and ask questions has proven over time to further the reign of God on earth as we critique and affirm teachings. In retrospect, we can reflect upon past Christian practices such as the Crusades or the support of many churches for slavery and recognize that these things were not God’s will. Reason can be life giving in this sense. It is also clear that we have been given the gift of intellect to ponder the meaning of life and our faith. There is no thought we might think that is not known already