[John Christian Kuehnert]

1. Experience their orthopraxy. 2. Ask honest questions and listen carefully with the intent to understand. 3. Question the ultimatums and combative theology within your own Christian tradition – with an openness to accept fault and a desire to change your opinion.

I think it starts with #1. Without the actually experience of being with fellow believers who practice prayer and liturgy in a way different than what you’re used to, you can’t really begin to ask honest questions. Or at least those questions which you will ask will be rooted only in book knowledge and not in experience.

Then, with that newfound experiential appreciation for their tradition, you can begin asking questions. My grandfather was a MSynod Lutheran minister who worked with Fulton Sheen. My mother and her extended family was Baptist. I was raised in the PCA reformed tradition but went to AWANA weekly at the Baptist church and went to my grandparent’s Lutheran church periodically. Later I joined an ACNA Anglican Church then the Catholic Church. Today I’ll spend as much time worshiping and praying in Eastern Orthodox churches as anywhere else. I also routinely at Christ Covenant in Charlotte.

These experiences have opened my eyes to be able to ask the right questions. Without them, questions would be devoid of understanding. They also have allowed me to get to stage #3 – questioning the traditions I grew up with and the traditions I currently find myself in.