I'm preaching a sermon series at our 9:45 contemporary service on doubt. More specifically, on "Why Christian?" by Douglas John Hall. It's an apologetic for Christianity and an honest look at why we believe the things we believe as Christians.
Last Sunday (9.30) was on "What difference does Christianity make?" When I spoke of faith as trust (not certainty), a few people had comments.
One young man (married, 2 elementary-aged kids) said people outside of churches expect (want, demand?) Christians to be unwavering in faith. He reminded us of the upset of the recently discovered letters of Mother Teresa's doubts. He said we may feel free to express doubts in church but "out there" there's a different expectation.
I was troubled by his comment. Perhaps it rang too true.
I do have doubts, at times, and feel it's most healthy to live those questions in community, as well as in my personal prayer time. In my work with young adults, I feel my honesty about doubts are actually a strength.
I wonder this: why do those outside or marginally outside chruches want us to be so steadfast? What purpose or role does this serve? Is it just a symptom of a black-and-white culture that wants easy answers?
I don't know. This seems opposite from Hall. He says doubt make us seem MORE relevant to the world. He suggested that if Christians were more honest about their doubts, our answers would be more compelling.
I wonder, finally, if focusing on what others want/need isn't the right place to start? Maybe we still start from out centered self -- centered on Jesus Christ as the particular expression of the abstract God -- so centered that we are free to doubt as part of a loving relationship with God.
2 comments:
I think we always should be outward focused. I think both men you refer to are correct. What the world needs is to be able to see our doubts and questions. What the world wants is for us to be steadfast in our faith.
Here is my sense of matters, so take it for what it's worth. This sense that world wants us as Christians to be stable, steadfast, faithful people, I believe arises out of their doubts and fears. For some perhaps because of their doubts and fears (and perhaps self-perceived weakness) they find a certain comfort in knowing that there are others that are self-assured. I suspect, though, that it is more the case that if "we" show our doubts then "they" have to admit that "they" are like us. We end up tearing down the walls between "us" and "them" and that is a scary proposition, if for no other reason we all admit a weakness that we need God...that we need the saving Grace of Jesus... Which is true, but also scary to admit in a culture where you are expected to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and use your money to cover up your weakness (with a new truck, outfit, etc.).
I suppose I'll stop there, now that I've thrown in about six cents worth. I hope what I've said makes sense. It made sense in my head, but words often fail me.
I hope nobody minds, but as I was sitting at text study with pastors from the Rochester, MN area I was struck by the end of our gospel reading... we are but slaves. All we can be is but who we are, who we were created to be. When we do that the world will see us, they will see God in us, they will see our faith.
Here is my analogy for it. Not so long ago we had a bridge collapse here in MN and a large number of people were lauded as heroes. Just about every "hero" I saw interviewed essentially said, "I just did what I was supposed to do, what anybody else would do." It's true, I suppose, they didn't do anything terribly extraordinary, but it is also true, looking from this side, that they are heroes.
The same, I think, is true of our call to faith. We live our lives as God created us, even full of doubts. We are but slaves. We see ourselves as nothing special nor more faithful than others, even non-believers. Yet from the other side they just might see us full of faith. Maybe, just maybe, they might see a mustard worth of faith.
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