Christianity: Black, White, or Gray?

August 12, 2020

As I’m writing this post, we are battling a global pandemic coupled with a strained racial climate that has caused decades (and centuries) of tensions to rise to the surface. Varying thoughts, feelings, and emotions are being processed. Given the world we live in, where social media can be an intricate part of our lives, some choose to process their feelings and express their opinions publicly on those platforms. Recently, there was a video of an African doctor sharing her less-than-popular opinions about treatments for COVID-19. I watched on social media as people who agreed with her shared and posted the video, offered up virtual prayers for her protection, and condemned people who chose not to believe her. On the other side of the spectrum, I observed people drag her through the wringer. They questioned her credentials, labeled her a fanatic for her views on demonic activity and the necessity for deliverance ministry, and side-eyed every person who sought to defend her. As with any mainstream event that presents differing perspectives, it prompted me to think (yet again) about our approach to faith and how we seek to simplify our experiences and categorize them into neatly contained boxes. And that desire to keep our experiences orderly and sterile leaves no room for stratification and critical thinking. We tend to approach our realities with a black OR white lens without realizing there are various shades of gray where we can land.

In the Gospels, a lawyer approached Jesus in an attempt to “test” Him, asking what the greatest commandment of the law was. In Matthew’s account [Matthew 22:37], Jesus answers his question by quoting [Deuteronomy 6:5]. In Luke’s account [Luke 10:25-27], Jesus puts the onus on the lawyer to answer his own question, and the lawyer responds by quoting the Deuteronomy passage cited above. In Mark’s explanation [Mark 12:28-30], Jesus’ response is consistent with Matthew’s narrative. In all three synoptic Gospel accounts mentioned above, Jesus replies, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (v.30). Growing up, I’d heard those verses often but one day in my personal devotion time, I pondered the question, “What does it mean/what does it look like to love and serve God with all of your MIND?”. 

For me, I realized that loving God with my mind did not mean to blindly surrender my capacity to think and critically engage Him. For a short time, I viewed my analytical mind from a deficit perspective. I assumed there was no room for analyzing, interrogation, and investigation within the context of faith, and I assumed this was an indication I lacked faith. It was implied to some of us (and explicitly for others) that there was no space to attempt to intellectualize God or His Word; you either trust Him or you don’t. And I would venture to suggest that language is extremely dangerous and, dare I say it, unbiblical. When we continue to read Mark’s narrative, the scribe (lawyer) reiterated what Jesus said by pointing out that loving God with all of our understanding is more important than offerings and sacrifices and Jesus affirmed his explanation (v. 33). This communicates to me that there is a level of intellect and reasoning needed to love God the way he instructed us to.

Thus, Faithful Reasoning (and now, Sister Theologian) was born. Honestly, it was an idea that I’ve held on to for about 3-4 years, but… fear, life, and responsibility kinda delayed its arrival to the internet streets, but alas, we made it! FR (Faithful Reasoning) developed out of a desire for Christians and those of other faith traditions (or lack of faith) to converse and dialogue openly (and respectfully) about what we believe and why. My mom raised me and modeled a relationship with Jesus. Additionally, she encouraged me to establish my own relationship and journey with Jesus because, as she would say, “you can’t make it to heaven on my coattail. My childhood and teenage years were spent with me asking her “why,” and as I grew older, she pushed me to search out the answers on my own. I’m grateful that my mom created a space for me to feel comfortable asking God “Why?”. It was this curiosity, I believe, that allowed for a deeper awareness of who He is and solidified my decision to follow Him. This, however, has not gone without deep reflection and frustrating seasons.

I obviously do not have all the answers, and depending on the day, I have more questions than not. But I think one of the beauties of community is learning and growing with like-minded folks AND with folks who have differing opinions. Parsing through the nuances of our lives in light of our faith strengthens our intellectual curiosity muscles. Whether it be tradition or our own personal interpretation of our faith, we owe ourselves and the communities we’re a part of the inquiry and probing of what we believe to be true. And that is my desire for this online space. I want to learn from and with you all. When we look back months and years from now, I want us to be able see how our perspectives on theology and life have remained consistent AND shifted because we weren’t afraid to challenge what we’ve read, heard, or learned. The vastness of God can be revealed in these moments where we dare to broaden our knowledge bank and fortify our reasoning for what we know. But we have to do it together because this work can’t be done in isolation. No one possesses all the knowledge; we all “know in part,” and we all benefit when we can learn and discover together. So, if you’ve read up until this point, I would like to invite you to journey with me…with us, as we navigate the tensions of our experience in light of faith in our quest for truth. Hopefully, we grow and mature as a by-product of our exploration.