ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 7, 2022
In worship this morning, I will be talking a bit more about one of our denominational founders, Alexander Campbell. This is part of a worship series entitled: The Disciples in a Nutshell. Campbell held an intriguing, if not naive, belief in the human capacity to seek truth above all else. He wrote,
“We will not hearken to those questions which gender strife, nor discuss them at all. If a person says such is his private opinion, let him have it as his private opinion; but lay no stress upon it; and if it be a wrong private opinion, it will die a natural death much sooner than if you attempt to kill it.”
I like his thinking, but we currently live in a world where any thought that appears in a person’s brain is not only allowed to be spoken, but posted on social media (a little like what I’m currently doing), and it will find some community of like-minded thinkers who will praise its worth, no matter how nonsensical or even dangerous it might be. In 1st Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul wrote: “…examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good.”
Now I’m pretty sure I have posted a few things that might not have made it to the level of “Good” if scored accurately, but I spend a fair amount of time examining, testing, questioning and researching what I write and say. Occasionally I will state something, but preface it with the words, “This is just an idea floating around in my brain, and I’d be curious to hear what you think.” We desperately need to move to a place where we are not simply looking for those who will corroborate our ideas that are driven by insecurities and fears. We need to pay close attention to scientists and historians, philosophers and the wise among us. And we need to be okay with saying, “Wow! My idea was a bit far-fetched, and it is time to let it go and embrace the findings of those who do know.” And remember, just because someone has a blog, a YouTube channel, or even a late-night TV talk show, does not make them an expert or trustworthy.
Help me to seek truth, O God of the Universe, even when the truth I find makes me uncomfortable or forces me to admit I was wrong. In those moments, provide me with a double dose of your grace. Amen.
