10 T H EOL OGI C AL E D U C AT I ON MOOR E M AT T E R S S P R I NG 2 0 2 0
Why not theological education? Ben P George / Marketing and Communications Manager
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN COMPARATIVELY MANAGEABLE IN AUSTRALIA, BUT IT HAS BEEN MUCH MORE CHALLENGING IN SOME NATIONS.
R
ecently, in a Zoom Bible study, I spoke to a woman in Bangaluru who told me of the stark reality in some other nations. In India, the majority have no ability to keep physical distance, no health care system to accommodate the potentially millions of active cases, and no financial capacity to provide a Jobkeeper-type benefit. And so, because people need an income to survive and take care of vulnerable family members, millions upon
millions of people leave for work in bustling cities every morning knowing that they risk catching a virus that would likely kill them. Most of us in Australia have choices we can make. Imagine being in a situation without the comfort of being able to choose the option offering a greater chance of safety! However, while we should thank God for the comforts we have been afforded in this wonderful country, we also need to take stock of what is most significant in our lives, and consider what can give us true certainty. For even in Australia, COVID-19 has stripped back our certainty in the things of the world. A stable income is not a guarantee, physical and mental health cannot be assumed, and the comforts we have grown accustomed to are not certain either. In fact, this season
has exposed the frailty of humanity despite scientific and technological advancement. The only thing that seems to have stayed strong and certain is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. For Christians, this season ought to have a counterintuitive effect, as we once again lift our hands in praise and adoration of a God who gives us certainty of where we are going, and therefore confidence to live for his glory now. Recognising this stability can only truly be found in Christ, many Christians within the Sydney Diocese and beyond are crying out for a better understanding of the Bible. People want to dig deeper into the message which gives them hope and truth and purpose in life. Despite the need for social distancing and the prevalence of online learning in the tertiary sector, recruitment numbers for Moore College have been better than the previous three years at this early stage. Up to the end of July 2020, applications for courses on campus —especially our central award, the Bachelor of Divinity—have been higher than in recent years. One of the factors that may have led to this rise in enrolments is a re-focusing on what is important in the big picture of life. When a pandemic like COVID-19 strips away the creature comforts we take for granted, and exposes us as feeble and utterly dependent physically, financially and communally, you might expect that this could rekindle our yearning to be close to our great God and Father. For in the arms of our Heavenly Father we are safe and take refuge. Safely cradled in the bosom of the Father, we can lift our eyes beyond the suffering, heartache, discomfort and finite
