I have read several comments from Christians, including clergy within my denomination that either imply or explicitly state that certitude and the lack of questions is a virtue in Christianity. I get that impulse (especially when the world seems on fire), but certitude is not a virtue in scripture. Faith is the attitude in scripture and faith is the opposite of certitude because faith is centered in trust rather than certainty. Maybe the idea of certitude comes from misunderstanding the teaching of Jesus of becoming like a child.
The assumption is that children just believe or accept. The problem with that is I have never seen a child who does not ask questions about almost everything. Sure quick and pat answers are comforting for some, but that is not the way we learn. The Gospels are full of people leaving their encounters with Jesus with lots of questions - the disciples included. The Gospel of Mark is a Gospel in which the insiders continually walk away with questions because they struggle with the teachings.
All subscriber access opens Monday September 15
If we are teaching without leaving some questions, we are indoctrinating rather than inviting into discipleship. Childlike faith is anything but simple certainty. Children approach things with wonder, curiosity, imagination, and questions. Do children trust? Yes they do, unless someone harms them. But trust is required when you are seeking to understand the world around you. Trust allows us to ask questions and challenge the ideas we are handed. Trust gives us the ability to ask questions without fear; like children do.
Becoming like a child is living in wonder, curiosity, imagination, and the trust to question. What often happens between the life stage of limitless whys to a stage of certitude is that we are taught that questions are bad. Questions and curiosity are not encouraged; sometimes they are downright forbidden. That is a sad thought. The fear of curiosity is born in the fear of losing control or power. Growing requires questions. Growing requires trust.
Questions are dangerous to the powers. The sacred places of trust in which questions are welcome are terrifying to the powers. Doctor Who leaned into this fear in the 2005 Christmas Special in which the Doctor tells politician Harriet Jones that he can bring her down with six simple words. She scoffs, but the Doctor whispers to her aid, "Doesn't she look tired?" The powers really do not like questions. The powers do not like growth or anything which may remind people that the powers are truly powerless.
Find people you trust enough to give and receive questions. Find a path of discipleship in which questions are the norm. Be faithful in questioning the powers even when they appear to be on your side. Be curious and willing to ask why. This week a song I heard many times in bars and other venues over thirty years ago by a friend has been going through my head.
While the recorded version has an excellent organ part, I like this live performance from THe Bluebird Cafe because it is stripped down:
"'Kick a little harder
The water here is deep
I'm holding on tight to you
I promise you won't sink'
A little boy understands as he swims towards the sand
There is truth in his father's words
And safety in his hands
I want to believe with the faith of a child
I want to live every day in the light of love divine
I want to retrieve what once used to be mine
I want to live with the faith of a child"
Jon Blackstone
Faith allows us to be in the deep end of life knowing we are safe. Being in the deep end means being able to ask tough questions. Being in the deep end means being able to hear tough questions. Faithfulness entails being able to ask and hear those questions without fear.
Do you have a place to ask tough questions?