Why is Theology so Complex?

For many people who argue against Christianity, one of their Top Ten objections is usually the comment, “Christianity is too complex. A religion ordained by God would be pure, simple, and easy to understand.”

This is certainly a legitimate point and, on the surface, it could even be considered a good point. After all, you’ve got Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists...the list goes on, and everyone thinks they are the ones who’ve got it right.

However, the argument falls apart when one considers it from other angles. Why? Because as C.S. Lewis argues so brilliantly in Mere Christianity, nothing is simple. Is physics? Is chemistry? Even a simple rock is extraordinarily complex, once you get past the fact it just looks like a rock, and you begin to consider it at the sub-molecular level.

I understand, however, that most people want the rules of religion to be simple. They want the Bible to be a brochure, with basic instructions about the minimum that must be done in order to please God. Me, too! I want an 8½x11 flyer that tells me that I need to do exactly “X” every day, and the reward is heaven. (Monday, March 29th. Pray 10 minutes, call your Mom, adopt a stray dog, and give a sandwich to a homeless person. Voila. God is happy with you).

But, I also want a flyer on how to communicate flawlessly with my wife. I want a flyer on how to get dictators to be nice to their people. I want a flyer on how to make people more generous and friendly.

Are you with me here? If simply understanding your spouse’s mind is a complex, then it stands to reason that understanding God’s mind should also be complex. After all, he’s God, not Forest Gump. In addition, we’ve got to remember that God didn’t make graduate-level calculus easy to understand, so why should theology be easy?

With calculus and physics, we can build a bridge. With theology, we attempt to understand the mind of the God who invented calculus and physics. (In his head.) (From scratch.) Now looking at it from that angle, which thing should be more complex?

So, who’s right? Who’s cracked the code, and offers the way to salvation?

Hard to say. But I do know that when God rolled out his second covenant with mankind, He issued only straight-forward directives: Admit you need a Savior, repent of your sins, accept my Son as your Lord and Savior, follow the teachings of Scripture, and tell other people the Good News that through Jesus you can get to Heaven.

Is that complex? Did He design church calendars, write services, dictate who could take communion, and declare who should stack the chairs after the Pot Luck Supper? No. The truth is that God didn’t invent our “modern denominations.” We did.

So, with all the denominations out there, and everyone claiming that their nuances are the most correct and holy, who do you trust? Who do you turn to for the answers? What church does God want you to go to in order to learn about His truth? Since this is my column, I’ll tell you what I think: He doesn’t care, as long as you choose a church that preaches and teaches His unchanging word.

What I mean by this is that some churches teach that God himself changes with the times, and if in 50 years polygamy is socially acceptable, it will be acceptable to God. I disagree. Some churches teach that God is relative, and that one Christian can believe in the Resurrection and another may not but somehow both are correct. I disagree. And some churches teach that there are many paths to God. I disagree, based on what the Bible tells me. However, other than avoiding churches that teach that God is “relative to your perspective,” I don’t think God cares which Christian denomination you choose to learn about him.

Why? Because the early church was just a bunch of folks getting together in a courtyard to learn about Jesus, and to say, “Thank you God for making me, this world, and all the fun stuff I get to do. Thanks also for making it possible for me to be forgiven even though I break your rules everyday.”

So if you feel more comfortable in a conservative, formal church, go there. If you prefer a modern, non-denominational church, go there.

If you want a fire and brimstone church that emphasizes strict rules, go there.

And if you’re just opening your mind to the thought of investigating Christianity, find a church that offers the Alpha course, and go there.

But don’t kid yourself about the importance of going to a church: You owe it to God to go because it’s your personal “thank you” to Him for all your good fortunes. After all, if you give someone a present, which do you appreciate more: A phone call thank you, a thank you note, or a personal visit where they take the time to drive to your house to say thanks? When it comes to emotions like love and gratitude, God does think like you and me, and your blowing off church is much like a friend blowing off your birthday party. Doesn’t that offend you? To think about a good friend deciding they’ve got something better to do than to come to a party in your honor? What will you say when you next see that friend face to face? What will God say to you when the two of you come face to face?

As you know if you’ve ever read this column, I blew off church for about 25 years, so I’ll have plenty of explaining to do when I kick the bucket. However, I believe I’ve got one thing going for me:

Despite the fact I’m an idiot, and despite the fact I completely turned my back on God for most of my life, I’ll have God’s Son standing beside me when I’m doing my explaining. And once I’m done with my lame “the dog ate my religion” excuses, Jesus will say, “Yes, he’s a knucklehead, but he’s with me.”

Now that’s not complex, is it?