What benefit is my advanced knowledge of theology to the world, to the church or even to myself?
I have average intelligence in most realms of existence…
I am able to interpret scripture at a phd level… I think I have the brains to get a phd in theology of harvard divinity school…
But other than getting a phd from harvard divinity school… what benefit is it to me… if I understand every verse in the bible?
A Phd in Theology from Harvard is no easy task. Most people could not get past the Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. The long English words are even a different language. But if you earned a Phd from Harvard, you could get your books published and be a professor of theology.
No one understands every verse in the Bible. But if you have a good understanding of the New Testament, that is enough.
What we philosophers term "Bugger All".
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useless, there is no benefit
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You understand religion….and why it is BS. That is a rare trait to have.
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none what so ever!
you will end up with a job in maccy D’s
simples
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You can transfer the knowledge to other areas. For instance, it emphasises the emotional element in faith to an extent novel to epistemology, and therefore helps one perceive the role of non-religious faith in people’s thinking. That’s just an example.
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Personally I think virtually none (unless you intend to be a preacher and in that field it would probably be a handicap). However a crucial point of higher education is to enable you to develop the skills for critical analysis. I did my PhD in astrophysics but I’m now a graphic designer.
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So you DON’T have a PhD, but you think you COULD have a PhD, but you don’t think HAVING that PhD would be of much value?
Gonna woulda shoulda, mate!
Just do it already: get thee to a theological college. Or better still, take the reading degree at St Johns and learn the WHOLE tradition instead of just the religion bit.
Peace!
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A Phd in Theology from Harvard is no easy task. Most people could not get past the Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. The long English words are even a different language. But if you earned a Phd from Harvard, you could get your books published and be a professor of theology.
No one understands every verse in the Bible. But if you have a good understanding of the New Testament, that is enough.
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If you are seeking material benefits, as per some of the Vedanthic schools of thought any material benefits are just like Vibhuthies of God (Holy Ash).
Doing Tapas or Yajnas are said to be some civilized means to achieve extra material benefits (Siddhies) than what is naturally due with present birth (previous birth’s Karmic Debts/Assets accumulated along with what’s accumulated extra with ongoing).
So burning the Siddhanthas (the end of Siddhies) could be one method for gaining some extra Ash/Siddhies. Or even selling that to someone like Lord Indra may also bring in some earlier rains, even with lesser clouds (with the techniques of salting perhaps).
There is a story regarding the creation of "Katha Sarith Sagaram" and its gaining publicity.
Shall try narrating some parts.
There were two scholars in a King’s court. The King wanted to learn Sanskrit quickly. One Scholar said, it is impossible to do it quickly. Next Scholar said, he shall teach within just six months. Former scholar said that he shall stop using all the contemporary languages known to him, if the latter one is able to teach the King within the stipulated time.
Once when the teaching started, the latter one understood it’s not possible easily. So he went on praying Lord Subrahmanya, the Lord of all Science faculties. With the Lord’s blessings, the latter one was able to do something that rarely or randomly only happen. The King was seen speaking high quality Sanskrit in the court and the former scholar as per his principled stand gave away all languages he knew. And with a Tapas in the forest, another tribal language called (pisachi) came to him with a big heap of stories which he wrote in that tribal language.
Then he took these stories back to the old King and because of a silence (Mauna) vratha the King did not answer back anything. Thinking the King does not like it, and without finding any other usefulness for his stories written in some tribal language, the Scholar lit a fire and started offering these leaves of heaps of stories into the fire one by one day and night. The offer went on for several days and all the animals watching in the forest became so sad and stopped eating.
This got reflected back in the Kingdom nearby with low quality meat arriving from forest. When the King made the enquiry, the reason was found to be the sadness of the animals and they not eating the food because of the offerings made of leaves made by some sage in the Fire.
The King went to the forest and saw this sight, recognised the scholar and also saw only a few leaves were left back. He snatched those few leaves from the Scholar (Perhaps as Lord Indra does sometimes) and got it published. This became famous later with the name "Brihath Katha Sarith Sagaram".
Maybe if the author might have done complete sacrifice of the book, his name might have got famous instead of his book’s with a determined Prakruthi. But its difficult to surpass Lord Indra with 100% Yajnas. It is highly difficult with a highly vigilant Lord Indra to do completely a 100% sacrifice of completely own creation to attain some extra Siddhies as Vibhuthies..
But maybe the God’s status of Eternal and Absolute Bliss could be even beyond all these siddhies as per some of the ancient schools of thoghts in India.
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