Fearless Faith

Given the times that we are experiencing, it would be interesting to know how history will treat our exploits in years to come. Will we be seen as rising to the occasion with the best qualities of humankind intact, or will we be posed as reluctant witnesses to something that was greater than our own ability to weather it? In addition to the heroes we appreciate every day, future heroes are yet to rise and lead the way in their specific fields. No single information source or person has the correct answers for all. Solutions will come with cooperative attitudes and by forbearing one another even when we’d rather take a swipe at someone. I don’t know whether that best fits politics or the church, but both are in dire need of a makeover.

There is a monograph series, Cuneiform Monographs, collected under the title “Disease in Babylonia” (Finkel & Geller, ed., Boston: Brill, 2007). Except for the centuries that divide, there are still some common characteristics used to guide health care. Some were understood remarkably well, while others fell woefully short at even providing a plausible answer. Observations and interviews informed conclusions and any prescriptive health regimens. At the time, the state of medicine fell somewhere between practical application and hoped for magic at the other end of the spectrum.

Fever, not surprisingly, was often described as something hot or fiery and various manifestations associated with fever were recognized as rising from specific sources. What could not be adequately explained was often designated as something demonic, especially when there was nothing left for science to clarify. When something was incomprehensible, it was natural to ascribe it to a mystical magical realm, which in turn kick-started unending superstitions regarding how an afflicted person might best respond. It only took a couple thousand years to grow into the medical knowledge that is present today, much of it in the last hundred years.

There are some striking parallels to the current status of Western Christianity. If it takes a couple thousand years to come to a better understanding of scripture and how we are to live our lives, then fine and good. But once there, there is no turning back to the willful ignorance of the past. Archaic trappings that once served valid purposes are often no longer justified. That does not mean there is no room for disagreement. To the contrary, adversarial positions often result in optimal conclusions. That is why there is an adversarial context to the rule of law in this country. Is it time for the church to shake off its lassitude and begin learning once again? We’ve become mired into the same dogma and language for so long, that it is difficult to distinguish good scholarship from bad. What we don’t understand is still widely relegated to demons. It is easier than doing the hard work it will take to move the churches to the next level.

The health information in Babylonia was gleaned from cuneiform stone tablets of the time (take two tablets and call me in the morning), and represents state of the art knowledge in that context. Our legacy will be strikingly similar. Will we get it right or will we, like previous cultures, simply strive to contribute the best we can in hopes that greater understanding awaits?

Kindle hope by forgiving and forbearing. Be kind. We have lots of helpful tools at our disposal. Let’s put them to work.