There was a time, though, when those subjects not only animated conversation, but animated people. It was believed, rightly, that truth emerged from the conflict of ideas: Does God exist? How do we know? Many who claim to believe in God have books they say are from Him, but those books have conflicting statements attributed to Him and conflicting ideas about how to communicate with Him. All can’t be right. Is one? Are none? How can we be sure?

Today, few debate religious ideas for fear of offending in the extreme and driving people with different ideas to violence. Ideas and beliefs that will not be debated and are not open to challenge are ideas and beliefs not worth holding.

The Christian faith has stood against criticism and doubt for two millennia. It flourishes today, because it offers hope founded in objective truth and faith that is produced by answers to sincere questions. It advances, not through coercion, but through acts of love and kindness. That some who bear the name of Christ are flawed in the way we present Him to others, does not diminish the One who never disappoints. He, alone, made the claim to be “the way, the truth and the life” and He said “no one comes to the Father but by me.”

There is an idea worthy of discussion, debate and civil conversation. I can be civil about it because I know that no one comes to faith in Jesus Christ by coercion, force or intellect, but only by the Spirit of God.