The Low-Level Theologian
And what you can expect from me in this space
I was fifteen years old when Jerry Maguire came out starring Tom Cruise and Renee Zellweger. The blockbuster—a fictional tale about a successful sports agent—was a box office hit, bringing in nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. I still remember my favorite scene. Nearing mid-life, Maguire has an epiphany that his life is out of control, he is not doing what he is called to do, and things must change. His life had become unaligned from his values. In one iconic scene, Maguire stays up all night writing a manifesto about who is going to be moving forward; and what the business should look like.
Maguire soon loses his job, his reputation, and his income only to claw his way back through partnering with one mid-level football player named Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.). In short, Maguire traded money and fame for integrity.
My spiritual director would call this ‘integration.’ It is the journey of seeing the inner self align with the outer self.
As I have begin my swan dive into midlife, I have begun increasingly to realize who I am—and who I am not. My day job, by trade, is as a professor of Bible and Theology at Bushnell University. I lead a Doctor of Ministry program in Christian Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. And I write. Increasingly, this part of my life (writing) has become something I am called to do with my life.
Years ago, one of my students told me after class that they had a sense from God that I was, in their words, a ‘low-level theologian.’ Oscillating between anger and bitterness, I sat on this impression. One, it turns out, was correct. I am a low-level theologian—by which I mean I am called first and foremost to serve the church, God’s people. My calling is to use my work in the academy to serve God’s people on the ground. Some are called to change the academy with good theology. I’m called to love the church with good theology. I am convinced, and have always been convinced, that theology that is not in service of the church is a form of idolatry.
All this to say: I am going to begin putting my effort and time more intentionally into my writing. As you may know, my next book entitled The Gift of Thorns: Jesus, The Flesh, and the War for our Wants is set to be released by Zondervan Reflective at the end of February on the topic of desire and the Christian life. I would love you to buy and read it. But more importantly, the release of this book coincides with some shifts in my own life. Part of this includes my beginning of a Substack (for those who don’t know what that is, this may help) called “The Low-Level Theologian.” This will begin with a weekly, free, emailed devotional on Thursdays (that I’m calling “Thursday Theology”) sent to my subscribers. This article will be a raw and transparent devotional that will serve real people with real, good, and biblical theology—with dollops of hot takes and vulnerability.
What can you expect from this?
These will not be sales pitches about books or products. No doubt, when appropriate, I will use this medium to inform my readership about forthcoming publications of mine. But these will be minimal—and only when necessary. I promise.
These writings will come conveniently to your inbox upon publication. My “Thursday Theology” devotionals will be delivered to your email door as early as possible on Thursdays. These devotionals will be free to those who subscribe. I promise.
These writings will attempt to highlight some of the best resources, ideas, and thinking I am engaging and thinking about. We all need good theology. And I want to use my training, career, and life to help with that. Given the hunger I see in the church for good theology, it is my hope that this will serve that pressing need. I promise.
These writings will focus on the goodness of the Triune God—the Father, Son and Spirit. That is, they will not primarily focus on hot topics or divisive issues. Rather, they will offer truths and reflections that go beyond the cult of the moment. I promise.
Lastly, these writings will be mine. Whatever is published is from me—unless otherwise noted. In short, no one will ghost write for me. I promise.
It is my hope that this is a gift to you. All I need is your willingness to subscribe, which you can do here. You can unsubscribe at any time. And I will never ever give your email to anyone else. It stays safe with me.
Thank you for reading my work. And letting me serve you.
God’s grace,
A.J. Swoboda, Ph.D.
Bushnell University