Why Fear Asking Questions?

As a college student, I once attended a conference sponsored by Christian campus fellowship, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Some of my friends were active in this group and I found that the IVP books were of great benefit to me. My experiences with this group have impacted my life for the better. This particular retreat was led by a well-known author.

In one session (on the Gospel of John), I decided to go public with my doubts by challenging the main assumption of the leader in front of the group of about 200. The speaker began with the self-stated assumption that "the ultimate reality of the universe is God. Can we all agree on that?" I jumped in and said, "Aren't human beings really the ultimate reality?" There was a brief pause and things got quiet.  As nicely as he could, the leader said something like, "Though that's a good question, for our purposes we'll start with God as the ultimate reality." Ouch! (Note: It's not a good idea to challenge an authority in front of the whole room. You will never win that one).

A mentor of the great John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, gave him encouragement in his early ministry by telling him to "preach faith until you believe, and because you believe, you will preach faith."* My seminary professors used this phrase some, but I think it was meant for Wesley at a unique moment in his life and work. Perhaps it was the answer to improve his preaching.

But this is not a prescription for everyone. Can you imagine teaching the traditional Christian doctrines with your fingers crossed behind your back, thinking that if you say it enough, you'll believe? That's fruitless and a little deceptive, even without the crossed fingers. It's also teaching others to be dishonest and pretend they don't question things that, to them, seem unreal. This is especially true when the world's misery is explained away by spiritualizing or theologizing the suffering of others.**

So the next time I dismiss a difficult text, I need to know that I'm also dismissing others. When a Christian doctrine bounces off my ears as wishful thinking, I will need to accept that others have similar doubts. And no amount of repeating the right words will make the questions disappear.

1. Provide intentional group settings where authenticity and honesty is part of the group covenant. Recovery groups invite members to share their "experience, strength and hope."
2. Do whatever self-reflection -inner work- you need to go beyond anecdotes and share the meaning of a personal experience. 
3. Learn to share your growth of thinking on a particular question, how your understanding has changed from childhood on.
4.  In light of experience, even the questions themselves change.

*Words attributed to Wesley's Moravian mentor, Peter Bohler.

**Jesus died to show us there are no barriers to God's love. One way that people's suffering is minimized is to compare it with God's grief in unjustly losing God's only Son. While I understand it, I have never chosen to use it as an answer to people's suffering or misery, because others may hear it as "your grief or loss really doesn't matter when compared to God's." Even if we could measure or compare such pain, what about the theological- let alone the psychological impact- of this statement?