While Ames and Robinson do indeed care about belief as experience, I think that the primary purpose of these scenes is to acknowledge that, when trying to convince someone of the truth of Christianity, some modes of discourse should be used sparingly, if at all. Here it is important to note that, in refusing to answer Jack, Ames is not rejecting all truth claims or dismissing theological discussion entirely. Much of his life has, in fact, been spent reading theological arguments and engaging in debate with his best friend and fellow pastor, Robert Boughton. What Ames is questioning here (and
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