Living the Questions

I started a progressive Christian group study last night, the curriculum of which is called "Living the Questions." It's discussion and a DVD presentation. Some of the church leaders in the DVD are people I have admired for some time and others are new to me. Yvette Flunder, John Shelby Spong, Mel White and many others.

I love Spong - and I loved what he said in the piece we saw last night. He said that the times in the church's history when we were most certain were the times when we were acting most heinously - burning people at the stake, starting holy wars.

There is a discomfort with being in the mystery and living with uncertainty. Not knowing for certain what happens when we die is frightening. Not knowing if you are right is disconcerting. But I find if I am willing to challenge boldly-held notions, I come back to my core beliefs with conviction and clarity.

I kept thinking last night about the pastor in A Prayer for Owen Meany who is so full of doubt...