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By Jane Gonzales

As members of the ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox community, we have the opportunity to learn from our professors and friends about their differing faith traditions. This is an awesome opportunity, especially for us undergraduates who are just beginning to form faith identities separate from our parents’ and home churches’.

There was definitely a time when I believed Protestants were “the good guys” in the epic adventure of Luther versus the wicked indulgence peddlers (I think I was heavily influenced by the Luther movie with Joseph Fiennes). I carried that bias around with me. But after meeting several intelligent and deeply faithful Catholic and Orthodox Christians here, I know that is far from the truth.

My Foundational Belief: ‘Sola Scriptura’

Before I came to ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox, I had only attended Protestant churches, and had only ever seriously engaged with Protestant ideas. My spiritual horizons were very narrow. 

As a Protestant, I believed in “sola scriptura” (“Scripture alone”). I loosely interpreted this to mean that I could only find truth through reading the Bible. But I didn’t understand the Bible. Every time I picked it up, I came up with more questions, and the answers I started with did not seem so certain. I also used the Bible to rationalize what I already thought was right.

“Sola scriptura” endorses the power of the Living Word of God, which is a good thing. But I believe that I experienced spiritual frustration due to an implicit belief that the Bible was the only source of truth and I had to understand it (the most complicated text ever?) all on my own. This might have been caused by my immature interpretation of the doctrine rather than the doctrine itself, but either way, learning about other theologies helped me climb out of that ditch.

A Variety of Beliefs and Traditions

If you have never explored the different forms of Christianity, you could be missing out on a very important step in the cultivation of your faith. How can you know why you believe what you do if you never compare it with anything else? How can you see past the stereotypes and assumptions about other believers without charitably endeavoring to learn what they are about?

You might just discover new and enriching ways to pursue God, to see him, and to know him, especially if you are struggling in your faith. Some Christian denominations only differ by a single, specific point of doctrine. Others seem to disagree about everything. It turns out that the same Trinity of divine persons and core text can produce quite the variety of beliefs and traditions.

Wisdom From Orthodoxy

When I took Lit 200 with professor Brooks Lampe, I took an interest in Orthodoxy. Dr. Lampe opened every class with a liturgical prayer, and included bits and pieces of Orthodox theology in his lectures. 

At one point, I asked him to explain what Orthodoxy is and how it is different from the other two major branches of Christianity. We had an interesting discussion about icons (an image of divine persons or activities), and how beauty has been neglected in my church experience, while it is foundational in the Orthodox tradition as healing for the soul. That was a demonstration of a larger medicinal metaphor that he often returned to.

I was shocked when he told me that he does not often hear the word “grace” in his church; other theological realities are much more heavily emphasized in Orthodoxy.

What I’ve taken away from my interactions with Orthodox Christians is that it is permissible to use beauty and the imagination to worship God; it is not something I need to feel guilty about. Spiritual tools aren’t always idols.

Prior to this, I was afraid that candles and stained glass were intended to create an artificial sense of God’s presence. Now I believe that beauty is a vehicle to help you connect with him. I feel more aware of God’s presence and personality since allowing beauty to pervade my spiritual life.

Wisdom From Catholicism

During an honors program event my freshman year, I heard Dr. Ross McCullough tell his spiritual life story. He made a few points about Catholicism that really appealed to me, especially considering my history of failing to understand the Bible.

The truth is, you have to have faith in someone’s interpretation of the Bible. It just makes sense to have faith in the cumulative understanding of devout experts over myself alone; it also relieves a lot of pressure. This is an argument for tradition as a source of truth.

The other thing I took away from Dr. McCullough’s talk was that I should not sample churches indefinitely. Church-hopping (or is it church-shopping?) has its merits: You don’t want to be stuck in a church that is corrupt or teaches things you fundamentally disagree with. When you move to a new place, of course you are going to want to see what your options are. But you don’t want to let the limbo period last too long.

If you develop a habit of abandoning ship every time you’re bored or uncomfortable, it’s easy to end up looking for the place that makes you feel best about yourself and your views rather than challenging you. Ultimately, if you don’t commit to a church, you limit the role that church can play in your life and your ability to grow in community.

The value of tradition and of commitment to a community of believers is something that Catholicism does a great job of endorsing.

In Pursuit of Unity and Truth

Christianity is about seeking truth. Truth-seeking unites all believers, whether you believe in seeking truth through Scripture, the Holy Spirit (shout-out to ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox), the authority of the church, or some combination.

It is certainly not a bad thing that the professors and students at ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox do not adhere to one faith tradition. Students’ exploration of different theological views does nothing to diminish the truth: The Son of God lived and died as a human being to deliver us from sin and death. I came to college with a collection of stereotypes about other faith traditions, and I am leaving with an edifying appreciation for their theology.

We can practice loving our neighbor by listening to their perspectives on life’s most important questions, which may even enrich our own spiritual journey. In this piece, I shared only a sample of the wisdom I have gained by learning from others. Trust me, there’s much more.