Last week I had an extended conversation with a friend who’s graduating from Bible college this semester. She came to me saying, “I’m wrestling with some issues concerning our theology of salvation. I tried talking with our college Chaplian about it, but he was no help because apparently he swallows everything he’s taught.” So we talked at length about her questions, which were very legitimate and well articulated. When we finished she said, “Thanks for being willing to wrestle out loud with me on it. Most people won’t.”
Marko had a good blog post today about this very subject. He says (and I agree) that it’s important for teens to question their faith and ask the hard questions. My question is why the church at large generally frowns upon those who ask tough questions and challenge the status quo. If our faith isn’t strong enough to hold up against these questions then maybe it really isn’t worth believing in the first place.
I consider myself to be someone with many questions who is also somewhat intimidated by the Christian public. I think that’s partly why I’m attracted to the blogging community, because here I find others who are also asking questions and are willing to give input into each other’s thoughts.
About me: I am married to my beautiful wife, 
October 23rd, 2006 at 6:43 pm
What you’re describing is a mixing of an old generation and a new one. Books that cover this are many… but Velvet Elvis and a New Kind of Christian come to mind. I run into this problem quite frequently where I am. Older Christians don’t understand why there has to be questions — it just is that way. Younger Christians want to interact with their faith and make it real… to get down and grapple with it.
It’s a different way at looking at Christ, and Christianity will look radically different in 20 years because of it.
October 23rd, 2006 at 7:54 pm
I agree with you 100%. Youth today are almost required to swallow everything without question. I love the blogging community as well, and I just wish that more people would give it a try and join the community.
October 23rd, 2006 at 11:16 pm
Well said, Tim. I have been thinking about this a little lately, too. I really like how blogging allows us to understand someone’s theology in the context of their life, too. If you read a blog, you get to understand a little about that person as well as what they think about various issues. I think that helps us understand more about what they are saying, too.