I may be slow on the uptake. It is a realization as I grow older that I am not as quick to change my ways as I would like to think. The latest way this has dawned on me is in my thinking and appropriating the reality of my evangelical/traditional upbringing. I have heard for years now and even at times taught about the intellectualization of the Christian Faith. I have at times been very adamant about the detrimental effect of making the Faith a rational and verifiable enterprise. Yet, the older I get the more I realize the roots of one’s tradition are very difficult to uproot?!

Recently, the implications of this rationalized faith have become even more graphic to me as I began to see how a faith that is unduly focused on right belief and doctrinal purity begins to erode a faith that finds any moorings in emotion, intuition or behavioral practice. In the evangelical world I grew up in and was educated in - the premise was our Faith had reasons. Our entering into a life with Christ was no “leap in the dark” I was told - Christianity was a rational faith that was soundly rooted in facts verifiable by science and history and archeology and, and, and… The result of such a presupposition was that our Faith moved away from the story of Scripture to be situated on premises, principles and propositions taken from Scripture. Our theology moved from the story of Creation and Promise; Incarnation and Atonement; and Community and Restoration to one of Justification and Sanctification among other theological constructs (now I know that this is not necessarily incompatible - but the move away over time can become one that is irreconcilable). I grew up in a faith that taught me to trust in my positional standing before God on the basis of a forensic justification. Right belief provided me a right standing - and it was something that was true - the evidence demands a verdict.

A faith that is proportionally more situated in the head is one that over time grows to be a faith that is cold, less relational more rational, focuses on being right more than living at peace with others and seems to more easily slide into a lifestyle of legalism. A broad brush stroke I admit - but in my experience a brush stroke that contains a good deal of reality (exceptions aside). In this move among conservative Christians moving from a faith rooted in God’s story to a faith rooted in rational, scientific study a divorce has take place - between the head and heart; between Systematic Theology and “Practical” Theology; between scholarship and spirituality.

Over the past ten to twelve years I have noticed a resurgence of concern regarding this “divorce.” I have read much and become hopeful that a reconciliation between Systematic Theology and Practical Theology (would we call this Narrative Theology?) can take place. What I would like to suggest is that a new (really an ancient) conception of faith is needed. Doubt is not the opposite of faith. Certainty is. Our Christian Faith is not first and foremost a provable enterprise that we can know with certainty. If so - than we are not in the business of faith. Faith does demand an element of trust in the midst of UNcertainty (and if that is true doubt seems to be the companion of faith?!). The ancient conception of faith was a holistic acceptance of God’s existence, God’s nearness and God’s involvement in Creation that demanded a response of head, heart and hand. The ancient conception of faith shows that because we believe that God spoke we therefore align our behavior and relationships on the basis of our trust in God’s goodness, greatness and faithfulness (think the birth of Isaac, the blood on the door frame, the walking into the Red Sea and the Jordon, the fire consuming the sacrifice, the Virgin birth, walking on water, etc.) How does this faith grow - I would say it is a wedding of right belief AND right relationships AND right practices. For too long we have emphasized belief with very little concern for the place of practices and community in the development of our spiritual lives. The place of a mystical union with God and the community of God’s people has a necessary part in restoring God’s image in each of us. The place of right practices (baptism, eucharist, biblical worship, serving others and spiritual discipline) also must be elevated to new heights if we are to see God’s people move beyond head knowledge to be transformed into those who are marked with the image of God.

Well I have diagnosed more than prescribed for sure in this post - hopefully I will return to this theme and look at the ramifications such a reconciliation would have in youth ministry.

But, enough for now - Peace.