Pen to Paper

My apartment is without the internet for a couple weeks.  I’ll try to get a post or two up during that time, but you’ve been warned.

Last week, I was involved in a heated discussion.  Not an argument, really – everyone involved was going for the same goal, the same ideal.  The interesting thing was the topic of the conversation.  I mean, who’d have thought we could get worked up about Rob Bell?

I thought the dynamic of the conversation was curious.  One of us, who’d just seen a Numa video for the first time, was vehement.  He’s convinced that Bell is a heretic whose ministry is destructive to Christianity, dangerously misleading, and harmful to any sort of theological discussion in society.  Next to him was a guy who wasn’t necessarily a fan of Rob Bell, but thought that the Numa videos and questions that Bell asks are good discussion starters even if they’re not answers in and of themselves.  And then there was me. I wouldn’t say I’m an all-out fanboy for Bell, but I find myself agreeing with him a fair amount of the time.

The words “heretic” and “heresy” were thrown around a lot, directed at Rob Bell by my friend, and at myself by me.

What struck me was how fulfilling the experience was.  All three of us agreed about the main point, the main thing, but still could have different viewpoints and approaches to the single topic.  We could talk aggressively and quickly, getting worked up, and still be good friends.  We were not just talking about pop culture or giving sound bite snippets of our day-to-day happenings.  We were communicating, seeking after Truth – Truth about Rob Bell, Truth about ourselves, Truth about God, Truth about The Way Things Are.

It was enriching.

My friend Phil started calling me a heretic four years ago.  I’ve claimed the title for my own, since then.  For me, having the textbook answer isn’t so important.

Instead, I love sitting down (or standing, or working behind a coffee bar) with someone and finding our common ground, the basis that we can agree on, and moving from there.  I believe that while the “right” answers may or may not come up this way, Truth is such a powerful, irrestible force that when you honestly and openly pursue it, can’t help but come out.

Maybe that way of thinking is heresy.  Maybe not.  I’d love to talk about it over a cup of coffee.