I would guess that the popular perception of church is that for all the things that the church may or may not be, it is most definitely not a safe place to ask questions. (I’m reminded, in writing this, of this episode of Desperate Housewives. I’ve never watched a full episode, but I loved this clip, when I saw it a few years ago.) But, most pastors that I know LOVE tough questions, and may love to “question everything,” even more than the average person in the pews. So I offer this quotation….
Never accept and be content with unanalyzed assumptions, assumptions about the work, about the people, about the church or Christianity. Never be afraid to ask questions about the work we have inherited or the work we are doing. There is no question that should not be asked or that is outlawed. The day we are completely satisfied with what we have been doing; the day we have found the perfect, unchangeable system of work, the perfect answer, never in need of being corrected again, on that day we will know that we are wrong, that we have made the greatest mistake of all.
Vincent J. Donovan
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Very good thoughts here. I like the quote. It reminds me of a few others:
“Leave no stone unturned” – Euripides
“The truth of today was the heresy of yesterday. Therefore, dare.” Immanuel Velikovsky.
“I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity of conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.” – Tolstoy
“The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best – and therefore never scrutinize or question.” Stephen Jay Gould
“If you make people think they’re thinking, they’ll love you; but if you really make them think they’ll hate you.” Don Marquis
“You can recognize a pioneer by the arrows in his back.” Beverly Rubik
“The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit.” W. Somerset Maugham
Here’s an Easter assumption to question…
Where does the word “Easter” come from?
Growing up, Easter, bunnies, eggs, candy, matching church outfits, and of course, Jesus returning from the grave all went hand in hand. Up until sometime after the Civil War, this celebration was no very widespread. And when it came in vogue, it was referred to as “Resurrection Day”. Easter is the name of an ancient pagan fertility goddess whose symbols were bunnies, eggs, and flowers. Somewhere along the way, the Resurrection Day story merged itself with the pagan rituals. For kids, I can see how the joy, colors, and freshness of springtime might be more enjoyable than the bloody torture story of the crucifixion.
ps. Jesus said he was to be dead for 3 days and 3 nights. The crucifixion is portrayed on Good Friday afternoon, which is only a little over 1 day before Easter Sunday morning.
Keith,
I’ll try to respond to these before Sunday.
Good questions. Sometimes, because of my education and background, I just assume that people know the answers to these kinds of questions. Thanks for calling me out!!
Thanks Charlie, I wasn’t meaning to call YOU out. I was trying to stir the pot and call everyone else out. Being the lone comment on a post titled ‘Question Everything’ left me pretty disappointed.
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