Nelu recently posted a video clip of Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder on his blog. Go and watch it if you’ve not already seen it.
Like Nelu, I can identify with what is being said; greater knowledge does not bring greater certainty. It merely exposes the vastness of our ignorance. And yet you have that paradox Yvette mentions – a greater sense of being at peace with God, despite our ignorance.
I must confess though that I’m still working towards the point of being able to say comfortably, “I don’t know.” I still want to explain or even just guess. After all, I’m the one with a theological education. I should have some answers at least. But all I can really do is point towards something that makes sense to me and allow others to take it or leave it as they are led. And then be at peace with their disagreement if that is where they go. And to feel blessed that I can wrestle with questions and discover even more questions.
Will I reach that place on the journey? Will I grow enough to feel so blessed and so at peace? i get glimpses of it; hope that I’m going in the right direction; but I don’t know and that’s ok with me right now.
One response to ““I don’t know!””
I’ve just watched the same video clip – and it is very good. Articulates that sense of why its ok to not know and not to be certain.
While I really enjoying studying and questioning and discussing, the more I learn, the more aware I am of how little I know really – how we see through a glass darkly, and what I hold on to is my partial understanding which is incredibly dependent on my experiences and journey. Therefore other people’s understanding will be different, and between us all we get glimpses of truth and peace and knowledge.
So keep journeying, John – we’re all wandering along with you.