According to research on cognitive closure and the black sheep effect, when faced with a different cultural viewpoint, we’re inclined to cling to our existing beliefs and reject the perspectives and wisdom of the outgroup, even when it might make sense to open up and learn. In other words, we tend to separate ourselves from the rest of the body. Unfortunately, our insistence upon cognitive closure is inconsistent with the reality of knowing Christ (and all of his mysteries) and being part of a body that by definition possesses different viewpoints that don’t necessarily lead to a tidy answer.
