Hello, let me introduce myself. My name is Andrew and I’m the author of this website Network Theology. I’m from Colorado, and I love hiking, skiing, and most outdoorsy stuff, and I love music and to travel, and to experience cultural and artistic events, and really to do just about anything that gets me “out there” since I’m so curious about this amazing world, all its facets, and all its peoples. But what really defines me as a person and gives me my identity is my relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord, Savior, Guide, Friend, Confidant, Life-Coach, Comforter, and Lover-of-my-soul. He, and my faith, are the greatest joy of my life. I didn’t start with that defining trait (no one really does), and I wasn’t raised with consistent or cogent Christian influence in my growing-up years. But eventually I had Christianity explained to me in a way that made sense (a relationship), and after months of wrestling with the “how in the world could all of this be true?” and “is it possible for Christians to not be jerks, because it sure seems like they are?” questions, I came to a point of waiving the white flag and giving in to the goodness and the invitation of Jesus. This, because I just couldn’t find anything false in him and his teaching, and I found myself loving what he said and, more importantly, who he was.
This is one of the main reasons I’m doing this website – for people like me who do not have a Christian background, but want to know the answers it gives to life’s questions, but without it being “shoved down their throat”. I was fortunate enough to have an experience where I had people who did the explaining, fielded my questions, and for the most part “stayed out of my hair” as I did my exploring and cogitating. And I also would sit in the back of a large church to hear “a professional” teach on Christianity, hoping that no one would shake my hand, tell me that Jesus loved me, or invite me to a coffee fellowship (whatever the heck that was) or a Bible study. In the end I was able to get most of my questions addressed and Christianity came into focus, and I was able to understand why some people might buy into it. But I also realized that you can research for a lifetime and not ever get all of your questions answered, and at some point you would just need to pull the trigger and jump in if you were to “do Christianity”. That finally happened for me – the waiving the white flag and having Jesus come into my heart – in August of 1987, driving on a highway through the cornfields of Iowa (of all places). And it was if my life went from black&white into color.
I hope this website gives you a tour of the time-honored essentials of the Christian faith, in a way that makes sense and isn’t off-putting. I promise I won’t jump through the screen and grab you! (though I do believe there is a Holy Spirit of God Who might give you internal nudges). And I also hope that as you explore Christianity through real relationships (which is also essential for understanding and growth) that you find yourself as lucky as I. I am so thankful that I’ve had the experiences I’ve had with the Church (Jesus’ followers). I owe so much to those who have further explained and mentored me along the way – people smart and faithful and patient and firm and compassionate, truly kind-hearted. I know so many have not had such an experience, and I am truly sorry for that. For those people let me humbly and officially apologize on behalf of my fumbling faith-siblings; and also remind you that Christianity is not the Church, but it is Christ Himself. I myself have been unreasonably blessed, and truly have “stood on the shoulders of giants” who have allowed me not only to see further, but also to experience more, and be shaped by their loving-character. Thank you all, you know who you are! And for those of you early on this journey of exploring I do very much hope for you to cross paths with these sorts of Christians – they are indeed out there.
Since coming to the faith I have had almost 30 years of learning and growing in it, including professional education and training; with two Masters degrees in Divinity and Ethics, from Princeton and Fuller Seminaries, and Loyola University. However, I regard the most important training for me to be through my devotional times themselves, with Jesus and the “good book” (Bible) as the teacher. And now I turn to the enterprise of daring to transmit and translate some of those thoughts here in this website-tool. I was once told that a person spends the first ½ of their life listening (or should spend it that way), so as to spend the next ½ talking and trying to give back to and help others. I’m definitely into that 2nd ½ myself, and so here I offer these thoughts. And I pray that God make sense of my often muddled thoughts, staying in charge of His own revelation to us, and the enlightenment thereby.
As I said earlier, my great hope is that you find this journey into the network of Christian thoughts and concepts to be life-giving, soul-shaping, and fruit-producing. It is truly my great joy to try and share. Also know that if you do find yourself wishing to become a Christian as I once did, I’m happy to field your email thoughts and talk to you more about it. It has indeed been the great joy of my own life, the greatest of adventures, and I hope you find, as I have, that the deep, deep love of Jesus Christ absolutely, positively dwarfs all other things in existence…