ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 21, 2026
G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) was an outspoken Christian apologist, though often bringing some humor to his writing. One of his great lines, at least from my perspective, is:
The chief object of education is not to learn things; nay, the chief object of education is to unlearn things.
I don’t know about you, but I have had to unlearn a lot of things in life. I remember my third year of college, when I was working with some of the incoming first-year students. A young man explained to a small group how he was an only child, and he had the whole upstairs of the house to himself. He told us, “I’m going to have to forget a lot of things.” He used the word ‘forget,’ but I think he could have said ‘unlearn.’
My walk with Jesus has consisted of a lot of amazing moments of insight, but as I think more about those moments, there was usually some unlearning involved. I had to forget, or at least to put to the side something I previously believed. To pick up the new thing often requires us to release our grip on the old thing, which can be pretty painful.
Amazing God, always loving us for who we are while guiding us with love into new things, I pray for the capacity to let go of or unlearn what is necessary so that I may embrace the new thing you are putting before me. Give me courage that is rooted in your immeasurable grace. Amen.
