When Doctrine Leads to Exile

Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.  “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. - John 9:6-7

As we reflect on John 9 and Jesus’s interaction with the man who was born blind, there’s a lot going on. It takes just 7 verses for Jesus to restore his sight. But the entire rest of the chapter is about the process of Jesus bringing more complete healing. Listen in to this pastor’s reflections on how the story unfolds:

In seven verses, the gospel writer tells us that a man born blind is given sight. But after that, the narrator devotes thirty-three verses to the details of disagreement that swell after the healing takes place. I used to find this second part of the story tedious and exhausting. In a world with constant conflict, I’m tired of listening to endless bickering. However, this second half of the story makes me realize that this encounter is hardly about physical healing or literal blindness. It’s about how harmful theology can prevent us from seeing people—truly seeing them. It’s about how our narrow imagination can harden into accusation and blame. It’s about how we can be threatened by new ideas or shifts in someone’s identity. It’s about how our doctrine can lead to exile. Ultimately, it’s a story about our resistance to change. - Rev Lisle Gwynn Garrity @sanctifiedart

Take some time to reflect on the ways you’ve experienced harmful theology around people’s bodies - their abilities, their health, their sexual/gender identities, their skin color. What’s coming up for you? Have you experienced doctrines leading to exile? What might restoration look like?