When exposed to interpretations of familiar Bible passages, which challenge our current beliefs, we can very easily respond in one of three unhelpful ways. These follow comments are based on Dr. Craig Allert's "Introduction to Christian Theology".
1. The Knee-Jerk reaction. I would prefer to call it the "throw the baby out with the bathwater" reaction. Upon hearing an interpretation of Scripture that contradicts what we've believed and/or been taught, we jump to the conclusion that we've been deceived and thus everything we've been taught or believed is wrong. In essence, we want to throw out everything. For example, perhaps we've been taught and believed that women's role in the church is limited. However, now we are learning that the main passages used to support that belief/practice (1 Tim 2; 1 Cor 14) are contextually/culturally limited and thus do not apply to women's role today. This does not mean that everything else we've been taught and believed is incorrect. This reaction is lazy-minded, impatient and undiscerning.
2. The Disengagement reaction. I like to call this the "see and hear no evil" reaction. We hear something that we've been taught and believed might be incorrect or inadequate. Rather than consider it, we just shut our minds to it. We tune out and refuse to engage. We're called to do our own study and discuss what we think with others in our local church family. Rather, we ignore it all and make excuses for why we can't (really "won't") engage in the process. The "see and hear no evil" response is fear motivated and/or it is spiritually lazy.
3. The Counter Attack reaction. This reactions is based on the idea that "the best offence is a great defence." Instead of humbling considering what is being presented to us, and challenges us, we sharpen our arguments, look for the support of others who also want to counter attack and we engage, not in respectful discussion, but in firming up our long-held belief and making statements that undermine the new thoughts and even might attack the integrity of the one who is trying to rock our world. We might even label the new teaching and teachers with one or more of the following words: heresy, heretic, liberal, progressive, false, etc. But such a reaction is unfair, disrespectful and potentially divisive.
So, if these reactions are not helpful to us and/or to our spiritual family, then what reaction would be helpful? It's called engagement, where we listen, study, reflect and engage in honest, humble, respectful discussion. In the end, we may hold to what we've previously been taught and believed, or maybe, just maybe, we might actually learn something we actually didn't know. Perhaps, in the process, no matter where we land, we will have learned some things we didn't know and gain a better, overall understanding of the Bible and a greater appreciation for the beliefs of those with whom we may, in the end, we might disagree.
As Dr. Allert writes, "But, the fact is, Christianity is much larger than our own local faith communities, our own denominations, and our own western Protestant tradition." Life in Christ is about being a "mathetes". The Greek word (μαθητής) means, "a learner, pupil, apprentice, follower, disciple." Let's determine to humbly acknowledge that we haven't arrived theologically or spiritually. There is still so much to learn, so much room for growth in our understanding of God and his will for our lives and our church.
I've been a Christian for almost 42 years. I graduated from an intense biblical studies program in the first two years of my new spiritual life and I have been studying the Bible on my own, discussing it with other Christians and "sitting at the feet" of many and various Bible scholars, ever since. I've learned to read the New Testament in Greek; I am growing in my ability to translate from Hebrew and Aramaic into English. Yet, I have learned, and continue to learn so much about God and his revealed will. Rather than lose my faith, I have grown in my faith. My faith is sharper and clearer and more focused than it ever has been. I am committed to continue to be a learner until I am incapable of learning any longer.
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