Navigating the Family Tree...

In my research I do not question my respondents' faith (though I can explore its impact on a persons' life and community.)  On a personal level the people I meet, from across the Christian spectrum, often challenge my own faith.  It has been an unintended yet rewarding part of my research experience.

But I am reminded of an old joke:

A man died and went to heaven, and Saint Peter took him on a tour. He showed him the harps, the streets of gold, the cherubs. The man noticed that there were groups of people gathered in different spots, so he asked about them. “Those over there, sitting quietly and looking very serious—those are the Presbyterians. And those eating the big potluck meal—those are the Methodists. The ones with all the tambourines are the Pentecostals.” As he went on, the man noticed one group set apart from the others. “What about them over there?” he asked. “Keep your voice down,” Peter said. “Those are the Baptists, and they think they’re the only ones here.”

Lots of stereotypes here! I have heard this joke naming different groups, but this version hits home for me.  It points out the fragmentation of Christianity: divided by history, culture, and theology. 

Also I am a Baptist.  It is neither the tradition I was born into (Roman Catholicism) nor raised in (Plymouth Brethren) but the one that I have chosen.  The Baptist tradition does interpret the Bible's standard for membership in the family of God narrowly.  Jesus' words in the Gospel of Luke are oft cited: “Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."   It is more than religious prejudice (though there exists some of that too.)  Baptists often describe faith and salvation in different terms than Catholics, Anglicans, Pentecostals, Mennonites, United Church, etc.  Sometimes the differences are semantic and sometimes substantive; differences we can gloss over and differences that are deal breakers.  There are groups that come knocking on my door that might consider themselves Christian but are so fundamentally different as to be another religion.  There is also the concern among Baptists that many in mainline Christian denominations are culturally Christian but have no personal faith.  I have heard members of mainline groups express the same concerns "that the mission field is in our own pews."  To be fair, I believe there are also many cultural Christians in Baptist Churches.  Canadian Sociologist Reg Bibby reminded us in Restless Churches that evangelicals have our own home missions.

In my research I engage with Christians whose beliefs and practices are different from mine.  I also encounter those whose relationships with God seems personal, powerful, and far deeper than mine.  So I am faced with a conflict.  I cannot ignore theology.  Theology transforms my worldview and enables me to interpret my experience.  I must reject some teachings as incompatible with what I understand from the Bible.  That is a Christian responsibility.  But I am know that God does not require perfect theology to be part of His family (which is good or I wouldn't get past the Pearly Gates!)  The requirements to be saved are remarkably few. 


The researcher must maintain his objectivity.  The believer will take each profession of faith at face value.  I will explore each faith story to understand it and on the word of their testimony I will consider them my brother and sister in the faith regardless of the church they attend.  Hopefully they will do the same for me.  We'll work on their theology later (and perhaps they will try to work on mine.)


Enjoy this short video from the folks at Muddy River Media on the Entrance Interview for Heaven.

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