The Christian faith is built upon a foundation of questions: ‘Why are we here?’ ‘Who is God?’ ‘How should I live?’ ‘How can we live in peace and justice?’ And it is through the honest grappling with deep, profound and sometimes disturbing questions that we come to understand our purpose and place within the universe. For hundreds of years through the examination of the Bible, through the experience of living, through the critique of beliefs, and systems, and attitudes understandings have formed that help us to live well, to live lovingly, and to live together as those who are becoming more fully formed human beings. I recently came across Richard Dawkins’ autobiography. Dawkins is, as we all know, as passionate atheist. But, I’ve always been disappointed with his seeming inability to engage with the subtleties and nuances of those with whom he disagrees. A recent review described him, accurately I think, as ‘a monument to unthinking certitude.’ I recognise that we, whichever creed or belief we may adhere to need to continue to think and critique and question our beliefs in order that we may discover how better to live together in peace, justice, and love. There should be no place in the Christian faith for unthinking certitude, and it may be that to our questioning there is no end.

REV. DR EDWARD PILLAR

Evesham Baptist Church