Sick of Soundbite Theology

Just in case you’ve missed the last 20 years, a soundbite is a short nugget of sound or text that is supposed to explain and define a larger piece of work.

Facebook applied the art of the Soundbite to human relationship, creating a whole new subsystem called “Social Media.” Twitter took this to the next level — you only have 140 characters to get your point across, define who you are, or make a statement. You’ve got a blink, one moment, one chance to make your mark. Miss it – it’s gone. Doubtful you’ll get another chance.

There is much to love about this ‘new’ (not really, new) reality but applying it to theology is suicide for the soul.

Here’s the problem in a nutshell. People are still asking and dealing with the deeper issues of God and life that they did centuries ago. Is there a God? Who is this God? Where does Jesus fit in all of this? What about the problem of evil and suffering? How can I hear God’s voice? How does the Bible apply to everyday life? They just are expecting to get their answers in 140 characters of less.

Not only are the answers longer than 140 characters, the journey to those answers is just as important (in some cases, more important) as the answer itself. By trying to hyperlink to the end answer, they are cheating themselves of the character development that God often takes us through when seeking His face and insight to an issue. And that is what God is ultimately more concerned about in us over our knowledge – our character development.

Taking the long way is better. And messier. And…yeah, longer.