5 If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. 6 But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; 7, 8 for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

The risks of rigid faith and the collapse of a house of cards.

‘I’m convinced that the idea that faith is as strong as a person is certain, combined with the house- of-cards way of embracing this faith, is behind most of the faith struggles Christians have today. In fact, I am convinced it is the main reason so many of our young people abandon the Christian faith and the main reason most nonbelievers today don’t take Christian truth claims very seriously.’ Greg Boyd, Benefit of the Doubt

The risks of rigid faith in a fast-changing world

‘Owing to technology, the increased pluralism of Western culture, and a host of other considerations, the world we find ourselves in is far more complex and ambiguous than it was even fifty years ago. Whereas the majority of people in the past could go their entire life without having their faith seriously challenged by alternative truth claims, people today are confronted at every turn with the widest array of mutually exclusive and equally compelling truth claims…

…It’s much easier to remain certain of your beliefs when you are not in personal contact with people who believe differently. But when you encounter people with different beliefs, and when those people’s sincerity and devotion possibly put yours to shame, things become a bit more difficult.’ Greg Boyd, Benefit of the Doubt

‘Now with the wisdom of years I try to reason things out And the only people I fear are those who never have doubts.’

The risks of rigid faith and magic

‘Magic is generally understood to involve people engaging in special behaviours that empower them to gain favour with, or to otherwise influence, the spiritual realm in order to get it to work to their advantage.’ Greg Boyd, Benefit of the Doubt

Knowing truth in the context of a relationship with Jesus

'For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' 1 Corinthians 2:2

‘Jesus did not say ‘I will speak true words to you’ or ‘I will tell you about the truth.’ Instead, the claim Jesus makes is that he embodies truth in His person… This view of truth rejects the idea that truth is an objective ‘out there’, but rather understands truth as something that comes to be known through encounter and relationship. This linking of encounter and truth is a fundamental insight that Jesus urges us to test and embrace.’ Ann Morisy, Journeying Out

Speaking the language of covenant not contract

‘… covenants are not only different from contracts; in some respects they’re opposites. People enter into covenants because they trust one another; people enter into legally binding contracts because they don’t. And while covenants are based on people pledging themselves to one another and are by nature other-oriented, contracts are based on people feeling the need to protect themselves from one another and are by nature self- oriented.’ Greg Boyd, Benefit of the Doubt

Creating an environment where mystery is valued and not seen as a problem to be solved

‘… a generation has been made to feel that the aim of learning is to eliminate mystery.’ Flannery O’Connor

‘How different the one who devotes himself to the study of the law of the Most High! … he seeks out the hidden meanings of proverbs and is at home with the obscurities of parables’ (Sirach 39:1).

Fowler: Mature Faith There is an openness to the truths of traditions and communities other than one’s own There is an awareness of the need to hold different ideas in tension There is a sense people have that truth is more complex than they previously thought.

For discussion Do we agree with the suggested risks of a rigid faith? Are there any we would want to add or take away? How do we respond to the ideas about living with doubt which we’ve explored this evening?