Discussion Question 1: What has shaped your theology so far?

What are some of the people, experiences, or influences (songs, books, etc) that have shaped the way you view God? Take a couple minutes to brainstorm at least 20 items. Then write a short post listing five of those items, along with a brief explanation of how they impacted you.

Bible - This one is pretty straight forward. The main source of how I view God came from the Bible. This is the authoritative source of what I believe regarding God. The rest of these sources helped me to shape my theology. The scriptures gave me the base of understanding and the rest of the sources played a part in helping me interpret what the scriptures say.

Dark night of the soul - Starting two years ago and ending March of 2022, the hardest period of my life helped me to see God as kind, gracious, caring, faithful and ultimately more loving. This year and a half period of my life helped me to move away from a view of God that was ridged and tough to a view of God that is gracious.

Church - Going to church and hearing how Gods word applies to my life every Sunday has had a big impact on how I view God. I can't pinpoint one thing I have found I believe about God from church because I've been going my whole life.

Chi Alpha - Sermons, podcasts, small group, one on one relationships and anything else has shaped how I view God. One of the many things Chi Alpha has helped me to see is God's desire for His children through the great commission.

Loved ones- Trusted loved ones that I go to when I have questions, concerns, worries etc. about God or about situations have influenced the way I see and understand Jesus. Most of it reenforcing God's grace.

1. My parents and family
We had daily prayer meetings twice a day where we would sit together to read the Bible, sing worship songs, talk about the Bible, and pray. They also were very adamant about memorizing scripture and recognizing the power of prayer! They were foundational in shaping my views of God and theology.
2. My Milwaukee campus pastors
These guys have been some of my biggest disciplers! They were able to walk me through many hard times and were able to show me God's love, and also be able to correct me when I needed it. They showed me that God wanted not only to be known by me but to walk beside me through life.
3. Conversations with Christian friends
Growing up in the church I think theorizing with my friends and having those earlier theological discussions (even if they were not that formal) helped me form a love of dissection and learning. They helped foster my curiosity, as well as teach me to be honest with God about the doubts I had.
4. Christian allegory/symbolism books
Narnia! Hinds' Feet On High Places! I love some good symbolism! I have always been drawn to things that capture the imagination; I always found it so invigorating to discover an old subject with new eyes in this way. I love that God allows us to rediscover him in so many ways!
5. Christian movies/tv shows
My parents were very strict in the shows and movies we would watch growing up. So, watching all of TBN (Tabernacle Broadcasting Network), I learned a lot of biblical concepts and a good amount of random church history. The stories of the Bible and of our Christian lineage felt alive! These helped me see that God has been involved all throughout history, and is relevant to all people!