:janet-smith-articles&Itemid=133

So many great things were said (I liked especially Janet Smith asking "Why do I get the idea there are more people saying the Pope has to listen than people listening to the Pope?" And a lady who asks the question, "How do we know when it is the Holy Spirit really guiding us? I have a friend who says the Holy Spirit led her to leave the Church. We have a divided room here in terms of opinions. Where are all these Holy Spirits coming from?"), but my favorite quote was Janet Smith touching upon...

the role of a theologian:

Part two at about about 12:00: "You want to talk about why do 80% of Catholics contracept... I want to know how many of them have every heard a homily on this. How many of them have heard a respected theologian explain to them why the Church thinks its wrong whether than tell them they're free to dissent in good conscience, whatever good conscience might mean in this phrase. So it seems to me that the job of the theologians of the Church among others is to respectfully treat what the Pope has written to try to absorb it and transmit it so that the Catholic public who don't have the time to do this on their own can be led by those who have the privilege of having the wonderful education and leisure time that we have to ponder and peruse these things."

I am SO thankful for having had the privilege of studying theology... largely thanks to my parents for paying for my education. I am SO thankful for the leisure time I have now to continue to study and dedicate myself to catching up on 2000 years of theology. Even though my primary job is teaching English right now, I (am trying to) transmit all I know and lead the teens at my the parish youth group I lead and I also feel a theologian at heart in my daily life . And it is such a privilege!!!

Me and some girls from my youth group on a hike in October