I often hear people refer to ours as a skeptical age. A glance at a newspaper or magazine stand, however, shows that we in fact live in a very credulous time.
People hold beliefs about virtually anything conceivable on the basis of little or no evidence.
The work of theology is to look critically and creatively at what we hold to be true. Few things release more energy and imagination than that our deepest convictions are both cogent and fundamentally true. Examining Christian belief for its meaning and truth is the exhilarating and crucial responsibility of Christian theology today. In recent years I have written and spoken on how the seminary can help the church in examining and proclaiming the faith. A Conversation About the Future of United Methodist Theological Education .