I wrote the other day of Rowan William’s conception of heresy early in On Christian Theology, that it is often shown in the precision and systemization of our language about God. Heresy occurs when we speak to confidently and authoritatively about that which we know now.
Later, in a chapter on theological integrity, Williams makes another important point about our theological discourse:
Having integrity, then, is being able to speak in a way which allows of answers. Honest discourse permits response and continuation; it invites collaboration by showing that it does not claim to be, in and of itself, final.
Rowan Williams, “Theological Integrity” in On Christian Theology
Besides being messy, good Christian speech should also end with a comma, and not a period. It should extend the invitation to respond, and contain enough humility to be told it is wrong. I know this is an area I struggle with, just as I struggle with letting my ideas be messy. If there is one good social media has brought the world, it is the space to be responded to. Many of us – myself included – don’t always take those responses with the proper grain of gratitude we should.
Justin DaMetz 