Many seem to forget that, regardless of one’s academic specialization, all education at the university and graduate school level develops within students the same invaluable skills: how to use appropriate and effective research methods, how to analyse, to synthesize and to evaluate. These are all key skills needed to merit a respectable position and succeed in the corporate world.

I have also encountered another common misconception: that theology deems all profit-driven corporations as evil.

To work for profit is not necessarily an evil thing as it does yield many benefits. It is only when corporations engage in dishonest or immoral activity in order to achieve those profits that they become evil. However, there appears to be no harm in working for profit when one performs work with honesty and integrity and works for an organization that shares these values. 

On various levels, theology respects and embraces the secular world, such as the great discoveries of mathematics and science, and continuously attempts to revive itself and speak to modern day culture. Theology can help us to understand and live comfortably within the secular world.

Something that has always attracted me to this discipline is that it compels me to ponder the larger questions about human life.

Theology covers the bigger picture and allows us to understand and analyse our position on Earth and in the universe. It addresses important questions such as the nature and reason for human existence, why we act the way we do and why humanity continues to make poor decisions motivated by the appetites of human nature.

The theological perspective can be applied to every aspect of society and human life, something that many too often ignore. Theology addresses the world of politics, science, human psychology, business matters and history, just to name a few. While we live in a world that is largely secular and is becoming increasingly more secular as the years pass, this is no reason for one to devalue the importance of theology.

Theology challenges me in two ways. It is perhaps one of the most difficult disciplines to master as it demands the mind grasp very complicated and complex concepts, such as the doctrine of the Trinity and theory of soteriology.

I find theology keeps me grounded and allows me to put things into proper perspective. It helps me to realize where my distractions lie and allows me to prevent these distractions from blinding me from the more important things in life.

And so, to all you theology pursuers out there: keep it up, there is a great purpose in what you do.

(Wong-Ko-Nang, 23, is pursuing her Masters of Theological Studies at the University of Toronto.)