Valuing the Right Questions... AND Answers.

One of the refreshing emphases common throughout the Emerging Church today is the value being placed on asking the right questions, instead of being compelled to provide the right answers.

I love questions. And I appreciate this greater emphasis on valuing the right questions.

Thanks to Andii at Nouslife, I came across a brief and well-articulated example -- at The Dying Church -- of asking the "right questions." Go check it out -it's very helpful. I'm convinced that the right questions help us to focus our attention and energies in the right direction. The right questions often remind us of the theological tensions of our faith -- the both/and realities that challenge and mystify us. I thank God for such questions.

But in the emerging community of faith of which I'm a part, I'm discovering that more and more people are as hungry for answers as they are for the right questions. Now, I'm not suggesting that the need is for answers to the "right questions," but rather a valuing of both questions -- in some instances -- and answers in others.

The challenge for those of us in emerging churches or those simply desiring to reach the postmodern culture -- is to discern when the right question is what's most needed (resisting, if necessary, the urge to provide answers), and when answers should be wisely and humbly offered.

If you too have found yourself wondering about the valuing of questions and/or answers, I'd love to hear about it.

Comments

[Gary Manders]

If i'm honest I have more questions than answers, but sometimes some clarity would be helpful, just to know we are on the right track or am I just looking for reassurance in an uncertain world?

[not perfection]

My first take on the topic: the questions (right questions) allow us to reframe the problem or situation we face -- look at it from a different perspective; make us slap our own headsand say, "why yes, that's the key question." The right answers come much more slowly because they are experiential -- they come from God through other people and the passage of time.

Interested in other's thoughts.

[Chris (DesertPastor)]

Good thoughts so far. I think "not perfection" is right about the "right answers" and how they come slowly.

Gary, in suggesting the possibility of "looking for reassurance in an uncertain world", it reminds me of hearing how the emerging generations are faced with a "spectre of doom" -- which flows from the sobering reality that modernity and science and technology have NOT solved the world's problems or helped us to all get along. Maybe the humbling of "empirical truth" is resulting in the hightened interest in "spiritual truths" ??? Maybe we're beginning to look for answers in a new way.

[Benjy (groovythpstr)]

I haven't been to the ooze for a while, and I recently came across something that Spencer wrote about questions and answers. It's very fitting for this conversation.

And while this post seems to somewhat downplay questions, isn't that what this post is? The entire post could have been a question. That's why blogs are so interesting, b/c they ask for the input and opinion of others. Just my 2 cents.

[Benjy (groovythpstr)]

Oops. Here is the link:
http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=871