You said: “But when a Douglas Moo or Douglas Groothuis makes a statement about their area of expertise, it must – or should – carry more weight than what I say.”

Not necessarily. Sorry Mike but I’ve been burned by the belief that the “most learned men” know best. I won’t bore you with the details of the abusive church I was in. Nothing carries more weight than the Holy Spirit speaking to conscience. And if it isn’t something that is helping me to conform to Christ then it’s just dry intellectualism.
So it is dependent on that. If what you say at a given time is the best advice/explanation and one that rings true then I’ll take your opinion over theirs.

I see what you are saying but to be honest it can also lead to elitism – and in so doing the ability for the layperson to hear God and communicate him is subjugated to the “expert”. Everyone can communicate the gospel. Everyone can communicate the power of God working through them. Some of the expertise is very valuable and some is a hindrance.

Reading your post it also sounded to me like you were saying theological knowledge=godliness. i.e. the more studied one is the more one can communicate for God.
“For some dumbfounding reason, many Christians seem to think that we are as capable and qualified to speak for God as those who have devoted their lives to the exacting study of the Scriptures and to an understanding of the inspired words of Him who watches us.”

Not everyone is as capable at expounding the scriptures. But not everyone who expounds the scriptures speaks for God either. Communicating for God is a work of the Holy Spirit.
I very much appreciate the work of theologians. However they are not my church authority – unless they also happen to be leaders in my church.
I respect the foot as much as the eye – in fact the parts we consider the least comely are given greater honour.
Some people learn by discussion. Why not let them discuss and learn in the process? I don’t believe everyone should shut up because the expert is the only one who knows. I do agree with listening. But again – how does some-one differentiate between the value of Spong or Groothius? They don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see the error. And they don’t have to have studied for years to point it out.

All of that is really just to say that while there is much value in the scholarship – let’s not put down the layperson for their own understanding of God and their own informal study. They may not be highly educated but might leave me for dust in terms of character, serving others and spreading the gospel. I can think of people like that

Catez:

I don’t think I disagree much with what you – or some others – have said here. What I’m really arguing against is the postmodern (if that’s what it is) idea that one person’s opinion is just as valuable and authoritative as another’s. I don’t buy that. I certainly agree that any doctrinally sound believer has more to say contribute than Bishop SpongBob. But when a Douglas Moo or Douglas Groothuis makes a statement about their area of expertise, it must – or should – carry more weight than what I say. Don’t you think so?

I think I can speak better than Bishop Spong. Or the theologian whose post I read the other day proposing that God approves of abortion and the bible supports it.

Frankly Mike, I appreciate theologians. I also appreciate the non-theologians who roll up their sleeves and set the example by serving. They speak volumes for God.