In 1951, a study was undertaken at Swarthmore College. In it, Solomon Asch tested social influence and conformity with some pretty astounding results.
The individuals taking part in the study found themselves in small groups with several people. All of them were shown a line of a certain length. Then, they were asked to match the line with three other lines. The individuals were unaware that all the other people in the room were a part of the study. The members of the study were told to give completely incorrect answers.
In the study, three-quarters of the individuals went along and agreed with the obviously false results at least once. That is, when the majority of the group had a wrong answer, they often went along with the group even though they knew the answer to be false.
Can you imagine being a part of this study? How frustrating or insane would you feel knowing that the lines in front of you were obviously the same length, yet the group kept saying it was wrong.
I couldn’t help but think about this exact study in the context of religion and theological beliefs.
There are a lot of lines that have been drawn in certain Christian circles. They pertain to particular beliefs and doctrines. Some are essential while others are non-essential. Many require agreement while others allow for disagreement.
Too often, though, I think Christians have just gone along with the majority without thinking through whether the lines actually match. Or, in their questioning of a particular theological line, they are seen as a heretic, completely unorthodox, or outright wrong.
But sometimes, the group is wrong and, in our fear of going against the group dynamics, we go along with them. We think there is no possibility that one can think differently than the group.
I recently was talking with a student on campus who had a similar experience. Being a part of the same church for her entire life, she sensed the lines did not match up even though the entire church said they did. All that she was experiencing in culture, in college, and her own faith life, things were not lining up. She said felt such shame for thinking differently about a few particular theological topics and it brought her a great sense of anxiety that she could be wrong or out of line with her local church.
In our conversation, I shared that millions of Christians, entire denominations actually, believed what she thought was an unorthodox or wrong belief.
When I told her this, you could see her breathe such relief that she wasn’t alone in her thoughts.