Open Minds

When I was last at Cokesbury I discovered something disturbing. The number of books in certain categories has changed. I had trouble finding my favorite areas – History and Culture was tucked away in a back corner; Bible Study was on the back side wall and worst of all Theology has shrunk to a mere three shelves. Instead the store was full of Devotion, Inspiration, Christian Living and Christian Fiction was cascading out of a full bookcase. What’s going on, don’t people want to think any more?

I have read Christian Fiction all of my life: Dostoevsky, Graham Greene, Endo Shusaku just to name a few. Oddly, I’m not sure these authors would be placed in the “Christian Fiction” section. This category has a kind of formula, and touches our minds and hearts in the same way as praise music -it has its place but it lacks gravitas. I confess I am somewhat distrustful of “Inspiration.” After looking at some of the books in this category it seems a lot like Christian Self-He lp.

Is this a part of the general dumbing down of America? We all know the stories: when we invaded Iraq most Americans didn’t know where Iraq is, much less about the differences between Sunni and Shiite, only 10% of Americans can name the number of justices on the Supreme Court, and a good many surveyed thought that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife! The Bible is the most popular book never read, and if it is read it is read literally rather than seriously, that is using our minds.

I worry about education today. It seems as though one can graduate from college and not learn critical thinking. What IS education if it doens’t involve cxritical thinking? Training?

When we United Methodists claim Open Minds in our denominationl slogan we mean more than being open to tolerating differecnes – we are for that too. But it also means that we believe thinking is a part of faith. In confirmation I hope to teach the youth not what to believe but how to think about thier faith – how to formulate the best questions.

So if you are looking for a place where you can have faith and think, come and join us. but be careful, the other part of the the Church’s slogan is Open Hearts.