J. A. Szott III

In Christ | @TEDS | OG @WestPoint_USMA | Conforming the Soul to Reality one Tweet at a Time

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Is life in the church marked by anxiety, frustration, and burnout? Should the church be structured around optimization, bureaucratization, and commodification? Is church controllable?

Latest with @Lakelight_inst!

https://t.co/bcBdWO6U4m

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

I'm very excited! I've been invited to do a breakout session at the upcoming @veracityhill Defenders Conference in Wheaton, IL (April 10-11). I'll be talking about the role of the imagination in apologetics!

https://t.co/WmF5hn1Efc

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Here's my reflection on preaching from Galatians 3 last Fall!

https://t.co/amcqNU9URt

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Getting back into a writing rhythm in the new year. Excited about this one, it's been cooking for a while and I finally finished it up!

https://t.co/r6lGTDlBqb

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Here's the conclusion to my Enchanting Theology Series! It deals with Reason, Humility, Affect, and Address in the act of doing theology that enchants.
https://t.co/dFrIlB6qlR

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

How does someone actually perform enchanting theology? I have some thoughts!
https://t.co/4Imq6xFCou

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Here's Part 3 of my Enchanting Theology Series!

This is it, the beating heart of what it means to do theology that enchants. Everything up to this point has been setting the stage for this moment! Let me know what you think!

https://t.co/ad9NLxquuI

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Part 2 of my Enchanting Theology Series released today!

It contains my reasoning for why “enchantment” is still a useful concept going forward, despite the confusion surrounding it.

https://t.co/KH3Doa7SsQ

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Kicking off a 5-part Substack series today that will be releasing weekly.

It’s a manifesto for how I aim to do theology that enchants.

I had a lot of fun writing this one and it really helped to organize my thoughts going forward for the PhD program!

https://t.co/jhbKjuXmAZ

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Here are some of my thoughts on the Book of Micah and Market participation after getting to preach from this Minor Prophet last month!
https://t.co/r9D4id3MI7

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Ever heard of an anti-meme? You may have already seen one, and don't even know it!
https://t.co/zIZb0C09ww

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

"A local church is a 'perceiving culture', where malformed imaginations, after encountering the Living God, are rehabilitated so that right belief is made manifest in fitting, contextualized action."

My Latest Article with @TEDS CTC!

https://t.co/Kwd2LRK3Ot

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

Finally got around to starting my substack, a place where I intend to process life, ministry, and my studies!

https://t.co/yu3JHJANsV

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

@Jeb_R Prime example!

[Henry Center for Theological Understanding @henry_center]

#ICYMI @LizzieShively joined us this past week @TEDS to discuss the scriptural patterns in Mark's Gospel and how they shape our understanding of suffering and discipleship. It's worth a watch! #TheGospelsintheLifeoftheChurch #HCTU

https://t.co/4e9i4cmUU5

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

@mlizknight @Baylor_Press Congratulations!!!!

[Center for Pastor Theologians @CenPasTheo]

"Faithful Christians are always unreliable political allies."

@MiroslavVolf at last month's Pastor Theologians Conference

[J. A. Szott III @JohnASzottIII]

I have been very blessed in my time so far at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. I was very happy to take an opportunity to brag about my professors and classmates!!

[Trinity Evangelical Divinity School @TEDS]

As John Szott looks ahead to a future as a pastor-theologian, he has gathered a vision for how work is inseparable from the call to holiness. "Everything that is done—even mundane tasks like changing diapers—can be an act of worship."

Read the full story below.

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐒𝐳𝐨𝐭𝐭: 𝐀 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫-𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧

If there is a “usual path” to becoming a pastor-theologian, John Szott hasn’t taken it! Coming out of high school, John planned to study theology at a small private school, but then he felt “a certain call on [his] life.” He ended up at West Point, which entailed a service commitment following his graduation. The sudden shift was challenging for him, forcing him to stretch his faith in new ways as he gave up his own plans and sought to follow the Lord’s lead.

When he finished his service commitment, John was excited—it was time for him to pursue the degree in theology he had long wanted! He began to look for a school where he would be challenged to dig into biblical studies and theology. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) stood out because of its evangelical perspective coupled with the intellectual rigor for which TEDS is known. John enrolled in the Master of Divinity program and received several scholarships, including the Dean’s Scholarship and a leadership scholarship.

John’s time at TEDS was academically challenging and spiritually edifying. He enjoyed getting to know his professors, who each impacted and invested in him on different levels. John says they were “sources of deep wisdom and pastoral care in addition to being excellent teachers.”

When it comes to coursework, John says, “I can’t say that I’ve had a class I didn’t enjoy.” He loved theology classes in particular. “They really opened my eyes to what the theological task should be and how it should be framed: not just a purely rational pursuit, but also a holistic endeavor engaging the mind and the heart.” He continues, “At TEDS, theology was presented not as a problem to solve but something that stirs up a sense of wonder and worship at the same time as it engages those intellectual capacities.” He also enjoyed many of the talks offered at the Henry Center, particularly a series on subversive orthodoxy.

John’s formation group was an additional highlight. Led by Dr. Joshua Jipp, who John says has “a huge heart for students,” the group would meet weekly for lunch to share their struggles, praises, and prayer requests. “That’s been an opportunity, a place of mentorship and care, for all of us. Dr. Knight and Dr. Jipp really just attended to the challenges of seminary life, the struggles, and the things that are going on with family relationships and classes. They provided a space to just kind of talk about that and support and encourage and pray for each other,” John says.

Some of John’s best memories are meeting a multitude of new friends. He enjoyed getting to interact with the faculty and building a community through being in person on campus. John says, “The relationships are really what kind of give the TEDS experience a lot of texture, and to me, they are where you kind of learn the type of character traits you want to embody going forward in ministry.”

The years John spent in the military proved deeply beneficial during John’s time as a graduate student. “I already had a lot of practical skills, like time management, which is important when going through seminary with a family. I knew how to be proactive and plan ahead.” These made all the difference! John explains, “I [didn’t want to] go through seminary and not know my family at the end because I just spent hours in the library.” Because of the time management skills he learned in the military, the opposite occurred—he is closer to his family than ever before!

In addition, the contrast between TEDS and West Point, which is entirely secular, gave him a special appreciation for a school like TEDS. John says being attuned to the differences in the schools “taught me the value of this space—of TEDS’ type of education. It just kind of helped me to see the value of learning from people who share worldviews when it comes to faith and the love of Christ. That’s something to be savored…I’ve seen a lot of growth in my walk with Christ these past couple of years.”

As John looks ahead to a future as a pastor-theologian, he is grateful for what he has learned about faith and work and how the two are inseparable. “I’ve gathered a new vision for how there really is no distinction. Our work is not something that is separate from our call to be holy, to be sacred, or to do things that are sacred,” he said.

This vision transcends his vocational calling: “I’ve just appreciated seeing everything that is done—even mundane tasks like changing diapers (I have two daughters)—can be an act of worship, a holy moment when approached from the right posture.”

Most importantly, however, he has found that while understanding theology is important, “I’ve learned that it’s ultimately about instilling the right character and the virtue. Character and virtue are going to sustain me going forward in a life of ministry…That’s what I think I’ll walk away with. That’s a good start towards a life as a pastor-theologian.”

To the donors who make TEDS possible, John says, “TEDS is such a worthwhile institution, a worthwhile space that’s been cultivated by the administration and the faculty. It’s been a life-changing experience, a place that I know I’m going to look back on knowing it was foundational to my vocational work as a pastor and as a theologian. I’m just grateful to not only those who have donated but those who have helped to preserve, build up this institution, and keep it a faithful institution dedicated to God’s Word. I think that’s just so necessary moving forward in our current landscape.”

#ministry #pastor #theology #faith #seminary #student

[Andrew Snyder @Andrewnsnyder]

Narnia is not an allegory. It is a supposal.

That is all.

[Henry Center for Theological Understanding @henry_center]

From "The Book of Pastoral Rule" (1.9) by Gregory the Great

#QuoteoftheDay #ChurchLeadership #GregorytheGreat