We do Thomas (and ourselves) a grave injustice by reducing the questioning apostle to a mere caricature. Most prominently in the account of the post-resurrection appearance to the apostles, but also in this Sunday’s text from John, Thomas speaks for all Christians who sometimes doubt and question. In some sense, we might even call Thomas the first theologian. According to St. Anselm, theology is faith seeking understanding. That is exactly what Thomas is doing. Thomas asks the questions others are either afraid to ask or do not even know they have. Faith is not certainty. Faith is not perfect knowledge. As St. Paul says in I Cor., “For now we see in a mirror, dimly,but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” An again in Hebrews we read “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Thomas reminds us that we need not leave our doubts and questions at the church door and history shows us that the church is often most unfaithful when most certain.
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