I like to think of myself as a pretty logical guy and one who appreciates reason. I have become quite a thinker since my undergrad college days and graduate school has just encouraged the behavior. In making decisions I do best when I have time to contemplate the effects of that decision upon many different groups. Sometimes the result of the decision is for the greater good and sometimes it reflects the kind of person I am or want to be. In decisions regarding faith I have been brought up to consider highly the view and perspective of scripture when making a faith-based decision. While that is not the worst idea, in fact it is a great idea, I have realized over the years that it is impossible to make a faith-based decision from scripture alone. Because while I’m reading that scripture I come with a lifetime of circumstances, environments, and persuasions. In other words I am biased. These biases will then play into how I read that certain text and interpret for myself, my family, or my faith group.
Logic and reason are co-conspirators in making a faith-based decision, along with prayer, contemplation, communal discernment, tradition, history, and culture. When placing all of these up against scripture we find ourselves in a terrible fix and indecisive or wrongful interpretations. However, when we align these into a coherent mix we find ourselves treating all of God’s gifts with great humility and respect. God not only has gifted us with scripture, but also with logic, reason, community, time, space, etc.
I guess I lean more to logic and reason which make discernment and processing important to me when making a faith decision.
I would rather not be rash or jump to a result or answer. I would rather think of how the decisions made would affect all in the community of faith. God has breathed into man and made him in his image, while at the same time breathing into scripture. May the breath of the Spirit rest in all areas of our lives!
-Mercer
