You Think You have the truth …

It began, well I cannot really remember when it began. Maybe it was the incessant “matter-of-fact” certainty espoused by some only to discover the “matter-of-fact” did not influence the ethics of these elite former heroes of mine. Maybe it was closer to home. Could be it was the idea that my “matter-of-fact” answers to some of the most painful of circumstances rang hollow when turned in on myself. In the end, it was likely the fact I was and am always interested in learning and certain I do not have “THE” grasp on “matters-of-fact” others seem to have by the bucket fulls.

When I read Mike‘s post part personal experience and part “this reminds me of,” I could not help but think how arrogant it is for the finite to somehow thing it completely grasps the in/finite. He points to the pitfalls of thinking outloud on the internet by point to the experience of James McGrath. The quoted text begins,

A conservative blog recently described me as “dangerous”, and I realized that I should take that as a compliment.

In any event, I think McGrath hits the nail on the head when he finishes his post with this:

A conservative blog recently described me as “dangerous”, and I realized that I should take that as a compliment. Acknowledging the possibility of being a Christian while at the same time engaging in open discussion of ideas, tolerating uncertainty, and anticipating that you might have something to learn from those with whom you disagree, is dangerous to fundamentalism – but not to Christian faith per se. What is dangerous to Christian faith is viewing it as though it were something static, as though the understanding of it one has as a child should remain static throughout life, or that Christianity itself could or should remain static throughout history. But perhaps more dangerous still is the conviction that our own understanding is God’s very truth – that cannot but lead to a spiritual pride and arrogance that is incompatible with the Christian faith in general, and with the fallibility of the greatest heroes of the faith as depicted in the Bible in particular.

About the Author
Husband to Patty. Daddy to Kimberly and Tommie. Grandpa Doc to Cohen, Max, Fox, and Marlee. Pastor to Snow Hill Baptist Church. Graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Reading. Photography. Golf. Colorado. Jeeping. Friend. The views and opinions expressed here are my own and should not be construed as representing the corporate views of the church I pastor.

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