Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Christian Piatt

Home
Progressive Christian
When Ministers Get Honest About Doubt

When Ministers Get Honest About Doubt

Last updated on: October 2, 2013 at 6:21 pm by Christian Piatt

When Ministers Get Honest About Doubt 2013-10-02T18:21:06+00:00 Christian Piatt

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Click to check out the full version of Heretic’s Guide to the Bible Blog HERE

Following is excerpted from my larger weekly Bible Study, called Heretic’s Guide to the Bible. To read more, or to join the study, CLICK HERE or on the banners above or below the text.

A friend of mine was a pastor at a church where she admitted to me that her congregation had different ideas about what fate looked like than she does. For them, the mark of true faith was a steadfast certainty that did not change from day-to-day. For her, on the other hand the practice of faith was more like a journey to brilliant mountaintops, followed by journeys into deep, dark valleys of doubt.

One time, after she brought a prominent speaker who not only gave people permission to explore their doubt, but who affirmed it as a necessary part of the practice of faith, the leaders of the church sat her down.

“We need to know what you really believe about Jesus,” they said sternly. “Can you honestly tell us, here and now, that you believe that Jesus is the son of God?”

“I knew my answer was going to cost me my job,” she told me, “but I simply couldn’t look them in the eye and lie.” She told them that, although she desperately wanted to believe this every day of her life, there were days when she admittedly had her doubts about what this meant and whether she could claim such a faith with all of her heart.

Not long afterward, the church board convened and resolved to ask her to step down from her position as minister of the church. It was heartbreaking, but at the same time, she found some strange freedom in her own confession.

“I had a choice,” she said. “I could continue collecting a paycheck and doing ‘ministry’ to people who wanted me to pretend to be something I was not. Or I could free myself from that dishonesty to explore what it is that I really believe, why believe it, and where – if it all – I might find a place where I could serve others who were on a similar path.”

Does Jesus require certainty or mustard seeds? Is God enduring enough to withstand our doubts? Is there really no room in the Christian faith for questions, for hard days, for those moments when we feel so far from God that we wonder if we can really believe any of it?

At least we find honorable company in our struggles to remain faithful. It may not be as comforting as the illusion of certitude, but at least it’s more honest. And not nearly as lonely.

See related article: “Replacing Faith with Curiosity“

Click to check out the full version of Heretic’s Guide to the Bible Blog HERE

heretic's guide to the bible

when ministers doubt

Previous Post

September 29, 2013

Church Sign Epic Fails, "God's Flatulence" Edition

Next Post

October 2, 2013 Replacing Faith with Curiosity

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category atonement belief bible Bill O'Reilly Buddhism CCM children christian piatt christianity Contemporary Christian Music current events derek flood Easter education Everyday Sunday faith faith and culture Frank Schaeffer great commission Haaz Sleiman Hobby Lobby Homebrewed Culture humor ISIS Jesus John Paul Lederach Killing Jesus LGBTQ marc driscoll Mission Year Music My Jesus Project Nat Geo parenting politics popular culture postChristian prison reform Ray rice religion republicans sacrifice sexuality theology Uncategorized video violence wild goose festival World Vision young adults

Select a Month December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did God speak to Job out of?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A cloud A burning bush A whirlwind A pillar of fire