Asking Questions

by Brandon Jubar

During times of crisis in the Church, many people begin to question their beliefs. It seems to be a natural consequence of discouragement and disgust. But why do we wait until tragic events occur before we engage in questioning? Shouldn't we be interested enough in our faith to be questioning all the time?

Who Should Ask Questions?

If you are a cradle-Catholic -- that is, born into the Catholic Church -- then chances are you went to some sort of catechism classes as a child. You may have even attended a Catholic school. If you are a convert, then you've gone through RCIA or some similar formation program. Either way, you had the opportunity to learn and ask questions.

But did you ask all the questions? And do you remember all the responses given? The answer to both is probably "no". How could you possibly do either one? There are people who spend their entire lives studying the Catholic faith and still do not know everything there is to know. How could we achieve even a fraction of that understanding by attending a religious ed class for a couple hours a week?

The Catholic Church has a rich history and theology, and the more we understand about the Church, the closer we become to Christ. We all -- cradle Catholics and converts alike -- should be excited about asking questions, finding answers, and growing in our faith.

Why Should We Question?

I remember talking with a group of people one time about whether or not non-Catholics should be able to receive the Eucharist at mass. One lady who had been listening intently finally chimed in, "Well, I'm Catholic, and what I believe is..."

When she had finished stating what she believed, I asked her, "Is that what the Church teaches?"

She replied, "Well, no. At least I don't think so. I guess I'm not really sure what the Church says, but I know what I believe."

There is nothing wrong with questioning the Church. In fact, if we aren't constantly asking "what?" and "why?", we do the Church a great disservice. "Questioning", as I am defining it, includes asking questions to people knowledgeable on the subject, listening openly to their replies, reflecting on their answers, reading relevant texts on the subject, and then asking follow-up questions when clarification is needed.

The cop-out to questioning is deciding "what I believe" before thoroughly examining what the Church has to say on the subject. It is easy to kick back in a leather recliner and explore one's own mind. But let's face it, talking to priests and apologists, reading Vatican documents and theologically correct texts, and praying about what's been found takes a lot of effort. More effort than most people are willing to put forth. Yet the answers we end up with will be far better than those we create on our own.

Will The Answers Ever Change?

One myth about the Catholic Church is that it never changes. Another myth is that eventually the Church always "gets with the times" and changes doctrine to fit more closely with the current age. Neither of these is quite true, which is all the more reason for us to keep asking questions.

The Church is the Bride of Christ, and the people who make up the Church are the Living Body of Christ. As such, the Church will grow and change over time, though the basic tenets of the faith will remain as the core.

The change that occurs is that our understanding of these basic doctrines will improve over time. The Holy Spirit is continuously guiding us to a more complete knowledge of God's truth. So in a sense, the foundation of our belief stays the same while our total understanding grows and changes.

The Church does not change her beliefs in order to "get with the times". However, certain practices and disciplines can change because they are merely ways of expressing the faith, but are not the faith itself. That is why an apologist will tell you that the rules on celibacy in the priesthood may change some day, but the restrictions around gender will not. It is the difference between discipline and doctrine. Which, of course, you may not know if you never ask the question!

Questioning is one of the keys to growing in our understanding of the universal Church. We should not wait to be spoon-fed our spirituality and our faith. And we must not fall into the trap of deciding what "I believe" without fully exploring what the Church teaches. It takes time and energy, but truly questioning will bring us closer to Jesus by giving us a much better understanding of his Church and teachings.

Life Applications:

What do you do when you "question" a Church teaching?
Do you often come up with your own beliefs, or explore the "what" and "why" behind what the Church says? Why?
Why would anyone advocate "questioning" Church teachings and practices rather than "strict adherence" to them?

Copyright 2002-2007 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.