EP 455: The Case for Uncertainty (And How to Navigate It)
Jan 4, 2024
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Meet Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a nerdy, wire-rimmed-glasses-wearing badass of a German pastor. Explore his radical writings and resistance group in Nazi Germany. Understand the relevance of Christianity in modernity and the challenges of understanding God amidst technology and oppression. Embrace uncertainty and navigate complexity by accepting unknown variables. Discover Dietrich Bonhoeffer's concept of God as a working hypothesis and the importance of human relationships. Support the podcast and its indigenous production team.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer challenged traditional Christianity by envisioning a religionless Christianity that centered God within the material world.
Instead of seeking certainty, we should embrace uncertainty and navigate it by identifying what has changed and developing hypotheses to navigate through it.
Deep dives
Bonhoeffer's Radical Perspective on Christianity
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian, challenged the conventional view of Christianity by questioning its relevance in a world marked by secularism. Instead of condemning those who fell away from religion, he sought to understand how God could be understood in the midst of modernity and advances in science. Bonhoeffer's radical work, written while he was imprisoned in Nazi Germany, aimed to envision a religionless Christianity that centered God within the material world rather than at its boundaries. This perspective has shaped Tara McMullen's thinking for the past two decades, as she explores the meaning of centering God in contemporary life.
Embracing Uncertainty in Work and Life
Uncertainty is a natural state of affairs, and trying to find certainty within it can lead to anxiety and frustration. McMullen argues that instead of seeking surefire solutions, we should embrace uncertainty and navigate it without attempting to resolve it completely. By recognizing that constant adaptation is the norm and that some problems don't have fixed endpoints, we can move away from the longing for certainty and find new ways to plot our course in the midst of uncertainty.
Navigating Uncertainty: Asking Questions and Crafting Hypotheses
When faced with uncertainty, McMullen suggests several strategies for navigating through it. First, we should identify what has changed and examine the knowns and unknowns within the situation. By considering the forces at play, acknowledging the complexity of the situation, and recognizing that certain variables tend to be more influential than others, we can gain a better understanding of the uncertainties we face. Lastly, McMullen encourages us to develop hypotheses that describe the relationships between variables rather than offering definitive answers. These hypotheses serve as maps for navigating uncertainty, allowing us to adapt and test new solutions as we learn and grow.
The only sure bet is uncertainty. As we start a new year, I want to take a closer look at navigating uncertainty and how we can normalize not knowing. In this episode, I introduce you to a nerdy, wire-rimmed-glasses-wearing badass of a German pastor and guide you through 4 questions you can ask whenever you're navigating uncertainty (which is all the time...).
Note: I talk at length about God in this episode—but there's no evangelizing. It's about "religionless Christianity." Just trust me. Love What Works? Support the show by telling a friend about today's episode or the What Works newsletter. Or by becoming a premium subscriber for just $7 per month. Learn more!