Questioning Authority

[Editorial for this week's Chicago Seminarian]

Who do we allow to tell us what to think, and what to do? This is a question timely for seminary students in particular. Some would answer ‘God,’ or ‘the Bible;’ others might do or think mostly only what their church body tells them to, no matter what the politics are of the denomination--after all, keeping your head down and asking no questions is a good way to cruise through unhassled in life. We all know this. Still, others may find the desire to question what we’re told on any given topic...worth a little hassle. Hopefully not too much, though, right? After all, we all know it, those who ask too many questions often get into trouble like they never imagined. And it hurts.

Monks in Burma (also known as Myanmar) are asking questions these days. And they are getting killed. Those images and radio reports are haunting me the most this week. Their pictures remind me of pictures I saw in the Chicago Historical Society two summers ago, of seminarians and clergy marching in the streets to support the cause of human rights. Where are we called to march today?

In a few months, seminarians and clergy will march to protest the U.S. Army School of the Americas at Ft. Benning, GA. Some will be arrested and imprisoned.

Other seminarians are traveling to the border, to the Middle East, to Africa, to Colombia; some are traveling to the neighborhoods we so rarely go in our own city, each asking questions--each deciding to find out for her or himself what is happening and what must be done to heal our world. Some are asking questions on their own campuses. When we question what we’ve been told, it is wise to go together and draw on each other’s strength and support. Let us do likewise.

-Le Anne