Avoid Foolish and Ignorant Disputes, Knowing That They Generate Strife (2 Timothy 2:23)
The Apostle Paul instructed his disciple Timothy to reject quarrels that corrupt the purity of the soul under the pretence of defending the truth:
“Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but must be gentle toward everyone, able to teach, patient in hardship, and correcting opponents with meekness. Perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, so that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
2 Timothy 2:23–26
A believer’s obligation to interpret the word of truth rightly and preserve the deposit of faith without distortion does not mean entering foolish and ignorant disputes that generate quarrels, corrupt the purity of the heart, and strip away inner peace. As St John Chrysostom says:
“Even in discussion, he must not quarrel; for a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, since God Himself is the God of peace.”
St John Chrysostom
It is therefore unfitting to present the truth through conflict. Meekness—even in discussion and correction—is more effective in the lives of others than aggression or quarrelling, even when the dispute is supposedly for the sake of truth. St John Chrysostom also says:
“One who teaches should take particular care to carry out his work with meekness, for a soul that desires to learn will not receive beneficial instruction through harshness and conflict.”
St John Chrysostom
Why This Series?
In recent times, many people have addressed serious ecclesial subjects—doctrine, rites, and liturgy—in distorted and fragmentary ways that do not reflect the depth or nature of the issues being discussed. This has produced an abundance of futile debate, which in turn has caused further disturbance and confusion regarding the Orthodox Church’s rules of faith and the liturgical laws and practices connected with those doctrines.
Making matters worse are the many logical fallacies involved and the choice of social media as the arena for exchanging opinions and accusations, despite the limitations of its communication channels and its inability to provide a platform suited to the seriousness of the questions under discussion.
I therefore thought of presenting several articles that may help readers distinguish between a healthy, objective discussion and one that is on the verge of falling into the trap of “foolish disputes.” I will continue updating the list whenever a new idea occurs to me or I notice a logical fallacy that has become increasingly common:
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