Beyond the Desert of Criticism

Kudos to Cliff Vaughn for his review of Brian Flemming's documentary of "The God Who Wasn't There." Vaughn criticizes Flemming for his lack of critical perspective:

"Moderate Christianity makes no sense," argues Flemming, suggesting that the Bible really allows for no tempered approach. "Is it no wonder that so many people choose the Christian leaders who actually have the courage of their convictions?"

What's troubling, however, is that Flemming doesn't allow for the possibility that some Christians actually see and even appreciate the gray areas of life and thought. Newsflash for Flemming: Some Christians appreciate intellectual, philosophical and theological nuance. This appreciation is something Flemming presumably holds, but he himself demonstrates very little higher-order thinking.

Flemming would do well to spend some time reading philosopher Paul Ricoeur's religious writings. Exposure to a second naivete understanding of faith that traverses through both the simple, childlike understanding of a first naivete faith and through an adolescent distantiation informed by critical doubt to arrive at a mature faith could give him a different perspective on Jesus, Paul and the Christian faith.