A Whirlwind Weekend, part one

Wow, what a week this has been! This week has been so eventful, I think I could easily check out the rest of the season and still call it an eventful one. Now for some these events are nothing of anxiety or excitement. But for me, call me a rookie, they most definitely were.

On Friday morning I met to discuss theology with two leaders of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, otherwise known as Jehovah's Witnesses (Knock! Knock!). On Sunday morning I spoke at a church that I may soon pastor. And on yesterday, on Monday, I had my wisdom teeth extracted, which just happened to be the first surgery in all the history of Drew. Each of these three events appeared quite significant in my mind. And in an ideal world, I would blog on each of them.

Then again, in an ideal world, I would also love to write (1) on Pennsylvania's long awaited primary today (I'm the kind of guy that would love to write on politics, but it wouldn't contribute much), (2) on a couple mind-altering, philosophy-of-ministry-assaulting articles I read yesterday out of the new Leadership journal, and (3) on my virtually unbearable case of "senioritis" as I finish my MDiv. But this is not an ideal world, so I will not write on any of these latter items and only briefly on former.

Friday's meeting was actually part of a project for a class I'm taking. I had to choose a non-mainstream religious group to study and interview. It was to focus on theological points of soteriology, drawing comparisons between an Evangelical understanding and theirs. The primary point of the meeting was to serve as an opportunity to share the Gospel with leaders of the group. This is a different context than what most of us are used to. I'm not Ronald Paul Danatus. I am not much of an apologist or evangelist. But this was a good exercise. I met with an elder (basically their pastor) of the Kingdom Hall (like a local church) where two of my co-workers attend. And, though I wasn't expecting it, I should have: This elder invited his regional higher up to come and "lend assistance." So it was two on one. And while I just had my Bible, they had a library of books that they were constantly flipping back and forth through. Yet I think I held my own. And I challenged them on a few things, which they said they would research, that I am almost certain they will not.

My purpose here is not to give a detailed account of our time together. But what struck me most is their conviction that they know the truth. Their absolute resilience to their beliefs. I have no doubt that they are sincere in their presentations. I see no reason to believe that they are purposefully conniving or manipulative. They really believe this stuff. That this is from God. That it is what the Bible teaches.

And yet they are not allowed to consult any religious or biblical material that is not approved by Watchtower. So when I challenge them to look at some resources for their Bible study, I know they won't ... unless they are willing to "sin" by consulting works blazed in rebellion. They are not allowed to think on their own. And this is evident in the limitations placed on their reasoning.

I admit that sometimes the messiness of church structure turns me off. Part of me longs for one united Church where every congregation agrees on one set of doctrine. It would indeed make it seem more "straight from God." More undeniable and absolute. But after meeting with these two Jehovah's Witnesses, I realize that the cost of such stability is the surrender of free thinking. And Watchtower isn't the first "Christian" movement to seek such stability at all costs. Come to think of it, I think free thinking is more the exception than the norm.

The apostle Paul was definitely one who demanded unity in doctrine. Just one example is seen in the way he writes First Timothy: "Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words ... he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing" (6:2-4). Indeed he even writes, "By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme" (1:19-20). Yet at the same time, even Peter acknowledges the difficulty of understanding some of the teaching in Paul's writings (2Pe 3:15-16). And on top of Peter's vulnerable observation, today we have almost 2000 years of cultural, historical, and grammatical fog to make things a little more difficult, not just with Paul but also with Peter, as well as the rest of the Bible. We may all agree that there is need for correct doctrine, it's just not always obvious what that correct way of understanding the Bible is.

Thus the need for free thinking. Thus the need for each individual leader and group and follower to be able to examine the evidence and the Scriptures for themselves. And for this reason, any movement that forbids its congregants of reading anything un-official is indeed a dangerous one. In so doing they make their "official" interpretive materials on par with the Bible itself. They pronounce their minds (any less flawed than the rest of ours?) inspired by God.

So three and a half hours after our meeting began, I walked away grieving a little. Saddened by the thought that these two men are not allowed to think outside the fence. And there they will remain unless the Spirit of God should motivate them to dare think outside of it.

Yet as I walked back to my van, I was also thankful. Thankful for our sometimes messy faith, which allows me to wrestle with it and therefore take all that much more assurance of it. Believe me, I have had my wrestling match with faith. Nearly two years of wrestling with the existence of God and the validity of the Bible. All while in seminary. I have had my battles, but it is within these battles and their aftermath that my faith has come out all that much more sure and strong. Will these two men ever know that confidence? I pray so.

In case you haven't yet guessed it, I rambled way too long and am forced to write about the rest of my whirlwind weekend later.