We are called upon to make decisions every day. Behind the decisions that we make are values. Undergirding those values are belief systems. Martin Luther asked the pointed question “Who are your gods?” He believed that whatever we choose as our god will determine the core of our beliefs.
We live in a world that values being right. However, in our headlong pursuit of the “right” answers, we can easily overlook information that needs to be considered. This is especially true when we seek answers about God and God’s creation. Our challenge is to learn to follow a process of theological thinking rather than to focus only on finding answers. It’s tempting to want answers or a resolution to the discussion, and sometimes indecision feels uncomfortable. To shortchange the process, however, is to risk making a poor decision. An important part of this theologically based decision-making process is making use of shared wisdom. Some would argue that no weighty decision should be made in isolation. Including others in your decision making will improve your decisions.
This message is excerpted from “Called the deal with difficult issues” by Faith Fretheim and Joan Pope, a 2002 resource of the Women of the ELCA.
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