Questioning

By Bill Colburn


You have probably heard the expression that if something is really true it can withstand intense and repeated scrutiny. Ideally, that ought to be the watch-word of religion. Religion serves us best when it reminds us that the world we live in is not all there is. It invites us to re-imagine everything from the cosmic, eternal perspective. Christianity embraces the vision of an awesome God who ceaselessly inspires awe with joyful anticipation.

Functionally, though, religion - including, unfortunately, Christianity - often imposes itself as a fearful, protector/gate-keeper of the supposed, effectively suppressing all attempts at 'rethink'. Rather than inviting believers to question, it insists on conformity to an already believed set of notions - as if all that can be known of God is already known.

I recently reread Matthew's account (ch. 11) of John the Baptist questioning if Jesus truly was the Messiah. Hoped upon expectations didn't match up with uncomfortable reality of the man. Incredibly, John felt free to question the very integrity of Jesus as Messiah - despite his earlier convictions. Jesus didn't reject the query. In fact, he exalted John, and thus his questioning, before the crowds as one who was not weak as a reed, moved by every breath of wind. John was a great prophet, yet one who so loved God he was unafraid to ask the hard questions. His search for truth would not permit him to suppress his questions or to pretend everything was copacetic, when it wasn't. To refuse to question is to hide from truth - which would have been a denial of the Eternal One.

David Dark's newest book, The Sacredness of Questioning Everything (Zondervan, 2009), presents belief as question. Quoting C.S. Lewis, he suggests that scripture is more often than not used rather than received. When received it is an invitation to pursue the Infinite. When merely used, it becomes a buffet table from which we find support for what we already believe. Here are a couple of thought provoking statements from his book:

Only a twisted, unimaginative mind-set resists awe in favor of self-satisfied certainty.
When religion won't tolerate questions, objections, or differences of opinion and all it can do is threaten excommunication, violence, and hellfire, it has an unfortunate habit of producing some of the most hateful people ever to walk the earth.

My blog entries will attempt to follow this sacred art of questioning - not, though, with anarchical abandon, but with a deep, second naivete love for the God of all who continuously draws us deeper into himself with an everlasting love. In some respects, to quote the title of another book by Peter Rollins, I will pursue the role of the orthodox heretic - as a fully committed wonderer of God. I look forward to hearing your thoughts, in response.

Why Ecofeminism?: Part 1

I recently participated in the second annual Young Women and the Word Conference, entitled "Adventist Women and the Earth: A Response to Ecofeminism," sponsored by the Women’s Resource Center and La Sierra University. I believe that ecofeminism isn't even on the radar for the majority of Adventists and, I must confess, I too was skeptical at first. I've considered myself a feminist since I was a child, but I was somewhat unsure of what to make of the union of ecology and feminism. Initially, it appeared that the link was tenuous at best. However, after further investigation, I believe the connection is crucial to understanding the structure and function of the world around us.

In a very broad sense, feminism and feminist critique assert that women--through the use of patriarchy--have been dominated and, consequently, abused throughout human history, and that this misogyny is highly detrimental to the growth and progress of humankind. Ecology focuses on the interconnectedness of organisms on planet Earth, and the philosophy of deep ecology proposes that humanity is an integral part of the environment and that greater value should be placed on all living creatures and the importance of their contribution to a healthy ecosystem. Therefore, ecofeminism is the amalgamation of feminism, ecology and deep ecology in such a way that correlations between our abuse of the earth and the degradation of the status and lives of women are established for the purposes of raising awareness and calling for action.

While it may seem that this ideology is reserved only for feminists and "tree-huggers," this is far from the case, as Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether aptly noted in her keynote address at the conference. Radford Ruether explained that ecofeminism clearly identifies the hierarchies inherent within human societies, and that in this awareness it sees the disparity not only in the treatment of women throughout human history, but also that of children, minorities and the poor. It is also in this recognition that we can see how patriarchy not only touches human lives, but how it has aided in the destruction of the planet. When we--even subconsciously--allow ourselves to see one classification of life to be held so far above others that we are highly neglectful of the necessity and importance of all others, we not only become forces of destruction but poor stewards of the earth we have been given.

Ecofeminism is not intent upon reverse persecution based upon gender, class or race, as many claim or fear. Instead, it aims to identify that which destroys our humanity and inhibits us from acknowledging the profound interconnection between all forms of life and the environments that support them, and how our ignorance and/or rejection of these linkages degrades and destroys these integral connections. Ultimately, ecofeminism demands that we fearlessly examine the way(s) in which we participate in oppressive structures, ideologies and relationships so that we might learn to dismantle them, in a mutually beneficial manner, for the good of all.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother, just wanted to take a few moments to express my appreciation for all that you’ve done. You have sustained my life everyday for as long as I can remember. Even when I have completely neglected you or not given you a thought you have been there for me, full of selfless love and support, providing all my meals, shelter, and clothing.

I don’t know of anyone else that would have hung in there for me like you have. At times I have paid careful attention to how I treated you and at other times I have paid no attention at all. You must really wonder how I feel at times! I know it’s been almost 50 years and I’m just starting to understand, but that’s one of the things that I have learned from you, is tolerance and patience.

I wonder what it must be like for you on a day like this, being the mother of so many. You’ll probably have so many cards that you’ll have to sacrifice a whole forest just producing them! Hopefully, they will all be recycled ones. It would be kind of an insult to ask you to sacrifice even more on your special day. But then, I’m sure you’re probably used to it, making sacrifices of yourself so that we can do whatever we want.

Lately, though, I’m sensing a change in attitude from you. You don’t seem as happy as you once were. I’m starting to think that maybe you are not well. In fact, in places, you are not looking so great! I mean, I don’t want to insult you, but frankly, parts of you are looking downright diseased!

I know, I know, perhaps spending your rain forests like there was no tomorrow was probably not the great idea we thought it was, but you know we’re trying to come up with some new bio-fuels, and it seemed like a great idea! Sorry that you’re looking so much worse for the wear. But we know how forgiving you are, so we hope you won’t hold this against us.

Anyway, I don’t want to go into all of this right now anyway, it being Mother’s Day and all. I just wanted to let you know that I really do care. There’s no point in dredging up all the garbage in our relationship! Let’s just focus on the positive part, OK? You know, we have to get along together for quite some time. At least until I don’t need you anymore.

Children? You are asking about my children and grandchildren? Oh, right. Yes, they might still need you also. Have to give that one some thought. But, like I said, just wanting to wish you a Happy Mother’s Day, so don’t start getting all sentimental on me. Just know that you are loved, and that’s what counts! Right? Oh, come one, now you’re getting all teary-eyed on me. You know how I hate that. Just smile for your picture.