Monday, November 09, 2009

Word of the Day

Adiaphora.

In theology there is a term called "adiaphora." It is a term used to refer to things which, theologically speaking, we are indifferent to. We, in a sense, don't care about these issues. We won't let differences on these points be a source of conflict or division. My marriage advice to the student was about adiaphora: Become indifferent to trivial things. Don't fight about inconsequential stuff.

My advice for the church is the same: Expand the space of adiaphora. Stop caring about inconsequential stuff. Focus on the matters of importance. People are starving to death today. Someone at work is lonely. An innocent man is sitting in jail.

Let's not fight over how we squeeze the toothpaste.
--from Experimental Theology

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