Honesty over Certainty
I once worked for an institution that got into a big old brouhaha about whether we could be certain about matters of faith. The argument seemed silly to me at the time, and it still does. Those who refused to use the word “certain" to describe their faith were accused of heresy, and most eventually left, some on their own, others through a purge that would come later.
I think we live in an age where people want honesty more than they want certainty. And, honestly, there are lots of things related to Christianity of which I’m uncertain.
I think it is helpful for me as a pastor to admit that I’ve been wrong about some matters of faith in the past, and I’m probably (or you could say, certainly) wrong about some now. I think it’s helpful to admit that the Bible is a complicated, sometimes difficult book to understand. It is best understood and applied through community rather than through long creeds. Creeds box us in, and there are a few things where I think this is appropriate, areas that are the bare essentials of the Christian faith. For us, there are five:
- The Bible is our book.
- We believe in the God who is discovered in the Old and New Testaments.
- We believe that Jesus loves to heal and save people.
- We believe that the resurrection really happened.
- We believe in the present and future Kingdom of Heaven.
A humble approach to faith requires that we stay open to admitting that we have been wrong and be willing to change our beliefs when we come to a new understanding. I’ve changed my beliefs on creation, no longer convinced that it had to occur within a set time frame of six 24 hour days. I’ve changed my beliefs on how this world will end, no longer expecting to be “raptured” out while others suffer, believing instead that we need to be prepared to remain faithful to Christ through difficult times, resisting corruption whether we find it in the empire of government or the empire of the church. I’ve changed my belief on the best way to provide pastoral care to people who are LGBTQ+, believing that welcoming, loving, and including them is far better than judging them and shaming them out of the church.
Here’s how we do it at Central. We are open to doubt and deconstruction, seeing them as potential pathways to a healthier faith. We invite people to ask tough questions and don’t respond with shock or indignation when they do so. We focus our efforts on creating a community rather than a creed. We think the best way to continually discover what is true about connecting with God is in the context of a loving, patient community.
This Sunday, I’ll be doing the first sermon in a series of ten called “It’s Different Here.” Each sermon will focus on one of the ways we seek to create a safe space at Central for people to discover Jesus. Jesus loves you and can heal you. Of that, I’m certain.
Come visit Central or check us out online if this approach to doing church appeals to you. We warmly welcome you, regardless of your doubts or questions. You can also contact me directly at carl.ruby@ccspringfield.org . I'm here to help you process any questions you may have about attending church and following Jesus.
