I'm thinking we still have a skewed view of what it means to be a theologian. Does it mean that we are ivory-tower dwellers who are not practitioners? It may have degraded to such a thing, but I think it is just that - a degradation. I don't believe there is such a thing as a non practicing theologian in scripture. We have those who are living the life - living out the call of building the Kingdom, in the community as well as outside. But they are teachers, thinkers, contemplatives, those who work out problems and have the gift of helping to disseminate the solutions to their siblings.

I'm not sure about the poets instead of thing. I'm not sure the two are mutually exclusive - poets and theologians - perhaps we have some hybrids about. I think theology is important. It's important for us to know what we believe and why - to know the underworkings and not merely the surface of our faith. Real theologians help us all with this. They are not what we have made them to be. That might not be too bad but it's not nearly as useful as what I've been referring to.