Faithful Agnosticism

Last updated on: April 22, 2022 at 5:15 am by Bruce Epperly

Faithful Agnosticism 2022-04-22T05:15:42-04:00 Bruce Epperly

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.

Faithful Agnosticism
John 20:19-31
The gospels present four different pictures of the days following Jesus’ resurrection. While the original version of Mark ends with the empty tomb and frightened women, Matthew, Luke, and John provide a spiritual travelogue describing the fifty days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. It seems that the early church was content with different versions of the resurrection, based on different experiences and stories from Jesus’ first followers, and the needs and values of different communities and cultural contexts.

Resurrection is always more than we can fathom, but when it happens, everything changes; we come alive again. We can’t control it – it’s God’s work – but we can be open to it with great humility and a sense of our own limitations – intellectually, ethically, and spiritually. In the spirit of St. Augustine, we can accept the truth that “if you think you know it fully, it isn’t God” but something of your own creation. We cannot fully know what happened on Easter, but we can open to its life-changing reality and its promise of God’s ultimate victory over death and all that imprisons us and our companions on this good earth.

In today’s reading from John’s Gospel, the first reports of Christ’s resurrection have already been proclaimed. Mary of Magdala has seen the Risen One, and Peter and John have witnessed the empty tomb. But the community is still in shock, not sure what to believe or what will happen next.
What do you do with such amazing news? Could Jesus have really risen? They want to believe, but they are also concerned about having their hopes shattered once more.

Easter night, Jesus’ followers gather in the Upper Room, where a few days earlier they had shared Passover with Jesus. They are still fearful of what the authorities might do to them. Even resurrection can’t immunize us against arrest, persecution, sickness, aging, and death. In their anxiety, they gather simply to wait for what will happen next.

Then something amazing happens. Jesus appears out of nowhere, defying the known laws of nature. No doubt shocked at his presence, they need reassurance. Jesus gives it to them, “Peace be with you. My peace I give to you. In the midst of perplexity, fear, and uncertainty, you have my peace,” the Savior promises. Then he breathes on them and says, “receive the Holy Spirit.” And they are filled with hope; spiritually resuscitated, and ready to begin again.

Jesus gives them spiritual CPR. Once more they can take a full breath, and exhale. The breath of life restores their spirits and revives this small community. Now, Jesus will be as near to them as their next breath; now, every breath can be a prayer. Now, breathing itself can give God glory and the courage to step forward as they embrace their vocation as ambassadors of the Risen One.
How amazing that week must have been! Christ is alive! Death has been defeated!

Thomas missed Jesus’ return. We don’t know where he was: perhaps he went home, distraught, heartbroken, and hopeless. But he couldn’t stay away from his spiritual companions, and when he returned, he was greeted by a transformed community, filled with vitality and hope, and ready to move forward.

Thomas’ response to this amazing news is reasonable. “I won’t believe until I see for myself. Resurrections just don’t happen. I’m not about to abandon my intellect; I need facts before I trust the good news.” He doesn’t want to bet his life on a hoax or hallucination; he wants the real news of resurrection, not the false faith of hysteria.

Thomas is left out, but he hangs around. The only agnostic, the only doubter, the only outsider. Still, he stays. That in itself is a great act of faith.

There is something honest about Thomas’ response, and in many ways, his agnosticism is a model for us. There are a lot of faith peddlers out there in the religious world. There are lots of spiritual messages, trying to ensnare us with falsehoods and fake visions of God. They make amazing claims and wonderful promises; they say they can solve all your problems, cure all your ailments, and make you happy and rich, if you only trust them and, by the way, “we accept VISA, Mastercard, and American Express.”

Believe it or not, doubt is part of our faith journey, and is often a sign of how important something is to us. Questions are essential to a healthy faith. Faith demands sacrifice and allegiance, and we need to make sure we’ve put our faith in something worthy, something that can deliver what it promises when the going gets tough.

Jesus shows up, and Thomas is transformed. He goes out into the world, and according to legend travels as far as India to share the good news that Jesus is God’s Savior and gift to all humankind.
One of my favorite authors, Madeleine L’Engle, who penned A Wrinkle in Time, was once asked, “Do you believe in God without any doubts?” She responded, “I believe in God with all my doubts.”

We are resurrection people. But we proclaim resurrection in a world that challenges us every step of the way. We can’t understand why bad things happen to good people; we can’t understand why leaders intentionally put the planet at risk for the sake of profit; the brutality in Ukraine and across the globe overwhelms us as do the attacks on democracy and threats made on the lives of scientists and teachers in our own country; we struggle with the reality of poverty in a nation of plenty and the hate that infects so many hearts; and we don’t always understand ourselves. But, with all our struggles and doubts, we are challenged to trust in resurrection, and then practice resurrection, to do the unexpected, the impractical, and the impossible…to reach out with kindness and hope as justice seekers, peacemakers, and advocates for the persecuted and oppressed.

No one among Jesus’ first female and male followers expected resurrection; no one expected the spiritual CPR that would happen Easter night. But, in their uncertainty the disciples, the women and men, stuck around, waiting, hoping, for new life. And then, Thomas with all his doubts, embraced Christ when he appeared to him.

That’s our challenge, to wait for resurrection in our lives, the church, and the world. But waiting is not passive. As the prophet Isaiah says, “those wait on God will renew their strength, will rise up with the eagles, and run and not be weary, and walk and not tire.”

Here at church, we proclaim wonderful things about God’s grace and power to change our lives and the world. That’s the resurrection in action, and we can be people who, with all our struggles and doubts, launch out spiritually, trusting God’s presence and reaching out in love and care. We can practice resurrection today, as poet Wendell Berry says, by charting a new path, going against the grain of a death-filled and polarized society, sacrificing for the greater good whether in supporting Ukraine, welcoming immigrants, feeding the hungry, helping a friend, or embracing new life, where others see nothingness.

Yes, God is with us on the path, and with each new morning, we can proclaim, Christ the Lord is Risen Today. Hallelujah!

+++

Bruce Epperly is a professor, pastor, and spiritual guide, and author of over sixty books, including MYSTICS IN ACTION: TWELVE SAINTS FOR TODAY; PROPHETIC HEALING: HOWARD THURMAN’S VISION OF CONTEMPLATIVE ACTIVISM; PROCESS THEOLOGY AND POLITICS; TALKING POLITICS WITH JESUS: A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT; and 101 SOUL SEEDS FOR PEACEMAKERS AND JUSTICE SEEKERS.

Previous Post

April 17, 2022

The Adventurous Lectionary - The Second Sunday of Easter - April 24, 2022

Next Post

April 22, 2022 Adventurous Lectionary - Third Sunday of Easter - May 1, 2022

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews The Adventurous Lectionary Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 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 December 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz