I think these past few months have been so good for me. For the most part, I've only worked 40 hours/week; I can't remember the last time I had so much undesignated time on my hands! Time to read, think, expose myself to other expressions of the Christian faith, reevaluate... Yes, this has been good.
Here's what I'm realizing: Among my evangelical friends, I'm usually the one "pushing the envelope" and not wanting to be considered "evangelical"; among my liberal/ecumenical-minded Christian friends, I've come to the conclusion that maybe I'm a bit more evangelical than I'd like to admit. And blogging about this (which, for some reason, I feel compelled to do) in a tactful way is a huge challenge!
Really, I'm after Orthodoxy, and I'm not sure I'm finding it wholly in either camp. (So maybe that means I'm only after orthodoxy I can accept, and maybe that isn't really orthodoxy...) I emailed a former pastor of mine to get his thoughts on the Evangelical question. I'm struck by this quote he included in his response to me:
The theology that is based on intellectual constructs and not on the direct experience of God is philosophy and not theology. It is a human creation that offers neither real knowledge of God nor peace to the heart. - Gregory Palamas, 14th century
As I am seeking and pursuing opportunities to serve in Africa over the next year, I find myself, once again, coming face to face with the question, Am I going to consider myself an evangelical Christian? Many of the [evangelical] organizations with which I have considered partnering require assent to their statement of beliefs. I’m not sure that I can, in good faith, do this. I guess I just don't understand why we can't simply stick to the Nicene and/or Apostle's Creed and let everything else be "up for grabs".
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4 comments:
I really agree! I have experienced doctrine-dependent love from many Christians and used to be really bad about requiring others to believe like me to join me in ministry work. I write a bit about it here: http://rawrant.blogspot.com/2005/11/doctrine-dependent-love.html
It is still open to interpretation, but I like how John Wesley said it: "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
I think the Nicene Creed is sufficient. But I am fine working with others who also don't think it's sufficient. Jesus didn't write it after all.
Jen, would love to talk/struggle through this with you. Not to arrive at an answer, but to process the thoughts. I think I can relate.
Hi Jenn,
My brother is looking at going into Pastorship and is having similar problems with having to find a denomination he agrees totally with (You have to pick one to be a Pastor). Basically we've both come to the conclusion (albeit separately) that it doesn't exist.
I believe that as long as the organization is preaching the Word of God aka the teaching/doctrine is based solidly on the Bible then it is OK and I can get past what I don't agree with. What I have found is that by doing this and being involved with different denominations is that I've grown through the process. The things I didn't agree with them ended up being areas where in some instances God has grown me and in other instances I have been able to open their eyes to a different idea. I have gone on mission trips with different churches as well and just been able to tell people what I believe, they didn't know the "church doctrine" I was with anyway so it wasn't a problem that I didn't agree with everything. (this happened both in US and abroad-turns out most people don't seem to really know what their church doctrine is)
Good luck getting to Africa! I hope you're able to work everything out. How is Washington? I hope you're enjoying better Easter weather than we are (we've got 4inches of SNOW!!!)
Megan
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