BELIEF & DOUBT Darren Wright In the Habit session for use with devozine meditations for March 21 27, 2016. MAKING THE CONNECTION How often do we talk about our doubts? How often do our ministries allow discussion of doubts so that someone can provide an answer or debate the doubts? Are we comfortable enough to be able to sit with our doubts openly, without a reason or the need to solve, heal, or destroy them? Not only did the psalmists know how to sit with doubt, but they also knew how to sing them openly in community. We know many of these psalms as laments. Perhaps it s time to offer a space in our ministries with young people to allow us to sit with our doubts, to recognize them, to talk about them without the need to solve or fix them. What a beautiful community that would be! Darren MEET THE WRITER Darren Wright is a Uniting Church Youth Worker, serving in the Riverina Presbytery in New South Wales, Australia, as the Presbytery Education and Discipleship Worker. Darren has previously worked in congregational ministry, high school chaplaincy, and local government as a youth worker. His interests include music (Radiohead, Ben Harper, The National, Of Monsters and Men, Ryan Adams, Laura Marling, All India Radio, Florence and the Machine), film (Avengers, MegaMind, Harry Potter, How to Train your Dragon, Scott Pilgrim, Big Hero 6), TV (Chuck, Doctor Who, Big Bang Theory, Community, Agents of SHIELD), theology, pop-culture, and working with young people in at-risk areas. He is particularly interested in how the church and theology connect with pop culture. Check out Darren s blog at www.digitalorthodoxy.com. STUFF YOU WILL NEED a candle and matches drinks and snacks large sign that reads Good Christians Do Not Doubt! pens paper a couple of permanent markers If your group is artistic, have on hand pencils, crayons, and colored pencils copies of the reflection And Some Doubted (from Sharing in Prayer )
PLUGGED IN Here are a number of resources (books, videos, lectures, articles) that explore the theme of faith and doubt. Books + Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I ve Crossed: Walking with the Unknown God, by Jay Bakker (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044653952x/ref=as_li_tl?ie=utf8&camp=1789&creati ve=390957&creativeasin=044653952x&linkcode=as2&tag=thealternat01-20&linkid=6nrvlzsutfqwqw6p) + God s Hiddenness, Suffering, and Doubt, chapter 7 in The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry, by Andrew Root and Kenda Creasy Dean (http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=3825) Articles + God Is Big Enough to Take Our Doubt and Anger, by Steve Holt; Sojourners; April 23, 2010 (https://sojo.net/articles/god-big-enough-take-our-doubt-and-anger) + Why Every Christian Needs Doubt, by Timothy King; Sojourners; October 28, 2014 (https://sojo.net/articles/why-every-christian-needs-doubt). If for no other reason, worth reading for the final line: Faith is grown not by the removal of doubt but by acting in its presence. + God s Hiddenness, Absence, and Doubt: The Theology of the Cross as Theological Direction for Youth Ministry, by Andrew Root; International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry (http://iasym.net/wp3/gods-hiddenness-absence-and-doubt-the-theology-of-the-cross-astheological-direction-for-youth-ministry/) + I Doubt It: Making Space for Hard Questions by Brad M. Griffin, Sticky Faith (http://stickyfaith.org/articles/i-doubt-it) Talks (Lectures and a Sermon) + Doubt, by Phillip Yancey; Greenbelt 2001 (http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/media/talks/13814-philip-yancey/) + What Do I Do With My Doubts? by Phillip Yancey, Greenbelt 2008 (http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/media/talks/14322-philip-yancey/) + A Sermon on Faith, Doubt, and Mustard Seed Necklaces by Nadia Bolz Weber; Patheos; October 7, 2013 (Text: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber/2013/10/complainingto-god-a-sermon-on-faith-doubt-and-mustard-seed-necklaces/ ) (Audio: http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber/files/2013/10/2013-10-06-nbw-hfass-sermon-2.mp3) Videos + On Doubt, by Peter Rollins (https://youtu.be/i76as_v22pw)
+ Youth Ministry as Doubting the Faith Together, by Andrew Root (https://youtu.be/k9krtmthgwo) + Liturgy of Doubt, by Peter Rollins (https://vimeo.com/21313552) + Why Faith and Doubt are the Perfect Partners, by Rob Bell; Super Soul Sunday/Oprah Winfrey Network (https://youtu.be/estijzp0u1c) + Doubt: A Sign of Faith and Life (A Six Session Series on the Role of Uncertainty in Transformative Faith) with Rachel Held Evans, Greg Boyd, Peter Rollins, Sarah Bessey, Chris Heuertz and Dwight Peterson, on The Work of the People website (http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/bundle/doubt-a-sign-of-faith-and-life) Interviews + Faith and Doubt, an interview with Phillip Yancey (http://philipyancey.com/q-and-a-topics/faith-and-doubt) + Philip Yancey Talks Doubt, Relevant (http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/23104-philip-yancey-talks-doubt) CHECKING IN As group members arrive, set up the space to be welcoming. Have drinks and snacks available, a candle in the center of the room, and the sign reading Good Christians Do Not Doubt! prominently displayed. When everyone is settled, light the candle, and ask each person this question: What are three things for which you are grateful? Pray: For these things we praise you. Be in this space today as always. Amen. Invite the group to discuss the week s readings. Which devo touched you? What idea would you like to explore more thoroughly? EXPLORING THE WORD Scripture: Mark 4:35 41 Read the story of Jesus and the disciples in the storm in Mark 4:35 41. Discuss: In the story, the disciples doubted. At what other times did the disciples doubt? How do you feel, knowing that even the disciples had doubts? How do you respond to the sign that says, Good Christians Do Not Doubt?
Invite group members to talk about their doubts. What do they doubt about the Christian faith? God? Christ? other people? Assure them that they will not be judged and their doubts will not be resolved. Invite people, as they name their doubts, to use permanent markers to write on the sign, over the word Not, brief descriptions of their doubts. Perhaps together they might be able to blot out the word on the sign so that it reads Good Christians Do Doubt! [NOTE: If your group members are creative, provide markers, crayons, paper, and colored pencils; and invite them to express their doubts as pictures. After they have completed their artwork, invite them to show the group what they have drawn and then to tape them on the sign over the word Not.] When group members have written or drawn their doubts, ask these questions: How do you feel sharing in one another s doubts? What would our church or group be like if we were able to talk openly about our doubts, knowing that we are loved and not judged for them? SHARING IN PRAYER Invite group members to reflect in silence as you read aloud And Some Doubted, from Spill the Beans; Issue 15, page 97 (http://spillbeans.org.uk): the word and is a relief to hear. Of course, the Bible would not use that word. It prefers the word but. Such a holier than thou book at times, the Bible, as if us lesser, more honest mortals were in some way inferior to the braggart boasting of those built up with confidence. perhaps doubted this was the only way to worship with doctrine and creed that seemed to have everything worked out. is this worship act what Jesus wanted rather than feeding the poor and welcoming the homeless? They worshiped and some doubted the sliding toward overconfidence and a triumphalism that breeds power: is this what worship is meant to be about?
They worshiped and some doubted because they came honestly to Jesus. And Jesus said to them: Lo, I am with you always. Allow a few minutes of silence after the reading. Then conclude with this benediction. Creator and Loving God, let us worship and doubt because we come honestly to Jesus. Jesus says to each of us, Lo, I am with you always. Go today in the knowledge that Jesus is with you always. TAKING IT FURTHER + Doubt: A Sign of Faith and Life from The Work of the People (listed in Plugged In ) is a great series of videos that would help your group continue to reflect on doubt and faith. (http://www.theworkofthepeople.com/bundle/doubt-a-sign-of-faith-and-life) Perhaps, you could create a series of prayers or reflections that allow a space for doubt in worship. Can you write a song or prayer about doubt that doesn't quickly ask, Please fix this doubt? The books of Psalms and Lamentations may help you think about songs or prayers that have a space for doubt. from devozine In the Habit (March/April 2016). Copyright 2016 by The Upper Room. All rights reserved.