Today, most people associate Christianity with the loud pronouncements of the "religious right". But what would happen if Christianity was associated with profound questions instead of dogmatic answers?
Silent-meeting Quakers avoided slogans and pronouncements long before the likes of Falwell and Robertston emerged. The Quakers chose to ask questions instead of taking fixed positions. They carefully refine "queries" and pose them to their membership. They keep asking themselves these queries until, by consensus, they determine that it is time to ask different ones. The queries explore personal spiritual practice, the conduct of silent Meetings, and social and moral issues. They activate the consciences of individual Quakers and of the community of Friends. They don’t result in answers that are binding forever.
Asking good questions can change the world. I spent about a decade as the Protestant campus minister at Stanford. In that role, I was impressed repeatedly by the effect that students’ questions had on me and on others. Their questions about religion and spirituality influenced my theological views, and led me to write my book, "Open Christianity". I led many field trips that put them in contact with policy makers and officials. The sincere, intelligent questions of students often embarrassed people in power, challenging them to rise to new levels of accountability, or even to change their minds.
I'm troubled by the direction my country is taking. And I'm concerned that religion is being manipulated in America for destructive and divisive ends. In my frustration I often succumb to the temptation to make declarations of HTOTB: "how things ought to be". A more constructive alternative is to ask questions that invite respectful dialogue among people. In this spirit, I offer this list of “queries” to ponder.
What would the Christian religion be like if it was as humble, unconventional, and self-sacrificing as Jesus was?
Must it weaken a person's faith to think that their religion is not the one and only true path to God?
What would Christianity be like if Christians interpreted the New Testament in the same free-spirited, creative manner as Jesus used to interpret the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament)?
Could deep respect for Islamic civilizations prevent terrorism? If so, what can we do as individuals, and as a society, to make our respect palpable in the Islamic world?
What is the best way for America to help Iraqis achieve peace, freedom, and stability today?
Is it acceptable for 45 million Americans to live without health insurance? If not, how can we create universal coverage that is high-quality and affordable?
Why are there over 2,000,000 Americans in jail?
Is it possible to ensure freedom of speech and at the same time have publicly financed political campaigns with limits on private donations?
What is “homeland security”? Is it freedom from attacks by politically or religiously inspired terrorists? Or is it freedom from violent crime in low-income urban neighborhoods? Or both? In any case, how would it be achieved, practically?
What would be the actual consequences for undocumented immigrants and the general public of each current major proposal for change in immigration law?
What should I do, and we do, about global warming? What pattern of energy and resource consumption is appropriate for me and others? How much should government intervene to prevent global climate change?
What is your experience of God? What is it like for you to commune with God or ultimate reality? (I find that this question consistently gets past differences among people with conflicting views about religious doctrines.)
What would be the actual effect of legalized same-sex marriage on heterosexual marriage, and on society as a whole?
What questions do you think could change the world for the better? Which ones transform your anger into shared inquiry with those who have different perspectives on issues that are important to you? Which ones invite the calmest, friendliest, most constructive conversations with people who see the world another way? Please send them to me, and I'll compile them into a future issue of my "musings".