In Praise of Christian Agnosticism Part I

What makes a sage, a sage? Why is he so wise? Is it because he understands the complexity of the issues? Partly. Is it because he has answers for the confused? Assuredly. The search for answers brings the weary and the perplexed to the feet of the sage. They ask hungered questions and await the ring of keys which will unlock their iron-clad dysfunction. Although I confess I was not such a searcher when I visited a suburban Baptist church on Saturday, I nonetheless knew that the speaker, Brian McLaren, was reportedly as close to a modern Christian sage as I was ever to find. McLaren offered much of what any good sage would possess: pithy anecdotes, measured critiques, questions for questions, and concrete applications. Surprisingly however, McLaren seemed nickel-poor when it came to supplying answers that had lasting currency. It seemed that the consistent response to questions from the confused was a jargoned encouragement for them to become comfortable in their confusion. No one would have expected a guru to offer them answers in a comprehensive sense, but it is a reasonable expectation that there should be something of an apprehendable answer.