How focusing on “intellectual humility” has challenged and strengthened our faith

I spoke with my friend and frequent guest Sarey Martin Concepcion about the intersection of intellectual humility and our Christian faith journeys, attempting to tie this together with my recent set of “Still Christian” episodes (John Van Deusen & Tyson Motsenbocker; Brian Hall). We discussed how Sarey was raised in a fundamentalist evangelical strain of Christianity that valued certainty and correct doctrinal beliefs above all else. This made it challenging to embrace intellectual humility -- acknowledging what one can and cannot be confident about.

We both discussed how our recent collaboration on YHP episodes focusing on intellectual humility (#238 about cultural humility, #209 about healthy spiritual leaders, #195 on why we are not synonymous with our beliefs, and #184 introducing the concept of intellectual humility) impacted our faith, and a key takeaway for me was the importance of recognizing the limits of human understanding when it comes to abstract theological questions. I'm increasingly convinced that many questions about the nature of God, salvation, the mechanics of atonement, etc. are above our "intellectual pay grade" as finite beings. Humbly acknowledging the limits of theological certainty has made me more comfortable as an "outsider Christian" who doesn't fit neatly into orthodox or creedal categories.

Sarey shared how cultivating intellectual humility has opened her up to finding meaning and fulfillment from a wider range of sources beyond just Christianity. At the same time, this has created some friction and distance in her relationship to the Christian tradition. She's had to work through oppressive beliefs and patterns.

We touched on the challenge that intellectual humility poses for belief in a just afterlife, something I desperately want to be true but find little definitive evidence for. Sarey pushed back on my doubts by reframing faith as a growing relationship of trust in God rather than certainty.

Ultimately, Sarey still identifies as a Christian, but in a looser sense - treating beliefs more poetically than propositionally, finding power in Christian symbols and practices without rigid demands of orthodoxy. Her main focus is partnering with God to discern her authentic path in life. I find myself in a similar boat.​

While intellectual humility can create real tensions with Christianity, it also provides a foundation for extending grace to ourselves and others amid disagreement and uncertainty. Secure in God's love, we don't have to define ourselves by our beliefs or police the boundaries of belonging. We can chart our own imperfect spiritual paths with curiosity and openness.