Sermon: "In Praise of Doubting Thomas"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

I wonder how many people had doubts, when a new church was begun fifty years ago? The suggestion has been made, in fact, that St. Thomas was chosen for patron saint of this church precisely because of those doubts … and that a lot of "doubting Thomases" actually made up the early congregation.

But, then, any new church start and any other new ministry, for that matter, is an act of faith, is it not? We need such experiences of faith to perceive that God is at work here. The understanding that something greater than ourselves alone is involved needs to be part of any Christian enterprise worth undertaking. If we are assured of success before we begin, then where is God - and the need for God - in the process? Therefore, I suggest to you that having doubts at the start of a Christian project is not a bad thing. Such a frame of mind encourages us to see God's hand at work, along with our own, in the efforts that follow.

Fifty years ago, the state of Tennessee was all one Episcopal diocese. Theodore Barth was diocesan bishop, and John Vander Horst was bishop suffragan. And, that was long enough ago that it would be five years before William Sanders was elected bishop coadjutor.

Also, there were many others involved in the beginning of St. Thomas Church. Even though we have had trouble identifying names, priests celebrated the Holy Eucharist, and, along with dedicated lay people, the work of pastoral care was accomplished. Money had to be raised; Christian education began from scratch; and the outreach of that early community marked it as faithful in following Jesus Christ. Thus, there was much that had to be accomplished, by many people indeed.

I wonder how many of those people - bishops, priests, and lay leaders - had doubts, fifty years ago? I imagine that a lot of them did. And so, when they prayed to God - for direction, for perseverance, for hope, and for many other needs - they really meant it! They perceived that the journey of building a church community would be hard. Those pioneers knew that they would need help. As they took steps on their journey, they realized their reliance on God. And, their faith grew.

I suggest to you today that the experience of the people of St. Thomas Church mirrors that of your patron saint, as described in today's Gospel reading. Remember that the first encounter mentioned in that reading occurred soon after Jesus' crucifixion - perhaps even on Sunday evening. Remember that the disciples were fearful and disappointed and sad at that point. After all, their leader had been arrested and put to death. Those disciples, therefore, gathered, sharing their sense of sadness and fear and uncertainty … and their doubts.

Jesus, the risen Messiah, came into the presence of that sad little group - and he transformed it. Indeed, the transformation was remarkable - from sadness to joy, from despair to hope, from death to life. Word spread that Jesus, who had died, is now alive. Once again, the disciples possessed hope … hope from outside themselves.

However, as you know, Thomas was not present with the others at that first encounter. And so, he had his doubts about what had happened. He "disbelieved for joy." The news seemed too good to be true.

Can we blame him? Would any one of us have reacted differently from Thomas? I suspect that my own thought process would have followed this line. "I know that we need help. We certainly cannot make it on our own - especially with our leader killed and all of us in great danger. And now the others say that they have seen Jesus alive. That would be great news - wonderful news! … But I just can't believe it."

Thomas learned the truth a week later. And he clearly was convinced by his encounter with the Lord at that time. As a result of his testimony on behalf of the truth of the risen Christ, Thomas has become a firm and sure witness of faith. Thus, in our prayer this morning - the Collect for St. Thomas' Day - we prayed, "Everliving God, who strengthened your apostle Thomas with firm and certain faith in your Son's resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in your sight" (BCP, p237).

So, you see, doubt does not preclude the possibility of faith. Rather, in an interesting and unexpected way, doubt ploughs fertile ground in which faith may nurture and grow.

Therefore, thank God today for St. Thomas - for his doubt that prepared him for a deep and abiding faith; for his witness to the world on behalf of his Lord and ours; and, in particular, for this church of which he is patron saint, a community following his example of doubt that grows into a faith that endures. Amen.

Copyright © 2007 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee