Over the years, it has become increasingly important to me to better understand the role of authority in forming and developing one’s faith. Authority plays a critical role in so many aspects of our lives: parents, teachers, doctors, etc. We are constantly trying to balance the views of multiple authorities, sometimes in conflict with one another, as we navigate a variety of decisions: educational methods, health choices, political choices, and, most important for many, faith choices. For some, “faith choice” is an oxymoron–their faith has never been a choice–it is all that they have known. Unfortunately, that too often leads to ill-informed decisions about how to view difficult and controversial subjects, and, most sadly, how to treat other people.
We all must rely on authorities for a variety of reasons, most obviously, because we cannot be well-informed on everything. The issue is not whether we need authority (nihilism), but how best to define and vet authorities that we use. We are all, obviously, the product of our culture and context. What is not so obvious is how rarely we consider (question, challenge) the assumptions of that culture and context.
Under this general heading, I hope to explore specific examples that have helped me understand the relationship of faith and authority.
