There is an odd dynamic familiar to those who have grown up in the evangelical church. It begins to show up our early teens, and sometimes sticks around indefinitely. From the time we are old enough to listen, children are told the truths and facts about God. We learn them from our parents, pastors, Sunday school teachers, and any other church leader given a chance to impart this knowledge. We might be led in the sinner's prayer to accept Jesus into our hearts, because if we don't, well, you know. We are told of Jesus' love for us, so much so that he dies for our mistakes. Just like math and reading, we are taught what to believe from people we have no reason to distrust. Things are progressing smoothly.
And then, sometime around middle school, we are hit with this:
Your faith needs to be your own.
Wait, what? I thought everything you told me was true. Can't I just base my faith on that? Why have I gone through all this training, only to find out that I now need to rediscover and reaffirm all of it myself?
Some take it and run with it. They embrace the brief journey, never missing a beat. They have the strong and unquestioned foundation on which to build their own spiritual identity, nearly indistinguishable from the starter pack they received. Honestly, this is what a lot of parents wish for their children. I've had several friends take this path.
Some take it and just run. They have been given a free pass to decide for themselves which path to choose, and they want nothing to do with the religion of their parents. They discover some inconsistencies in the narrative, and toss the whole thing aside. I've had a few friends take this path as well.
Some take it and wrestle with it. They know what they've been taught, and they take the task of making their faith "their own" seriously. These are the people who ask the hard questions. This is the path that I want my children to choose.
Sometimes this process is called "deconstruction". It is taking what I've been told, breaking it down to its fundamental parts, examining the pieces. If this concept seems scary of foreign, think about the alternative: belief in what someone once told you without giving it any critical thought. I mean, maybe they were right, but maybe not. If they were right, then deconstructing will reveal their teaching to be true, with the added bonus of giving you the basis for believing it. If they were wrong, you can now critically assess what the truth is.
We tend to think that asking tough questions shows a lack of faith, when in reality, asking tough questions is the only way to strengthen our faith in what is true. At LFA, we are beginning a series on "Knowing God: Current Questions, Timeless Doctrines," and I am excited to be able to explore some hard questions.
I don't think God calls us to blind faith. I believe that he wants us to find our faith through searching, wrestling, and asking hard questions. Then we come out on the other side with an authentic faith, and one that is our own.
--Jeff Hyson
