The gospel meets your mind where it is. One great thing about faith is the personal intellectual opportunities it provides. There are few (if any) other things that can challenge the greatest minds around and also meet Forrest Gump’s intellectual and emotional needs. For some reason, the Gospel can be simple enough for a child to understand, but vast, powerful, and consequential enough to make an impact on a genius. The intellectual issues and significant. I get more challenges from studying the Bible and faith-related things than I do anywhere else. After you have a familiarity with faith, you can start looking at the world through that lens, and that provides an additional challenge/opportunity.
Faith Glasses: I see the following C.S. Lewis quote more than most other Lewis quotes: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” The reason this quote is used so often is that it rings true for Christians on a deep level. This is what happens: You know certain things are true and that they exist. You accept these things and arrange your life around them. Examples include: Love, morality, human behavior, darkness/evil, the ego, existential angst, pleasure, wisdom, storytelling, and compassion. Christianity provides a complex “why” for these things that exist, and suggestions on what to do with them. The longer you think about the world through the “Christian paradigm,” the more you see the world and faith go together. They explain each other, and they provide solid, concrete reasons for paying attention to the things that you pay attention to anyway. Hopefully, in later posts, I will be able to provide detailed examples of the way the world and “Faith Glasses” mesh.
Two types of Christian thinkers, and two sub-types: There are two types of Intellectual Christians that I've come across: Educated and uneducated. Then there are two types in each of those types: security-based thinkers and exploration-based thinkers.
Let’s start with educated Christians. These are Christians who have actually read the Bible. Google informs me that Christians who have read every word of the Bible make up 10-20% of Christians, which is just pathetic. Come on, guys. You can get it on tape! Educated Christians study the Bible, are familiar with it, and are able to apply specific things from it to their daily life and their thoughts. They have a reason for what they believe and their mind is on the specifics of their faith at all times. Not only that, they have gone deeper into spiritual issues.
Uneducated Christians are still Christians, but they are at a disadvantage. If you don’t know the material and engage with your faith, how do you expect it to sink in? These Christians operate at a more shallow level and miss out on the intellectual and philosophical depth to be had. They ignore their faith and study other, more present and temporary things. They are preoccupied with distractions, for now. It shows. It shows to atheists when these Christians give a cliché, trite answer to a question the atheist has really struggled with, because that Christian can’t pull wisdom from scripture. It shows in their actions. I know the people reading this are thinking of a few people who are like this. Because it shows. Your faith really isn’t that important to you, because you don’t spend time learning about it, and lots of people can tell. If you are this person, at least try to refrain from judging others and holding them to your standards, because you don’t have a full understanding of your standards, the reasons behind them, and how someone can actually live by them beyond employing sheer will alone. Focus on giving lots of grace and serving others, if you can.
Security-based thinkers- Both educated and uneducated Christians (and people at large) can be security-based thinkers. These Christians, when faced with a question, immediately look for the answer that fits the beliefs they have had for years. Then they find that answer, and the issue is closed. They rarely seek out questions themselves. They want an answer to everything, and they don’t want to stir the pot. These people often have gurus or similar authority figures whose word is law. If they come across a grey-area theory, they run this theory by their authority figure or church denomination, and what that person says is the way it is, end of discussion.
Security-based thinkers- Both educated and uneducated Christians (and people at large) can be security-based thinkers. These Christians, when faced with a question, immediately look for the answer that fits the beliefs they have had for years. Then they find that answer, and the issue is closed. They rarely seek out questions themselves. They want an answer to everything, and they don’t want to stir the pot. These people often have gurus or similar authority figures whose word is law. If they come across a grey-area theory, they run this theory by their authority figure or church denomination, and what that person says is the way it is, end of discussion.
This is common, and just fine, among young Christians, teens, and children. Young Christians and young people need a foundation on which to build. I remember loving apologetics books, because they posed the questions and then gave me a list of answers that I could use to bolster my faith. I think these are great, but I think most Christians grow out of them, at some point, because they aren't necessary anymore. The Gospel is powerful enough to drive a point home without statistics. The existence of God becomes evident enough in your daily life.
For adults and people who have been Christians for more than 15 years, I’m not a huge fan of people staying solely security-based thinkers. It just isn’t any fun, and coming to your own conclusion, over time, makes that conclusion stronger and more meaningful to you anyway. Also, it’s harder to be wrong when you fully explore different viewpoints. It’s also harder to be judgmental of others for disagreeing, because you honestly understand their point of view. Also, security-based Christians have to be right about every piece of the puzzle and they also have to have every piece, or their whole faith tends to fall apart.
Exploration-based thinkers- These thinkers can pilfer concepts from other religions and cultures when they see that these concepts are objectively true and useful. I got scolded by another Christian once for taking a Buddhism class. When I asked why he was against it, even though I had a firm Biblical foundation, he said, "If you don't know why it's wrong, I can't even begin to make it clear to you." Helpful chap. Instead of freaking out and thinking, "Everything in Islam is incorrect BECAUSE IT'S ISLAM," Christians can appreciate Muslim teachings that don't contradict what Christians already know to be true. Christians can take scientific concepts and theories and the science can coincide with faith, and they can compliment each other. As I commented on a relative's blog recently, "I think everything in the Bible is true, but not everything that's true is in the Bible."
Exploration-based thinkers- These thinkers can pilfer concepts from other religions and cultures when they see that these concepts are objectively true and useful. I got scolded by another Christian once for taking a Buddhism class. When I asked why he was against it, even though I had a firm Biblical foundation, he said, "If you don't know why it's wrong, I can't even begin to make it clear to you." Helpful chap. Instead of freaking out and thinking, "Everything in Islam is incorrect BECAUSE IT'S ISLAM," Christians can appreciate Muslim teachings that don't contradict what Christians already know to be true. Christians can take scientific concepts and theories and the science can coincide with faith, and they can compliment each other. As I commented on a relative's blog recently, "I think everything in the Bible is true, but not everything that's true is in the Bible."
Exploration-based thinkers don't have whole boxes of thought and categories of people labeled "good" and "bad." The most convincing lies in life are wrapped in truthful statements. Separating what makes sense from what doesn't on a detailed level is a skill that helps with life. If you just reject a whole category and accept a whole category (all Republican things bad, all Democrat things good, for example), lots of truth gets lost and lots of little lies seep in. Islam and Hinduism are the two religions I really just don't get. The others make at least half a lick of sense to me. But I know that those two religions that I don't like have things that I would agree with, if I looked at them closely. Which I haven't, I'll admit. Rob Bell brought this up in one of his less controversial books (it was still controversial, haha). He asserted that all truth is from God and that Christians should claim truth wherever they find it, because it is theirs. That thought stuck with me. If you are going to go to college, study other belief systems, and associate with smart people who are not Christians, you are going to need this concept, or you are going to become confused.
I once lent a book to a Christian friend. It was Christian nonfiction and it had about 12 chapters. In one of the chapters, the author brought up a viewpoint that is unpopular among mainstream Christians. The rest of the book was totally helpful, sweet, deep, and Biblical. However, that Christian unfortunately zoomed in on the 10 pages she found objectionable. Rather than just disagree with that one part, she decided that this book wasn't something that I, my friends, her friends, or she should be reading. She mentally discarded the entire thing, which to me was excessive.
Christians are going to disagree. Rather than splitting up into 500 denominations based on different interpretations, can't we discuss and then let people disagree with us? Can we only worship with people who only baptize adults and not babies? Are they not Christians? The fact that we have so many denominations answers this question, and it's sad. Some disagreements are "material" and should create different denominations. Most are not material, I think. For everything a fellow Christian has wrong, in your view, they have 100 things you would agree with and about 20 things you can learn from them that you will accept as true. Exploration-based thinkers can benefit from worshiping and thinking with these people.
C.S. Lewis (again, I know) told a story about three friends. Friend #1 died, and Friend #2 thought, "Well, at least I will have more time with Friend #3 all to myself and I will get to know him better." To his sadness, Friend #2 discovered that there were certain parts of Friend #3 that only Friend #1's mind and personality brought out. Because God is a personality, this is true of him as well. It's beneficial to have as many people as possible sharing with you what they are learning about God. Lewis points out that it is much better to have all types of Christians, because then you have a full range of perspectives, observations, and modes of worship. You weaken the intellectual part of your spiritual life when you surround yourself by Christians who agree on absolutely everything.
The exploration-based thinkers aren’t afraid to spend time on a difficult or scary concept. Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” It makes sense that since we are trying to decipher another dimension and know God, there are things that will be beyond our theology, concrete answers, and simple explanations. The Bible is full of people questioning God to his face, and God seems to like it. God engages with and uses these people. This type is honest and unafraid to say, "I don't know the answer to that yet." At the end of the day, their faith can be just as strong as anyone else's, but fearless and more applicable to specific life situations and other cultures.
Here's a C.S. Lewis quote (this blog is turning into C.S. Lewis bonanza, seriously.) discussing the Trinity and Christianity- “As you advance to more real and more complicated levels, you don't leave behind the things you found on simpler levels; you still have them, but combined in new ways—in ways you couldn't imagine if you knew only the simpler levels…On the Divine level, you still find personalities; but up there you find them combined in new ways which we, who do not live on that level, cannot imagine. In God’s dimension, so to speak, you find a being who is three Persons while remaining one Being…Of course we cannot fully conceive a Being like that: just as, if we were so made that we perceived only two dimensions in space we could never properly imagine a cube.” You see him pointing out that there are 1) levels of truth and 2) things of which we cannot conceive. This means there is plenty of room for theorizing, guesswork, experimentation, and other fun things. Don’t be afraid to go there.
Now, uneducated, exploration-based thinkers may fall right out of the box they are trying to think outside of. They have all the love of exploration without a solid foundation. This is to be avoided. Uneducated, security-based thinkers can get annoying, fast. They have all the surety of someone who knows everything and none of the knowledge or intellectual experience. At least with educated, security-based thinkers, you will have someone who can back up their thought. I don't know which category that people whose faith requires them to accept everything their church accepts (like with strict, traditional Catholics and Mormons) fit into. Likely, it's a mix of both exploration and security (the security part being the parts that their churches have explicitly rule on). Most Christians are probably a mix, depending on what topic is on the table. I'm a mix, for sure.
One thing that is lame about Christian thought: Exploration-based thinkers may have opinions or questions they are literally afraid to bring up, because the security-based thinkers will decide that they are wishy-washy, don’t take the Bible seriously, are “liberal,” or are not even Christians. I know I have a few subjects I don’t bring up in “Christian circles.” Heck, I’m even debating whether to bring them up here on my blog or keep them in my private mind. Whatever. I do what I want. So don't crucify me when I do bring them up.
Are there any issues you guys are afraid to bring up, hypotheses that you don’t bring up in Bible study, or things you just don’t say, because you want to avoid an uncomfortable argument or influential, traditional people of faith deciding you are stupid?
Now, uneducated, exploration-based thinkers may fall right out of the box they are trying to think outside of. They have all the love of exploration without a solid foundation. This is to be avoided. Uneducated, security-based thinkers can get annoying, fast. They have all the surety of someone who knows everything and none of the knowledge or intellectual experience. At least with educated, security-based thinkers, you will have someone who can back up their thought. I don't know which category that people whose faith requires them to accept everything their church accepts (like with strict, traditional Catholics and Mormons) fit into. Likely, it's a mix of both exploration and security (the security part being the parts that their churches have explicitly rule on). Most Christians are probably a mix, depending on what topic is on the table. I'm a mix, for sure.
One thing that is lame about Christian thought: Exploration-based thinkers may have opinions or questions they are literally afraid to bring up, because the security-based thinkers will decide that they are wishy-washy, don’t take the Bible seriously, are “liberal,” or are not even Christians. I know I have a few subjects I don’t bring up in “Christian circles.” Heck, I’m even debating whether to bring them up here on my blog or keep them in my private mind. Whatever. I do what I want. So don't crucify me when I do bring them up.
Are there any issues you guys are afraid to bring up, hypotheses that you don’t bring up in Bible study, or things you just don’t say, because you want to avoid an uncomfortable argument or influential, traditional people of faith deciding you are stupid?
Next time, I will try not to quote Lewis at all. We'll see if it can be done. I've just read all of his stuff, so it's firmly ensconced in my head.
Great post. I'm thinking I may follow your example (aka copy you) and start my own faith blog. I think writing about this stuff is one of the ways I learn best. Lately my scripture study has felt stagnant so maybe a blog would help. Last month I tried going to our church's young adult scripture study class but there were so many people there that were new to the gospel and asking very basic questions, so it didn't feel like a great use of my time. Does that make me totally prideful and terrible? :/ I'll let you know if I do start a blog because I bet you'd leave the best comments.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. I'm one of that pathetic 80-90% that has not read the Bible in its entirety. I skipped parts of the Old Testament. I know I need to fix that. Maybe a New Year's resolution? But I still like to think of myself as an educated Christian. I think I fit your description for the most part.
I like your idea of faith glasses. I think I've gotten so used to my faith glasses that they've become "faith contacts" so I can't even see the world differently through the periphery. But I have to be careful that it doesn't turn me into what you call a "security-based" thinker. I am so used to looking through my faith glasses that sometimes I get a little too comfortable and stop pushing myself to learn and grow. As you said, "you accept these things and arrange your life around them." Obviously my faith has completely and totally defined my lifestyle. (I doubt I'd be a SAHM of two if it were not for my faith. I could write ten blog posts about that alone.) But I still strive to be an "exploration-based" thinker.
You've defined very well a concept that I once tried to explain to my high school English teacher, who suggested that being an exploration-based thinker could only lead to cultural appropriaion. I remember feeling so frustrated that I could not effectively convey this concept to him. I think I fall somewhere in between being a security-based thinker and an exploration-based thinker. Since I believe that God still reveals things to a living prophet, I look to my church leaders and trust in their teachings. But there is still room for speculation on spiritual mysteries and I find this not only acceptable but desirable. We are also taught the importance of gaining and building your own testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel - we are certainly not supposed to blindly accept things. (We even have a monthly testimony meeting at church where anyone can get up and share their personal thoughts on the gospel.) It's all about faith, personal revelation, and the guidance of the Holy Ghost (three complex and extensive topics). So while we encourage the acceptance of everything our church teaches (no picking and choosing), we also strongly encourage that each person develops their own conviction.
This is something that is always an ongoing process. There are issues that I've really had to wrestle with, study, and pray about. But with persistence and patience, God always gives me answers. I really hope you do write about the subjects that you don't normally bring up because I have felt that way so many times in my conservative, security-based-thinking church circles.
I also liked your point about the gospel meeting your mind where it is. One important point of this is the necessity of continual study. I think we're constantly either progressing or regressing spiritually - there's no standing still. Moses tells us in Deuteronomy that manna symbolized the word of God. Therefore, we should gather the words of God from the scriptures daily. Constant effort is required to obtain the bread of life from the scriptures. The scriptures are chock full of symbolism and we can peel the meaning back one layer at a time as our capacity for understanding grows.
Sorry. Super long comment. That was fun.
"Your Catholic, so you're going to Hell". I grew up in the thick of the Bible Belt in south-central Missouri, and I had a neighbor who told my Dad that statement minutes after their first meeting. This neighbor was a preacher of the largest Pentecostal church in town, and even though he and his family were wonderful neighbors for many years his view of us was no different than if we were Satanists.
ReplyDeleteAs a Catholic I have been accused of being a cannibal, a child molester, and worshiper of the virgin whore. And these comments are from Christians who were friends of mine. I felt sorry for them, not only because of their ignorance, but because their judgement of me came from an insecurity in their own faith. Yes, they could quote scripture left and right, but their hearts were cold and hard as stone. An example of a educated/security based Christian taken to the illogical extreme.
That's not to say I haven't heard Catholics say terrible things about other Christian denominations. It's pathetic, really. Several hundred years ago the Catholic church was a political force that had become corrupt. A good priest saw this corruption, had enough, and decided to do something about it. At first, all Luther wanted to do was reform the Church, but events quickly overtook reason. Emotions rose, wars were fought, hundreds of thousands died. In the end, we ended up with hundreds of denominations, and a whole lot of deep-seeded anger and hate that gets passed on through each generation of Catholic and Protestant.
A good person, let alone a Christian, in my opinion, should not think this way. Putting yourself in a box, and not opening yourself up to ANY other beliefs other than that taught by your denomination is not only close-minded but dangerous (Google Albigensian Crusade, Thirty Years War, and the Salem Witch Trials for examples).
I think our goal should be to become an educated explorer of Christianity. No one denomination holds sway over the truth. All denominations are human designs, and therefore inherently flawed. I live by the principle that any challenge to my faith will make it stronger. I have yet to be proved wrong.
As for other religions (I do not put Catholics and Protestants in different religions, by the way), I think we should be tolerant of their views on faith, but at the same time we should discourage extremist thinking that destroys intellectual debate. An example is radical Islam (especially those who are fundamental Wahhabists and Salafists; i.e. Al-Queda) where the end result of disagreements is either your head on the ground or theirs. As civilized people who live on the same planet we must be mature and responsible enough to rid ourselves of this stone-age mentality. I can dream, anyway.
Great post, and keep 'em coming.
Need to read more C.S. Lewis so keep on quoting.
MP: You totally SHOULD make a faith blog. I’d comment the heck out of it. Later on, after I’m done with overviews, I want to get into specific passages and make this kind of a Bible study area. It’s gonna be sweet, and it will probably help me learn/sort stuff out. You don’t sound terrible for wanting intellectually stimulating Bible groups. You’re a smart cookie. If you’re not challenged, you will zone out.
ReplyDeleteI probably need “faith contacts” a little more. I can get double-minded, and that’s probably because I hang out with atheists pretty much all the time. I know what they think and how they think, and it’s always in my periphery, but sometimes it’s not useful to me to have it in my head all the time. I like your “monthly testimony meeting” thing. I think more people should be sharing in church, other than the pastor.
“I really hope you do write about the subjects that you don't normally bring up because I have felt that way so many times in my conservative, security-based-thinking church circles.” Man, thanks for saying that. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one. I didn’t catch the Moses/Manna thing when I read Deuteronomy, so thanks for that. It makes sense. Love long comments. It gives me something to read.
JZ: I don’t think Catholics and Protestants are different enough to be “different religions” either. That neighbor sounds all kinds of rude. I’ve been to Missouri, like, eight times, and it’s still like that, haha. I think my generation is going to handle religion and extremism better, because we’ve been taught to be sick of the closed-mindedness and judgment. I really do think it’s all headed in a better direction.
Luther is really interesting to me. Love when you bring the historical perspective to the faith discussions. Looking at what went wrong/what went right in prior years can help us fix our problems, obviously. “I live by the principle that any challenge to my faith will make it stronger. I have yet to be proved wrong.”- Word. That’s the same for me too. Bring it on.
Thanks for reading, guys!
Great comments
Hey Erin,
ReplyDeleteYou really made me think through your post! :) I hadn't ever though about it before, but I can definitely understand what you mean by security-based Christians and exploration-based Christians. It is very easy to be a security-based Christian when you are young in your faith or even fall into it as a default (or cruising, as you say). It's a challenge to be able to explore and decipher what you truly believe when faced against other ideas through the media, unbelievers, other religions, etc. I do think it's important as a Christian explores to have their foundation rooted in the Bible so that unbiblical thoughts do not sneak into your beliefs though. Great quotes from C.S. Lewis. :)
ha, thanks. Yeah, I totally agree that you have to have a foundation in scripture before you explore. Lots of people don't get that, and if they did, it would save them a lot of thinking in circles/trouble.
ReplyDeleteDude, I have to call you at some point in the next couple of weeks. It's been too long. LOVED Curtis' sermon. It made me cry. Thank you for that. It was so powerful.