1. Tom Yoder Neufeld says that teaching and learning are acts of faith, especially when it comes to sacred texts such as the Bible (page 6). What learning or teaching experiences have stretched or deepened your faith? Are there settings that are more effective than a traditional classroom? What factors encourage or hinder us from being eager to learn?
2. The older he gets, the more Yoder Neufeld says he is “struck by the silliness of simple hard answers to complex questions” (page 5). Is faith as complex as he suggests, or is he an academic out of touch with real life? What do you think he means when he says that faith is not the same as “seeing”?
3. Are there questions in this interview that you would like to see answered in greater depth? Where would you like to push Yoder Neufeld to explain himself? Do you disagree with any of his comments?
4. Because Conrad Grebel University College is integrated into the University of Waterloo, Yoder Neufeld taught a wide variety of students, including non-Mennonites and non-Christians. What are the opportunities and challenges of this approach? Is it a good model for a church school? Are there situations where the church should shelter fledgling Christians from challenging faith questions?
—By Barb Draper
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