Theological Questions Should Not Be Discouraged
After a time in my teens and early twenties as an atheist, I returned to the church and discovered a personal faith. A major part of that was reading the Bible and wrestling with the things I was encountering.
I quickly embraced a love for the Bible and an interest in theology, although in those early days far from within a scholarly context. The church should be a place where such a theological curiosity is encouraged.
However, the congregation that I found myself in was not such a place. The expectation was that a pastor spoke biblical and theological truth and the congregation was expected to absorb what was taught without question.
Is that me being cynical? I actually did ask questions within my peer group and it was definitely not encouraged. Part of it was the view within that tradition of the spiritual authority of the pastor. It was often presented in terms of: “Touch not the Lord’s anointed.”
However, there was more to it than that. There was a sense that questions were dangerous. Once you put too much time into wrestling with a passage, you were on a slippery slope to backsliding.
Another common phrase that was used in that church was: “The paralysis of analysis.” Questioning and deep reflection were seen as a danger to spiritual vitality.
The irony was that the discouragement of questioning did not prevent a heavy turnover within the congregation. People would come for some time and then disappear, not just to another congregation, but right out of church.
As a pastor, I have determined to make church a safe place for theological and biblical questions. I do not see questions, or even doubts, as the enemy of faith. In fact I see barriers to questions as much more dangerous.
I understand why some church leaders are nervous when people question. There are never any guarantees as to where that process is going to lead someone. They may end up deepening their faith or they may walk away from it.
However, the questions will happen whether or not a congregation encourages or discourages it. It might be privately in the middle of the night or it might happen in the context of community.
Ultimately, it is not a bad thing to have changes in understanding when it comes to theology and the Bible. This should be part of discipleship. While it might be scary for all involved, it is a healthy part of Christian growth.
My question for you is this: What does your congregation do to create a safe space for people to ask the hard questions about the Bible and theology?
