Chapter 5 - Neo Worries About Keeping Up With Jesus

1. One student expresses doubt about the significance of the changes Neo describes. Is Neo guilty of what this student sees as every generation's tendancy to perceive itself as living in a pivotal age of historic change and exaggerated importance? Is this an example of Lewis's notion of "chronological snobbery"? (See Chpter Four questions for an explanation of "chronological snobbery".) Discuss Neo's distinction between change and transition. Can you think of specific examples of each?

2. A young woman asks Neo if he is scared by all the talk of change. While affirming the dangers inherent in times of transition, Neo wonders aloud about the danger of simultaneously upholding the status quo. What are the risks of moving forward? What are the risks of maintaining the status quo? Are there other options? What might those be?

3. Even though she couches her question in humor, the same young woman seems more concerned with what she calls "major heresy". Heresy is a loaded and powerful word that can change the entire tone of a conversation by instilling fear. The word heresy is derived from the Greek word hairesis and means "to choose for oneself." It has come to mean departure from accepted or orthodox dogma, or teaching. What has Neo said that makes the young woman fear heresy? Is the word heresy bandied around to freely in Christian circles today? Why or why not?

4. In the modern era, "faith" has often come to mean an accepted set of doctrinal affirmations about Jesus, as opposed to a way of being or behaving in response to Jesus. Do you agree with this assessment?

5. Neo confesses that he believes the Holy Spirit is with us, as Jesus promised, and is leading us into a time of change (pg. 42). How do you respond to Neo's fear of lagging behind the movement of Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Do you see examples of this in the gospels or the Acts of the Apostles? When did Jesus' opponents and even his disciples have a difficult time keeping up with him? What were the issues and activities that distressed them?