Paws for Thought - The Theological Education of Rectory Puppy - May, 2023
Thursday, 27 April 2023 17:51
Paws for Thought
The Theological Education of Rectory Puppy
Welcome to the next instalment of the continuing theological education of Jessie (The rectory puppy) under the wise tutelage of Lexie (a wise old dog with formal theological training and many years’ experience)
Jessie: Lexie, I have been worried about you.
Lexie: That’s nice but why?
Jessie: You haven’t been very well and Rev Keir thinks you haven’t got long left
Lexie: I may be old and struggling with a few things but I am all right.
Jessie: I don’t want to think about getting old and dying.
Lexie: Well, that is something we all have to think about at some time or other.
Jessie: But I am not very good at being sad. I like to be happy.
Lexie: That is the wonderful thing about the season of Easter.
Jessie: I thought it was Easter Sausages and Doggy Choc drops!!
Lexie: Easter Sausages?
Jessie: Yes, the special Sausages that Rev. Keir gives us so he doesn’t feel guilty about all the chocolate he eats.
Lexie: Oh, I see. There isn’t really a tradition of Easter Sausages.
Jessie: All traditions start somewhere, this is definitely now a ‘thing’
Lexie: OK, but the real celebration of Easter is that Jesus was resurrected and showed the world that death is not the end of things.
Jessie: You mean……?
Lexie: Yes.
Jessie: More sausages!!!
Lexie: Well, not what I was thinking, I was considering the theology of eschatology.
Jessie: What’s that?
Lexie: It is the study of death and the destination of the soul.
Jessie: Oh, that sounds a bit rubbish.
Lexie: Well, it is more about understanding the idea of what happens when we die?
Jessie: That sounds easy, we go to Devon.
Lexie: I think you mean Heaven. It is a bit more complicated than that. Some think that there is judgement and only people good enough go to heaven.
Jessie: That sounds a bit weird, if God loves us all, why would anyone not go to heaven?
Lexie: Exactly, God is more about sharing Love than condemnation, that was what Jesus came to teach us.
Jessie: So, we can do anything we want? I am going straight up on the sofa!!
Lexie: Well it is more about living your best life and loving your neighbour.
Jessie: I am not sure what that has to do with sitting on the very, very comfortable sofa?
Lexie: Making other people sad, like leaving hairs on the sofa makes Rev Keir sad, isn’t the best way to live for you, is it?
Jessie: I suppose not.
Lexie: So it is not about being judged by God for being on the sofa, but rather making someone sad for doing something that hurts their feelings makes you feel bad as well.
Jessie: I am not sure I fully get the whole eschatology thing but it is starting to make me think of some questions
Lexie: well, I will let you into a secret. No-one gets it. That is why we need faith.