Questioning Christianity
Publically identifying as a Christian usually results in a torrent of questions. Some are hostile, some incredulous, some curious, often a mixture of all three.
Redeemer is comfortable with people asking questions. Even more broadly, Christianity thrives on questions. Alone of all the world religions, Christianity stands or falls on the proclaimed facts of the life, death and resurrection of its founder being historically factual. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:14: And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
The Christian church finds itself in the peculiar position, at the dawn of the 21st century, of being the institution most invested in the existence of objective truth. Spiritually minded people feel free to invent religious beliefs ex nihilo. T.M. Luhrmann’s op-ed account in The New York Times October 14, 2013, describes a young man, Jack, who created a tulpa, or a creature to worship, in the form of a fox who spoke to him. Scientists debate as a serious question whether there are an infinite number of parallel universes, although some admit that it is “mere conjecture without evidence” (http://phys.org/news/2013-01-dont-infinite-scientists.html). Social scientists differ about every aspect of human nature and flourishing based on often unexamined faith assumptions about the nature of the world.
In an unexpected twist, Christians are in the odd position of welcoming questions and encouraging close, skeptical examination of all its claims and tenets. We are confident, having asked our own hard questions on our way to faith, that it can withstand the most searching inquiry.
With that in mind, Redeemer is offering a seven-week series for skeptics, questioners, doubters, and the merely curious on Thursday nights beginning January 30. If you are full of questions about Christianity, just show up at the W83 Ministry Center, 150 W. 83rd St. at 7:00PM any Thursday in February, as well as March 6 and 13. If you are a believer yourself, bring someone you know who is questioning.
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