GETTING STARTED - Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia

“DEEPENING 

DISCIPLESHIP 

THROUGH 

BIBLE STUDY” 

Our mission 

The Lutheran Theological Seminary at 

Philadelphia, a school of the Evangelical 

Lutheran Church in America, is committed 

to preparing ordained and lay ministers of 

the Word as leaders for the mission of the 

Church in the world. 

A Theological Study for Disciples with a Lenten Focus 

The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia 

7301 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119 

Phone (800) 286-4616 

www.Ltsp.edu

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS 

“DEEPENING D ISCIPLESHIP T HROUGH B IBLE S TUDY” 

GETTING STARTED 

Table of Contents 

Overview 

Images for Lent 

TEACHER’S GUIDE 

Teacher’s Guide (Information for each session.) 

PARTICIPANT WORKSHEETS 

Five Study Guides / Participant Worksheets 

(Reproducible for each session.) 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

• Article on “Doubt” by Janet Corpus. From the Jan. – Feb. 2001 

issue of Sunday/Monday Woman, copyright © 2001 Augsburg 

Fortress. Used with permission. This article may be reproduced 

by the purchaser for local use only. 

• “Disciples: Who Are They and What Do They Do?” 

EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS 

Evaluation and Suggestion Form 

DISCIPLES: LEARNERS AND LEADERS

O VERVIEW 

“DEEPENING D ISCIPLESHIP T HROUGH B IBLE S TUDY” 

A Resource for Lent and Other Times 

Produced by The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia 

under “Theological Education for the Laity.” 

GETTING STARTED 

Lent is a good time to talk about discipleship around the topic of “Deepening Discipleship 

Through Bible Study.” But this study may be used at many other times. 

To assist congregations in focusing on discipleship, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at 

Philadelphia offers this resource, “Deepening Discipleship Through Bible Study,” under the theme 

of “Disciples: Learners and Leaders.” The root meaning of the word disciple is “one who learns or 

receives instruction from another.” You will find more about the word disciple in an article that is 

enclosed. 

In short, these resources are to assist: 

• In teaching the essence of the Christian faith so that all the baptized can “talk the talk.” 

• In manifesting our faith in daily life so that all the baptized can “walk the walk.” 

THE TOPIC — “DEEPENING DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH BIBLE STUDY” 

These materials focus on the topic of “discipleship” by having participants examine Biblical 

accounts. Thus, each person will need a Bible for each session. 

The first disciples were very common folk. Like people today, they were eager to follow Jesus but 

sometimes stumbled. They were willing to lead but sometimes needed to learn first. Sounds 

familiar, doesn’t it? 

Through a study of New Testament accounts, we discover that disciples of the first century faced 

the same issues that confront disciples in the 21st century. The issues identified in this study are: 

• Faith 

• Doubt 

• Teamwork 

• Leadership 

• Vision 

Thus, this “Deepening Discipleship Through Bible Study” is a key theological resource for laity in 

every congregation. 


O VERVIEW CONTINUED 

THE AUDIENCE — “DEEPENING DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH BIBLE STUDY” 

“Deepening Discipleship Through Bible Study” is a theological resource for ALL AGES - 

all the people of God. Possible audiences include: 

• Lenten mid-week services 

• Lenten Soup and Study sessions 

• Lenten breakfast studies 

• Lenten Bible study groups 

• Adult Forums 

• Advent studies 

• Retreats, etc. 

You should make as many photocopies of the Participant Worksheet as needed so that each person 

has a copy. 

NOTEBOOK OF RESOURCES — “DEEPENING DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH BIBLE STUDY” 

Each notebook contains a variety of resources. 

• “Images for Lent” – images to assist in your planning and promotion. 

• “Teacher’s Guide” – a resource for the person(s) leading each session. It provides an 

overview of the theme, specific teaching suggestions and background materials for each of 

the five sessions. 

• “Participant Worksheets” – a master copy of each of the five (5) reproducible “Participant 

Worksheets” for five weeks. You may print as many copies of the Study Guide as needed so 

each person has a copy. 

• “Disciples: Who are They and What do They Do” – a background article on the word “disciple” 

plus summaries of other programs offered by “Theological Education for the Laity” of LTSP. 

• “Doubt” – an article by Janet Corpus from Sunday/Monday Woman. 

• “Evaluation and Suggestions” – a form on which you can return your comments and 

suggestions for future topics. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/EDITOR 

Dr. Janet Corpus, the author for this study, has been a parish pastor and is now serving as an 

assistant to the Bishop in Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. Janet also has taught at The Lutheran 

Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. The Rev. George E. Keck, Executive Editor, is Director of 

Theological Education for the Laity at LTSP. 


I MAGES FOR L ENT 

Thoughts about Lent and Discipleship 

As a prelude to your planning for Lent, we invite you to review the following thoughts about Lent and 

Discipleship. These images may be used in your planning and promotion in addition to providing you 

background for the study. 

DISCIPLES Who are they and what do they do? After all, we seldom hear members of Lutheran 

congregations refer to themselves as “disciples.” 

A disciple is simply a “learner” and a “leader.” The root meaning of the Biblical word for 

disciple is “one who learns or receives information from another.” In a way, the Twelve 

were “apprentices” with Jesus for three years. They took time to learn. 

After Easter, as the church expanded, the term disciple also expanded to refer to the 

baptized people of God (laos). During the last 2,000 years, the church of Jesus Christ has 

been carried forth by people who first learned the Story and then became leaders. 

Who are disciples today? You and me! All those who learn and lead are the “Biblical 

disciples” of the 21st Century. 

JOURNEY Living in the Northern Hemisphere, it is easy to associate the coming of Lent with the 

coming of spring. But Lent is more than just the change of seasons. We who celebrate 

Lent do more than merely pass from winter into spring. 

Nor is Lent merely a 40-day season that focuses on the story of Jesus’ passion and 

death. We know how the story ends! 

Rather, Lent is a journey of a people who have been forever marked by the story’s end – 

by Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection. Once each year, the journey is a time of 

renewal and study for disciples. 

PASSAGE We are born to die! Life is a passage from beginning to end. The ashes of Ash Wednesday, 

in spite of all of our denials, remind us that we will die. Dust we are and to dust we shall 

return. Being part of God’s good creation, aging is the passage form birth to death. Aging 

is not a disease but a gift from God. During each season of life, disciples have different 

gifts to offer and opportunities to learn. 

During Lent we affirm that we live because of a death – because of the death and 

resurrection of Jesus – in which we share through baptism. 

BAPTISM Lent is about God baptizing us into a life of faithful discipleship, or to use Martin Luther’s 

lovely language, “creeping back to the font.” 

Lent is a time for disciples to learn how to “talk the talk” so that we can “walk the walk.” 

How can we live out our baptism in our daily life? By spending these 40 days of Lent 

learning and preparing ourselves to renew our baptismal covenant. 

[Prepared by George E. Keck, Director of Lay Theological Education, LTSP.] 


P ARTICIPANT W ORKSHEET 

S ESSION 1: “FAITH” 

OPENING PRAYER 

O God, we rely on your faithfulness to us. Be with us now. Enrich our faith. Amen 

ACTIVITY: What is faith? 

1) Faith is what we know and believe. 

2) Faith is what we experience. 

3) Faith is what makes a difference in our attitudes and actions. 

EXPLORING SCRIPTURE 

Luke 8:42b-48 (Other options: Luke 7:36-50, Matthew 15:21-28.) 

1) Who are the characters/persons in the story? 

2) Describe the person who approaches Jesus. What is the need/problem? What is said? 

3) What is the person’s relationship to the faith community of that time? 

4) How does Jesus respond to the person in need? 

5) Jesus refers to the person’s faith. What does he say? 


RESPONDING 


S ESSION 1: “ F AITH” CONTINUED 

1) How did you come to the faith you have? 

2) What people were important? 

3) How would you describe your faith to someone who is not Christian? 

SUMMARY 

CLOSING PRAYER 

Faithful God, we thank you that you have made yourself known to us in Jesus Christ. Thank you for 

Jesus’ faith that sustains us. Thank you for the surprises that come from faith shared. Amen 

FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION 

• Dorothy C. Bass, ed., Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People (Jossey-Bass, 1997). 

• Faith Questions for Families (Augsburg Fortress, 2000). 

• LBW #93 Jesus, Refuge of the Weary, or WOV #735 God! When Human Bonds Are Broken. 



S ESSION 2: “ D OUBT” 


Dear friend Jesus, you loved your first disciples who, like us, didn’t know all the answers 

and sometimes doubted. Be with us now. Uphold us in times of belief and unbelief. Amen 

ACTIVITY: What about religious doubt? 

1) What are religious doubts about? 

2) How have doubts affected your faith? 


• John 20:19-30 (another option – Matthew 14:28-33). 

1) Describe the doubts of the person in this story. 

2) What is Jesus’ response? What does he do? What does he say? 

3) Do you think that all of the first disciples had doubts? If so, why? 


RESPONDING 


S ESSION 2: “ D OUBT” CONTINUED 

1) Describe the last time you had doubts. 

2) What events prompted your doubts? 

3) How did another person(s) help you? 

SUMMARY 


Gracious and loving God, Jesus’ first followers worshipped though some doubted. As you 

sustained them, so sustain us. As you used them as faithful witnesses amidst their doubts, so 

also use us. Even use our questions to proclaim your never failing love. Amen 


• Janet M. Corpus, “Doubt: Test or Testimony?” Sunday/Monday Woman (January-February 2000). 

Included at the back of this notebook. 

• LBW #293 or #294 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less or WOV #660 I Want Jesus to Walk with Me. 



S ESSION 3: “ T EAMWORK” 


Lord Jesus Christ, you chose the twelve disciples to serve with you. As you taught them, so 

teach us as we gather this day. Amen 

ACTIVITY: What is teamwork? 

1) What qualities/gifts are needed for teamwork? 

2) What blocks teamwork? 


1) Luke 5:5; Luke 9.20. 

What qualities/gifts do you find in Peter? 

2) Mark 1:20; Mark 10:35-41. 

What qualities/gifts do you find in James and John? 

3) John 6:2-7; John 14:6-9. 

What qualities/gifts do you find in Philip? 



S ESSION 3: “ T EAMWORK” CONTINUED 

EXPLORING SCRIPTURE C ONTINUED 

4) John 11:16; John 14:5-7. 

What qualities/gifts do you find in Thomas? 

5) Matthew 26:14-16; John 26:20-25. 

What qualities/gifts do you find in Judas Iscariot? 

RESPONDING 

1) What teamwork qualities/gifts are needed most in our congregation? 

2) How might teamwork be developed in the congregation? 


Jesus, with humor, compassion, and purpose you have called us together. Give us open hearts 

for laughter, grace to minister together with others, and confidence that you know what you 

are doing with us, just as you knew what you were doing with your first followers. Amen 

FOR FURTURE EXPLORATION 

• Peter L. Steinke, Healthy Congregations: A Systems Approach (The Alban Institute, 1996). 

• LBW #126 Where Charity and Love Prevail or WOV #755 We Are All One in Mission. 



S ESSION 4: “ L EADERSHIP” 


Holy Spirit, you give us gifts and talents for holy purposes in daily life. As we gather here, make us 

aware of your presence among us and your gifts in ourselves and in others. Amen 

ACTIVITY: What are the qualities/gifts of a church leader? 

1) What skills/qualities do you expect in a church leader? 

2) What skills/qualities are most often lacking? 


Matthew 16:13-16 

John 13:21-30 

Luke 22:31-34 and Luke 22:54-62 

Mark 14:46-50 

1) What leadership challenges or dilemmas did Peter face? 

2) What leadership qualities did Peter show? 

3) In what ways did Peter fall short as a leader? 


RESPONDING 


S ESSION 4: “ L EADERSHIP” CONTINUED 

1) What are the ways that congregational leaders are developed and/or supported? 

2) What additional ways could leaders be developed and supported in the congregation? 

SUMMARY 


Gracious God, you call us to follow you as you lead. Keep our hands and hearts in yours so that we 

do not lose our way. As you lead us, help us to lead each other in your name. Amen 


• Patricia D. Brown, Learning to Lead from Your Spiritual Center (Abingdon, 1996). 

• LBW #501 He Leadeth Me: Oh, Blessed Thought or WOV #662 Restore in Us, O God. 



S ESSION 5: “ V ISION” 


Lord Jesus, you are the Light of the world; help us to see. Open our eyes to the possibilities that 

you have put before us as your disciples. In your name we pray. Amen 

ACTIVITY: What is vision? 

1) What does the word “vision” mean for you as a Christian? 

2) Who are some persons that have “vision”? 


1) Luke 23:44 – 49. 

What vision/possibilities did the disciples see at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion? 

2) John 20:6-9. 

What vision/possibilities did the disciples see at the time of Jesus’ resurrection? 

3) Luke 24:13-27 and John 21:14-17. 

What direction/vision/possibilities did Jesus give for the future? 

4) Matthew 28:16-20 and John 20: 15-17. 

What is the vision that Jesus has for the disciples? 


RESPONDING 


S ESSION 5: “ V ISION” CONTINUED 

1) What new vision/possibilities do you see for yourself for the future? 

2) What are new vision/possibilities for the congregation for the future? 

SUMMARY 

EVALUATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 


God of light and love, you have given us so many gifts and possibilities for the future. Now may 

your peace and presence go with us into that future. Amen 


• Robert Farrar Capon, The Mystery of Christ . . . & Why We Don’t Get It (Eerdmans, 1993). 

• LBW #94 My Song Is Love Unknown or WOV #657 The Glory of These Forty Days. 


“DISCIPLES - 

Who are they and What Do they Do?” 

Somewhere over the past 

centuries many have lost touch 

with the root meaning of the 

word disciple. The Theological Word 

Book of the Bible begins the definition 

this way: 

Disciple is the English form of 

Latin discipulus which is derived 

from discere, to learn, and so 

means “learner”, “scholar”, 

“pupil”, and, sometimes 

“apprentice” (cf. German Lehrling). 

The exactly corresponding Greek 

word is mathetes, also derived from 

the verb meaning “to learn.” 

BEING A DISCIPLE IN THE 

FIRST CENTURY 

The word “disciple” occurs some 

250 times in the New Testament. 

Occasionally the disciples of John or 

the disciples of the Pharisees are 

mentioned, but most of the time in 

Matthew, Mark, and John, the word is 

used to speak of Jesus’ disciples. 

Who were these first “learners?” 

What kind of people did Jesus call to 

be his first “apprentices?” 

First, it appears that they were 

about the same age as Jesus and they 

were working in a variety of commonplace 

or routine occupations, for 

that day. 

Second, some of the first disciples 

were a bit slow to learn. Most 

had questions and doubts. 

In Luke and Acts, as the early 

church spreads, we find the word 

“disciple” being extended beyond 

the original 12. Gradually, in the 

early church, “disciples” becomes 

the distinctive term for the laos - all 

people who were baptized and 

believe in Christ. 

Luke/Acts and the early church 

seem to add a second dimension — 

living a life that grows out of the 

roots of what one believes. One 

passage from Luke serves as a 

dramatic example: 

“Whoever comes to me and does 

not hate father and mother, wife 

and children, brother and sisters, 

yes, even life itself, cannot be my 

disciple.” (Luke 14:26). 

With Jesus, “discipleship” becomes 

more than “membership.” 

The Great Commission found in 

Matthew 28:16-20 may be the most 

familiar passage about disciples. It 

also provides the focus of the 

mission they are to carry out. 

Now the 11 disciples went to 

Galilee, to the mountain to which 

Jesus had directed them. When 

they saw him, they worshiped 

him; but some doubted. And 

Jesus came and said to them, ‘All 

authority in heaven and on earth 

had been given to me. Go therefore 

and make disciples of all 

nations, baptizing them in the 

name of the Father and of the 

Son and of the Holy Spirit, and 

teaching them to obey everything 

that I have commanded you. And 

remember, I am with you always, 

to the end of the age.’ 

BEING A DISCIPLE IN THE 

21ST CENTURY 

In some ways, the 21st Century is 

like the First Century. We, too, live 

in a socio-economic culture that is 

indifferent, if not hostile, toward the 

Christian faith. People around us, 

sometimes we ourselves, do not 

know the Story. We don’t know how 

to “talk the talk.” We, too, are not 

sure how to “walk the walk.” The 

result is that many believers today 

find themselves filled with doubts 

and questions, often feeling 

confused and alone! 

Loren Mead critiques this situation 

in which we find ourselves as 

the “demise of Christendom.” Gone 

are the former social orders and the 

everyday life incidents that supported 

the church in the development 

of faithful believers. The 

departure of such traditions as 

Sunday Blue Laws, stable family 

structures as pictured by Norman 

Rockwell, preferential treatment for 

the church and clergy, prayers in 

school, and occurrences of litigation 

and taxation debates are only a few 

illustrations of the demise of 

“Christendom” over the past century. 

Mead suggests that the church of 

the future is faced with the 

challenge of how to go about the 

formation of the disciples in the 

DISCIPLES: LEARNERS AND LEADERS 

21st Century. To some, his critique 

sounds pessimistic. 

On the other hand, might this 

actually be a good time to be the 

Church? Could our current situation 

be an opportunity to get back to 

our roots? After reviewing the root 

meaning of the word “disciple,” 

are we not in a situation like that 

of the First Century? We too are 

living in a time filled with mission 

possibilities. 

CONGREGATIONS: CENTERS FOR 

DISCIPLESHIP 

The best opportunity for the 

theological formation of disciples is 

one that is the closest at hand – the 

congregation. Worship is the setting 

where our identity as disciples is 

given in baptism. It is there that we 

bring our doubts and questions 

much the way the first disciples 

did. And it is from there that we are 

sent into the world. 

Congregations have traditionally 

been the place where the laos have 

been grounded in our Story and in 

its meaning. Without knowledge of 

the Story that sets us apart, there is 

no identity. No basis or standard 

exists by which we are to live. 

First, one needs to reclaim the 

language of discipleship. When 

others come into our midst, can 

they tell who we are by the way we 

talk? Words, like “grace,” “sin,” and 

“salvation” have a new meaning 

that has to be learned. 

Second, when most congregations 

think of “education” they 

think of Sunday School. In the 21st 

Century, that will not be enough! 

Most new members do not know 

the Story. Some in the church 

have forgotten the Story. Each 

generation has to retell the Story. 

Does how we spend our time at 

church focus on helping people to 

become “learners and leaders?” 

How/where might we provide a 

“safe place” for people to share 

their doubts, their questions, their 

problems in life? In short, how can 

we better spend our time in the 

formation of disciples?

“ DISCIPLES - 

Who are they and What Do they Do?” CONTINUED 

How Do We Use Our Time? 

We probe into how we can best 

spend our time in the formation of 

disciples. We can begin with some 

questions about how we spend our 

time in the settings where Gods 

people – the laos – gather. 

How do we spend our time 

during 

• Lent? Advent? 

• Council? WELCA? Men in 

Mission? 

• Bible Study other than on Sunday 

morning? 

• Use of media? E-mail? Web 

page? 

• Resources for families to use at 

home like Augsburg Fortress 

“FaithLife”? 

• Adult Forums? Retreats? 

• Faith and Work Forums: (Safe 

places to share.) 

– Teachers and administrator in 

public schools 

– Nurses, physicians, and those 

in the health professions 

– Engineers, managers, accountants, 

etc. 

• Faith and Life Forums: 

(Safe places to share.) 

– Parents – especially single 

parents 

– Retired, unemployed, etc. 

People today are pressed for 

time. So let’s use the time we do 

have to the best advantage. 

Partnership with LTSP 

The Seminary is committing itself 

to expand its teaching mission 

through a new program titled - 

“Theological Education for Laity.” 

The Seminary invites all congregations 

to renew their commitment 

to be “Centers for Discipleship.” 

The Seminary is currently offering 

the following resources to congregations 

and synods. 

a “On-line Theological Study for 

Laity” – An opportunity for persons 

to study theology and Bible 

on-line. Persons may sign on at 

their convenience during the two 

months that the course is open. 

Some courses are: 

• How Do We Read the Bible? 

• Worship: Gathered in God’s 

Presence. 

• Faith for Life: An Introduction 

to Theology 

• Teaching and Sharing the Faith 

• Youth Ministry 

• Small Catechism: A Handbook 

for Disciples 

b “Reproducible Studies” – A 

packet of resources and five (5) 

reproducible discussion/study 

guides on topics for use in midweek 

service, Soup and Study, 

Adult Forums, etc. 

c “Faculty-In-Residence”- Access 

to Seminary faculty/staff to lead 

special congregational study. 


d “Faith and Leadership 

Academy”- A model using seven 

Saturdays currently being used 

by several synods. 

e “Academy II” – A one day model 

for those who complete "Faith 

and Leadership Academy.” 

f “Theological Education with 

Youth” – An initiative involving 

youth in a Summer Theological 

Academy and youth who are 

Counselors-In-Training at church 

camps. 

g “Men in Mission” – One-day 

events co-sponsored with Bear 

Creek Camp, Northeastern 

Pennsylvania Synod, and 

Southeastern Pennsylvania 

Synod. 

h “Health Ministry/Parish Nursing” 

– Partnership with the committee 

in Southeastern 

Pennsylvania Synod to sponsor 

events and develop resources 

for those in Health Ministry and 

Parish Nursing. 

You may contact George E. Keck 

at (610) 489-1202 or gbkeck@cs.com 

for more information about how the 

Seminary might be a partner and 

assist your congregation in becoming 

a Center for Discipleship. 

CONCLUSION 

What does the word “disciple” 

mean? Disciples are the laos – all 

baptized believers. What do they 

do? Disciples learn and lead. 

— George E. Keck 

Director - 

Theological Education 

for Laity

DOUBT - TEST OR T ESTIMONY 

Doubt can pull us away from God or draw us closer to the mystery of God. 

By Dr. Janet M. Corpus, an ELCA pastor, teacher, and author living in Philadelphia. 

The prisoner, falsely accused 

and waiting to die, strives to 

believe in God’s final justice. 

Parents, crazed with aching for the 

child they buried, struggle to recognize 

God’s love in their pain. A young 

science major, taunted for believing in 

“magic,” questions the reality of the 

resurrection. All wrestle with doubt. 

And they’re not alone. Most of us 

at some point in our lives struggle 

with our beliefs: What’s really true? 

Who or what is God? And how, if at 

all, is God present in our lives and in 

our world? Doubt often accompanies 

the major traumas of our lives, yet 

sometimes it creeps in for no apparent 

reason. No wonder we may find 

ourselves asking: Should we embrace 

doubt, or should we flee from it? 

A basis of belief 

Certainly, doubt about religious 

matters is commonplace, as a recent 

Gallup poll discovered when 39 

percent of respondents admitted, 

“There are a lot of things taught in 

my religion that I don’t really 

believe.” That finding isn’t particularly 

earth-shattering, but it might 

be surprising to learn that many 

theologians see doubt as an important 

dimension of faith. 

Theologian Paul Tillich, for example, 

writes that doubt “should not 

be considered as the negation of 

faith, but as an element which was 

always and will always be present in 

the act of faith. . . . serious doubt is 

confirmation of faith.” At the very 

least, says theologian Robert 

McAfee Brown, we should consider 

its role in faith: “No examination of 

faith can be complete so long as it 

sidesteps the problem of doubt.” 

This view is shared by many developmental 

psychologists who study 

faith development. “Faith is not static 

but develops and grows,” writes 

James Fowler, Emory University 

Professor of Theology and Human 

Development. Without doubt, Fowler 

argues, we do not grow in faith. John 

H. Westerhoff III, Professor emeritus 

of Theology and Christian Nurture at 

Duke University Divinity School, 

agrees: “In order to move from an 

understanding of faith that belongs 

to the community to an understanding 

of faith that is our own, we need 

to doubt and question that faith.” 

A threatening trial 

While doubt can be considered as 

an unavoidable, even necessary, 

part of the life of faith, it is also a 

painful and frightening temptation 

to disbelief. Dale Cali, 79, has struggled 

with doubt most of her life. She 

recalls, “In adolescence the miracles 

began to worry me. I wanted to 

believe them. They seemed very 

strange. Finally, I talked myself into 

it.… I wanted to believe. I lived in a 

totally committed Lutheran environment 

and you were supposed to 

believe, but my doubt kept coming 

back.… If the miracles are not true, 

then I fear the collapse of the structure 

of my faith.” Cali’s struggles 

have led her to reject some basic 

church beliefs, but she remains in 

the church nonetheless and in the 

struggle with her own beliefs. 

Sixteenth-century reformer and 

theologian Martin Luther not only 

saw doubt as a threat to faith, he 

believed the devil to be the source 

of doubt. He writes, “When a person 

is beset by doubt and begins to go 

astray in his faith, this is indeed one 

of the severest trials.” Luther himself 

was no stranger to doubt. “I 

know how I sometimes struggle in 

the hours of darkness.… I know how 

slippery the footing is even for 

those who are mature and seem to 

be firmly established in matters of 

faith.” Russian novelist Dostoyevsky 

embraced both the positive and 

negative aspects of doubt. When he 

wrote, “My hosannas have been 

forged in the crucible of doubt,” he 

saw doubt as integral to his growth 


in faith. But, as his novels reveal, it 

was also a source of great pain. 

Doubt plagues and assails. It 

threatens not only a sense of security 

in our faith, but also our relationships 

with and within the faith community. 

Perhaps for good reasons, we fear 

doubt both in ourselves and in others. 

It’s understandable, then, why 

faith groups, pastors, friends, or 

family members so often discourage 

doubt and urge people to hold fast 

to their beliefs. 

Yet, when people are not free to 

express doubt, it can become overwhelming. 

Contemporary theologian 

Douglas John Hall writes that “great, 

searching concepts of the faith” like 

love, faith, and hope, “are quite 

likely to function repressively in our 

congregations.” For example, to 

question the concept of God’s constant 

care, even in the pain of personal 

tragedy or injustice, may be 

seen as an unacceptable lack of 

faith. Yet, Hall argues, concepts such 

as these are most fully defined and 

understood biblically through their 

opposites. “Biblically speaking,” he 

writes, these terms… do not eliminate 

the negative, they engage it.” 

Congregations, he urges, should be 

safe places for people to express 

real doubts in the hope of a true 

faith. 

Having experienced the pain of 

doubt herself, Doreen Conte agrees. 

“Faced with doubt, I say to myself, 

‘Here it is. I can choose to let it draw 

me down or I can admit it’s painful 

and see if anybody else is feeling it.’ 

In society you’re often expected to 

bear it and grin. I’ve found you can 

make doubt into a good thing by 

letting it out, sharing it. I share it with 

the community.” The struggle for a 

congregation, perhaps, is maintaining 

the delicate balance between a 

strong affirmation of beliefs and a 

welcoming environment for questions, 

particularly considering the 

many sources of doubt that assail us.



CONTINUED 

A manifold mystery 

What are some of these sources? 

The spectre of doubt may arise when 

facts come into question, such as 

apparent contradictions in the Bible 

or its seeming inconsistency with 

modern scientific knowledge; when 

our experience of God changes and 

we no longer feel the inspiration 

that fired our faith; when we fear 

that our faith is false; when the 

church fails to model the Christian 

ideals it teaches; or when living 

faithfully doesn’t produce the outcomes 

we’d anticipated. 

Human suffering and evil, too, 

raise doubt about God’s power to act 

and God’s will to do good. We may 

wonder: Is God simply indifferent? “It 

is the silence, the withdrawal, which 

is so devastating,” says author 

Madeleine L’Engle. “The world is 

difficult enough with God; without 

him it is a hideous joke.” 

Theresa Rodriquez is all too 

familiar with questions about God’s 

power, God’s will, and God’s indifference. 

Following the nightmare of 

learning that her son had been killed 

in an accident, she at first went 

numb, then endured emotional pain 

so severe she literally felt something 

inside her had been torn out. 

For more than two years she cried, 

pleaded, and screamed at God, trying 

to find understanding and comfort. 

Spiritually exhausted, she now 

simply tries to “listen” for God. 

Humans tend to be rational 

beings. We want answers. We like to 

be able to prove things, for the 

pieces to fit. Knowing “why” or “how” 

is part of how we cope and—to a 

degree—decide what is true. Faith, 

however, doesn’t work that way. 

Instead of answers, we often get 

mystery. And in the face of that mystery, 

doubt can grow. Two important 

issues that frequently prompt serious 

doubt— the resurrection and 

human suffering—can provide 

examples for exploring questions of 

doubt and the mystery of faith. 

Did Jesus really rise 

from the dead? 

It’s said that ours is an age of 

doubt, but the Gospel writers agree 

that Jesus’ resurrection has been the 

subject of doubt since the very 

beginning. Luke tells us that Jesus’ 

disciples, upon hearing reports of 

the resurrection, “did not believe 

them” (Luke 24:11). Mark writes that 

the disciples “had not believed 

those who saw [Jesus] after he had 

risen” (Mark 16:14). Matthew reports 

that seeing the risen Jesus, the disciples 

“worshiped him; but some 

doubted” (Matthew 28:17). If Jesus’ 

disciples doubted, it’s no wonder 

that we might, too. 

What do people doubt about the 

resurrection? Many people, including 

some Christians, doubt the very fact of 

the resurrection, according to a nationwide 

cross-section of 1,010 adults surveyed 

by telephone in August 2000. 

The Harris poll, conducted by Harris 

Interactive, found that 5 percent of 

Christians are either undecided or do 

not believe this essential Christian 

teaching. Yet a startling 42 percent of 

non-Christians believe Christ was 

resurrected from the dead! 

Clearly, to believe in the fact of 

the resurrection is not the same as 

agreeing about what we mean when 

we speak of the resurrection. Was the 

resurrection physical or spiritual? “I 

can understand the early church’s 

belief,” Cali says. “They spoke of 

Jesus’ resurrection—the way they 

perceived and felt him—that he was 

indeed alive for them and present 

for them.” Cali thinks it’s fine that 

the early churches would make their 

experience the basis for their continuing 

in faith, but she doubts that 

Jesus was physically present for 

them. What bearing does that early 

experience have on today? 

Christians have different interpretations 

of what is meant by the resurrection. 

But, others wonder, however 

you interpret it, what difference does 

it make? Believing that Jesus rose 


from the dead and having an interpretation 

of what is meant by that 

isn’t the same as believing in Jesus’ 

resurrection. Does the resurrection 

matter? Painful doubts arise when 

people wonder whether what they 

believe matters in any practical way 

in their daily lives or in the world. 

Ironically, while the fact of the 

resurrection might seem to be the 

primary ground for doubt, it may not 

finally be the most important. Faith is 

not so much about facts as it is about 

our encounter with God. It’s possible, 

then, that doubts do as much to draw 

us closer to the mystery of God as 

they do to pull us away. 

Why is there so much suffering? 

The existence of evil and the 

problem of human suffering are 

perhaps the most common bases for 

doubt. War atrocities, continuing 

injustice, famine, congenital disabilities, 

tragedies—these and countless 

other causes of suffering provoke 

doubt about whether there is a God 

and, if there is, what that God is 

like. The ancient Greek philosopher 

Epicurus said, “Either God wants to 

prevent evil and cannot, or can and 

does not want to.” Is God powerless 

to prevent evil? Is God unwilling to 

prevent it? Or do we by our sinfulness 

bring on suffering ourselves? 

Then, is God not forgiving? 

The questions are many, the 

debate seemingly endless, and the 

answers few or at best uncomfortable. 

In this century, the dropping of 

the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and 

Nagasaki, the Jewish Holocaust, and 

racial-ethnic holocausts around the 

globe have provoked questions 

about “the death of God.” Reeve 

Robert Brenner, in his landmark 

study, The Faith and Doubt of Holocaust 

Survivors (Free Press, 1980), writes 

that immediately after the 

Holocaust and today, “Over half (53 

percent) of all believing survivors... 

maintained that catastrophes like 

the Holocaust are God’s will. Just



CONTINUED 

under half denied it.” Brenner suggests, 

however, that his survey 

results may indicate more uncertainty 

than disagreement on the 

issue because more people failed 

to answer the question—whether 

the Holocaust was the will of God— 

than any other question. 

Christianity has offered several 

responses to the problem of human 

suffering: God has chosen our freedom 

over preventing evil; God’s will 

is for good; God is on the side of 

justice; God’s kingdom is at hand; 

and, most important, God is present 

amidst human suffering—most powerfully 

witnessed in Jesus’ death on 

the cross. Yet, this last response 

itself provokes questions. “Why did 

God demand the death of his son?” 

asks Dale Cali. “Could God not— 

exercising power—adapt to human 

frailty?” Theresa Rodriquez found 

herself asking the same question as 

she dealt with the death of her own 

son. The question plagued her: 

What kind of God would do that to 

his own son? At other times, however, 

Jesus’ death was what connected 

her to God: Having watched 

his own son’s terrible death, God 

truly did know her pain. 

The church calls the problem of 

suffering a mystery of our faith. 

Indeed, an entire book of the Bible— 

the book of Job—addresses the 

mystery of human suffering. Is the 

burden on human beings to understand 

such mysteries? Or, as theologian 

William Stringfellow argues, do 

the limits of human understanding 

get us no further than a state of 

“utter helplessness”? Perhaps, 

Stringfellow writes, “the veracity of 

God’s existence and of His care for 

the life of the world… is a burden 

that belongs wholly to God.” 

A burden of belief 

“I believe; help my unbelief,” 

cried the father seeking Jesus’ healing 

for his son (Mark 9:14-29). Belief 

is mixed with unbelief in our lives. 

Perhaps admitting our unbelief is an 

important dimension of our dependence 

on and faith in God’s grace 

toward us. 

The Bible recounts heartening stories 

of Jesus’ responding to those who 

doubt. Jesus’ foremost disciple, 

Peter, doubted. “Lord, if it is you, 

command me to come to you on the 

water,” he asked. Jesus said, “Come,” 

but as Peter walked he became 

frightened by the strong wind and 

began to sink. Jesus scolded Peter, 

saying, “You of little faith, why did 

you doubt?” but not before reaching 

out his hand to rescue Peter from 

drowning (Matthew 14:28-33). 

Thomas, the Bible’s most famous 

doubter, wanted proof of the resurrection—he 

wanted to see for himself. 

“Unless I see the mark of the 

nails, and put my finger in the mark 

of the nails and my hand in his side, 

I will not believe.” As with Peter, 

Jesus scolded Thomas, “Blessed are 

those who have not seen and yet 

come to believe,” but, as with Peter, 

not before he gave doubting 

Thomas precisely the assurance he 

sought (John 20:24-29). 

What do Jesus’ actions tell us? Is 

asking for proof an unfaithful test of 

God or a faithful seeking after God? 

What about those for whom no clear 

evidence or sign is given? What are 

we to do when God seems not to 

respond to our pleas for reassurance? 

Speaking from her own experience 

of doubt, Bible scholar and 

minister Renita Weems asks, “What 

if God’s silence is precisely the way 

God speaks?” 

The Bible does offer some reassurance, 

however. The apostle Paul 

wrote to his beloved congregation 

at Philippi, “I am confident of this, 

that the one who began a good work 

among you will bring it to completion 

by the day of Jesus Christ” 

(Philippians 1:6). Doubt is indeed a 

sign of the incompletion of our faith. 

Perhaps it is also a sign of God’s not 

yet being done with us. 


A persistent paradox 

Doreen Conte knows God is not 

yet done with her. Having struggled 

with self-doubt and religious doubt 

much of her life, she says, “I always 

have this doubt present in my heart. 

But as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned 

this is a good part of me.” She has 

envied her siblings who don’t struggle 

with doubt as much as she does. 

“It can get out of hand. But now I like 

this about myself. I feel that I am a 

deeper person for it, and my relationship 

with God is deeper than if I 

had been more sure of myself.” 

Dale Cali’s doubts have taken her 

beyond the bounds of standard 

Christian orthodoxy. She no longer 

prays in the name of Jesus and no 

longer believes the theology of 

Jesus’ vicarious atonement. Yet, she 

says, “How can I not sing ‘Jesus, Thy 

Blood and Righteousness,’ ‘Rock of 

Ages,’ or ‘Beneath the Cross of 

Jesus?’ It appears I miss the very 

things that brewed my turmoil!” 

A faith formed or failed 

Does doubt uphold or undermine 

our faith? The answer may be: 

it depends; both; sometimes; 

maybe. Questioning is necessary for 

growth in faith. There is no certain 

outcome, however, for those who 

doubt and question church teachings 

and traditions in an attempt to 

find a greater truth and closeness to 

God. That being the case, it is 

important to recognize that there is 

a difference between supporting 

those who wrestle with doubt and 

encouraging people to doubt. 

The challenge of doubt is not 

resolved in an article, but in our 

lives day to day. William 

Stringfellow writes, “Faith is the success 

of God’s quest for [us], not the 

outcome of [our] search for God.” 

What is most important for us may 

not be to comprehend fully the 

meaning of our doubts for our faith, 

but to rely—even in the midst of 

doubts—on God’s faithfulness to us.

E VALUATION & SUGGESTIONS 

“DEEPENING DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH BIBLE STUDIES” 

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