There have been a couple of interesting Q&A forums in the Globe and Mail recently. In “Ask an Evangelical”* Aileen Van Ginkel (director for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s Centre for Ministry Empowerment) answers general questions about Christianity.
In “Lorna Dueck took your questions on the Ted Haggard scandal” Ms. Dueck answers questions about the above scandal. Predictably, here there were lots of questions about how evangelicals view homosexuality and other hot-button moral issues.
I read the questions and answers with interest, asking myself, what would I have said?
This is a good exercise, I think – to challenge oneself to come up with answers to honest hard questions. We’re actually told to do this.
In the process, it's a good idea not to forget the advice given by the Bluedorn’s in The Thinking Toolbox about anticipating opposing arguments:
“After you have listed all the reasons why you believe something, the next step is to defeat the argument you have built. This may sound like a strange thing to do, but if you don’t try to defeat your own argument, someone else will.... It is not good enough to have convincing reasons for the things you believe. If you want to have a strong position, then you need to anticipate opposing arguments and prepare counter arguments.” (Lesson 7)
Of course in the end, even the most waterproof arguments will not convince someone to believe in God as revealed by the Jesus of the Bible who said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The Spirit of God does that.
* This link opens first on a 'Register' page. That's how the G&M wants it, I guess.
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