Monday, July 16, 2007

The Case for Seeing

Christopher L. Elwood
Professor of Historical Theology

John 20:19-31
Originally preached on April 1, 2005

We continue our summer series of most popular sermons…
The old hymn tells us that "We walk by faith and not by sight..." And so, in most traditional interpretations of the story of so-called doubting Thomas, we are encouraged not to imitate the disciple who insists on seeing and touching the resurrected Jesus. But a closer reading suggests that visual experience is closely related to a biblical account of faith. The demand to see a real and tangible redemption just might be the touchstone of faith rather than its denial.