A Lot of Questions
I will start by admitting when I began reading this book I wanted to shut down. It probably did not help that my work week got very stressful after someone threatened to shoot at one of my group homes with a real gun after he used a paint gun on our cars and windows of the residence. So, the last thing I wanted to read about was how to have an argument especially when his first example was a topic about which I have more questions than absolute answers. However, I do know that arguments are not synonymous with fighting[1], and I will come back to the example in a bit. For now, I press on.
The author this week was Matthew Petrusek, a recognized voice in Catholic ethics and moral theology. His educational credentials are noteworthy, attending both Yale and University of Chicago. He is a prolific author on religious ethics within the Roman Catholic denomination.[2] He was worth reading.
In his book Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture Petrusek’s premise was that in order to embrace evangelism it is important to be able to have deep dive discussions on what goodness really means for humans in a fallen world. For Petrusek, that means being able to argue politics so people can understand what real goodness is within a moral framework. Then, more than even simply politics, to point to the love of Jesus.[3]
The author was systematic in his explanations of the various ways that people approach their beliefs and arguments related to them and make decisions. Circles of moral reasoning are threaded throughout the book as he tackled different political ideologies.[4]
Unfortunately, using abortion as the hot topic almost completely shut me off from reading anything in the book. In itself, abortion is a difficult topic, and I am not sure I have a definitive place where I land on it.
The problem I have with his theory is that so much of it is based on convincing people that their understanding that abortion is completely wrong because Catholics believe human life begins at conception. I disagreed that his premise is absolute truth when he stated categorically Humans in the womb are innocent human life.[5] That might be true but when I look at what the Bible says I struggle to find a definitive answer to that. As I read Genesis1:7 I see that “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathes into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The man was fully formed but until God breathed life into him, he was not alive. Is the same true for unborn children?
I have heard people quote Psalm 139 to point to life in the womb. The psalmist writes “you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13) That is the psalmist acknowledging God’s creation of him. I do not see the moment of life in that verse. I don’t know that the test to measure that belief in a loving, forgiving Lord should be if someone believes abortion is sinful or not. There are a multitude of sins that Jesus lived and died to redeem. I should know. While I cannot imagine ever, personally, having an abortion, I surely have committed more than my fair share of sins.
Returning to the original concept of evangelization, I fully embrace that as Christians it is important to evangelize, share the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the redemption of our sinfulness. In the Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen said that all Christian leadership is about what we give of our lives for others. The best way for that to happen is by entering into a relationship with someone and being present with that person, especially when that person is suffering.[6]
The reading this week is full of struggle for me. I still do not have all the answers. In fact, I have more questions.
- Do we need to be able to have solid arguments about contemporary hot topics to bring people to Christ?
- Could abortion be absolutely wrong? I do not know that. I do know as a mother, when we had the ultrasound and our daughter’s heart could be seen and heard, right then, my child was alive.
- What is my job as a Christian?
There are two things I do know that I know for sure.
- I am not God so judging might be better left in God’s hand.
- What does the Lord require of me? To act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with my God. (Micah 6:8 paraphrased)
[1] Matthew R. Petrusek, Evangelism And Ideology, How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture (Park Ridge, IL: 2023), 21.
[2] Petrusek, Back cover.
[3] Petrusek, 13,14.
[4] Petrusek, 44.
[5] Petrusek, 32.
[6] Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, Ministry in Contemporary Society (New York: Random House, 1972), 79,84.
About the Author
Diane Tuttle
16 responses to “A Lot of Questions”
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Thanks for your honest work on this text, Diane. I think that the questions that you raise are phenomenal because they are ‘engagement’ based questions. I think a key to our current cultural climate that encourages retreat and withdrawal is to find ways to move toward and engage those who are hurting, suffering and lost. I believe that the questions you are asking will lead you as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
Thank you Ryan. That is my prayer.
Diane,
I was commenting on Adam’s post about listening to a podcast (Holy Post podcast #610) after having read this book and they were discussing the history of the Catholic view of when life began. First, in the ancient and Biblical world, they did not have the science or really the need to understand conception and when life began, which is probably why Scripture is pretty silent on it. Second, the early church adopted and Aristotelian view of when life or ensoulment began (40 days for boys and 80 for girls) The church bounced back and forth on this and it wasn’t until 1869 when they finally settled on their current beliefs. So, we see that even the church did not always use Scripture to shape their belief systems.
Regarding your comment about not judging. Paul in I Corinthians 5:13 (ESV) wrote that we are to let God judge those outside the church. How can we expect unbelievers to live the same lifestyle or have the same beliefs as believers do. We can’t.
Do we have to have solid answers for hot topics? A friend of mine, Dr. Laura Smit, says that we need to leave room for a lot of grace on issues that they Bible is not clear about. So, I would say no to having to have answers for hot topics.
I pray that your week gets better.
My wife is frustrated that the mother of the boy who paintballed the vehicles and made the threats is the one who cleaned things up. She would have dragged our kids out and made them clean it up.
Reference to the podcast I was listening to.
Phil Vischer, “610: “Learning to Respectfully Disagree with John Inazu,” March 27, 2024, in The Holy Post Podcast, produced by Holy Post Media LLC., podcast, https://www.holypost.com/post/610-learning-to-disagree-respectfully-with-john-inazu
Hi Jeff, Thanks for the reference to the history. It is quite interesting. We aren’t sure why the mother did the clean up. Was she embarrassed or trying to remove the signs of it before police arrived? However, she did say to our staff to call police. Interesting. Another possibility is that she doesn’t have control over what he does.
Diane, I want to return when I have more time to write an actual comment regarding your post, but for now, I want to send you my prayer for God’s love and protection. May you have the peace of Jesus, whose hand is over you, your group homes, and the residents.
Bless you!
Thank you for prayer, Jennifer. Things are quiet right now. We installed security cameras within a day. Hopefully they will be a deterrent for any future problems. We know prejudice is real against people who are different. It is so hard to see it first hand. We have to live in faith and lean on God to walk with us.
Diane,
I appreciate how you wrestle with these questions. They are honest, reflective and biblical.
I also think that so much of the current debate going on is less about biblical ideals but more about whose team are you on? Both teams want to take a hard line on each side yet there is so much nuance to this question as well as many others. My challenge I see with so many peoples current position is that it is a baby when we want it to be a baby and it is a fetus when we want it to be a fetus. We determine it based on our own desires. When people have asked me about my position on abortion, I point to my four adopted children.
Hi Adam, Thanks for reading it and your comments. I like how your brought up how people define what abortion is about depends on their purpose: baby or fetus. I am not sure we will know the full answer this side of paradise. Peace.
Hi Diane, thank you for your brave post, especially amongst this group where there are likely strong opinions on the topic. It’s honest with the questions you wrestle with. I appreciate the contribution you offer to the abortion debate.
Regardless of where we land on this, we can love struggling mothers better as Christ would.
I’m sorry about the threats to your home this week. Praying for peace in all you do.
Hi Christy, Thanks for reading it and your comment. I think I have to trust that this group is a safe place to voice being unsure, even if it could be considered wrong to say that for some. I think that conversations held with mutual respect don’t have to solve every issue but help us understand where someone is on their journey. Thanks for the prayers.
Hi Diane, thank you for your post. I am glad we are no alone in struggling to understand Petrusek’s book.
In your opinion, what role does humility play in engaging with others on contentious issues, and how can Christians embody humility while advocating for their beliefs and engaging in evangelization?
Hi Shela, I think it starts by admitting we do not have all the answers but are interested in dialogue. Thx for reading the blog and the question.
Hi Diane, I’m very sorry to hear you were victim to vandalism and threats this week. What an awful experience. It’s hard to wrap your head around the senseless, hateful acts of others. I fully agree with your point about Christian leadership being about giving our lives to others and the importance of relationships and presence. I am of the belief that this is more impactful than a well-crafted argument. However, I understand the importance of building and expressing the rationale for our beliefs. What have you found to be the best way to engage people who hold opposing beliefs to your own? This is an area where I need to greatly improve!
Hi Elysse, This is a good question. I don’t know if I have a definitive answer yet but my thoughts are: 1. I am not sure I would get into the conversation with someone who I did not already know and respect. Otherwise, it could just be a trap from someone wanting a “fight” rather than an argument. 2. I think I would start from a stance that we are exploring together. Perhaps neither of us have it 100% accurate or will agree 100% but maybe together we find where the common ground is. 3. In these cases I would not hesitate to share where I stand on things but, hopefully, do it in a respectful way. Thanks for asking the question. Peace.
Hi Diane, I am so sorry for the threats posed to you and those more vulnerable living in the home. May you all feel God’s peace and presence in real tangible ways. Was there anything from the reading this week that helped you process or use as you’ve been dealing with this situation?
Thank you for your honest post. I appreciate how you address a challenging topic and even your own uncertainty. That takes courage and humility–something we can all learn from!
Hi Kari, Thanks for reading and your thoughts. Most of the ladies living in the home were unaware of what was going on. Sometime not knowing is good. As far as help for this situation. I don’t know that this week’s reading was where I got inspiration. I have tended to lean on some of the other authors we have been reading such as Friedman, remembering to be non-anxious; Walker, keeping my emotions about it on the back stage; and Rock, clearing out the clutter of my brain stage so that I could process what needed to be done.