Introducing myself a little.

Some old friends of my dad's came to see him at work today. Because I work for him at the moment, I was briefly introduced before I went back to work. As I was working I overheard them talking about me.

Dad: She's just graduated.

Friend: What did she study?

Dad: Theology.

Friend: Do you mind if I ask, why theology?

Dad: I don't know. I guess it was the only rebellion she could have with me as her dad.

And whilst it's true that there's not much I could do that would surprise my father, and that becoming a Christian when I was sixteen could constitute a rebellion from my atheist upbringing, that's not why I chose to study theology.

I've always liked philosophy, but you always get to a point where you end up stuck in an argument with no clear winner. And the more intelligent you are, the more likely you are to realise that you can never quite be sure that your answer is the right one. You end up stuck in stalemate in a metaphysical chess game.

But with theology, there's practical relevance. If you're working out what makes somebody human from a religious point of view the answer is meaningful because it affects how you treat people in the real world. If being human is about being rational, then those with learning or mental difficulties could be excluded from this definition of humanity. This is problematic because it raises the question of who deserves human rights. If being human is about having rationality, then those without it wouldn't qualify for certain human rights, which is obviously a problem.

Furthermore, understanding the relationship between religion and society tells us about how we function as a community. It tells us more about how people act and why.

Plus, doing theology means you get to study a bit of everything: history, philosophy, politics, literature...

And that is why I loved my degree and am planning to study for a Masters in September.

So now you know a little more about me. See you soon!