my confession
Recently I have had several individuals ask me about “what” I am. I always begin by telling them that I am simply a human being made in the image and likeness of our Creator. Once we establish this truth they then ask the question - the question that I have been asked more in the last three months than any other. It goes something like this, “A you Post-Modern or Emergent?” This question is most often asked with regard to the way I view the church, its place in society, my thoughts on truth and the Bible, and on God himself.
For some reason my being either of these things is really important for many people. I usually ask them to define what these terms mean. One person’s reply to my response was, “How are you different from someone who is modern or anti-emergent?”
Over the last few months I began thinking about how to answer this commonly asked question. I do not like labels and am driven mad by those who want to label me (or anyone) so they can quickly get to the judgment side of things. So I thought I would simply write my confession (or creed) and allow anyone who reads to judge if I am Post-Modern or Modern. Liberal or conservative. Tolerant or narrow-minded. Evangelical or Post-Evangelical. Republican or Democrat. Nice or Mean. Beer or wine. Cigarettes or cigars. (Never mind the last two). So for what it is worth here is my statement.
A Disclaimer: I am supremely confident that some may disagree or feel that this is an incomplete creed as it does not cover every area of theology. I would appeal to the historic creeds of the church – not that I am comparing this blog the Nicene Creed, the Apostolic Creed, the Athanasian Creed, etc. – I simply say this to point out that in comparison with typical systematic statements today they too can be considered incomplete. A Disclaimer on the Disclaimer: I am sure that some will want to argue about the early church creeds not being incomplete for some were written as a clarification or defense regarding what the church or individuals believed. I am aware of this, and I write my creed as a response to the question stated above.
I believe that God inspired authors to write his words in his book, the Bible. His book is perfectly suited to equip his people for every good work. The Bible is not a list of rules or an instruction manual. Rather, it is a living book that speaks to all people everywhere for all time, and should never be relegated to our whims or fancies. As the community of God we should study and explore the endless wonders and mystery within this text communally and individually so that we might better understand how to authentically live out its teachings in all parts of our lives.
I believe in One God, who formed all that is in our world. He is one God who was not created but has always existed in Three Persons in eternal, mutual self-giving love. He is a God who is above definition, trite phrases, stupid bumper stickers, and lame clichés. He is a God who invites all people to not figure him out, but to worship him according to our understanding of him revealed in the Bible, and the world in which we live, and embrace his infiniteness and bask in his mystery.
I believe in Jesus, who being fully God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, rather came to earth and lived as a poor Jewish Teacher on whom the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD rested, because God has anointed him to proclaim good news to the poor. He was sent to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. His good news was the radical availability of his Kingdom. His death was not about my being able to get to heaven, but about his defeating evil, death, sin, and suffering and inviting others to join in his movement to bring heaven to earth and in that experiencing redemption from the exile of sin and to enjoy true freedom.
I believe in the Holy Spirit of God who empowers all who follow Jesus with gifts and serves to guide, instruct, comfort, and reveal truth through a communal life of worship and shared mission. As a community we now live in the power of the Spirit existing as a community to live out the teaching of Jesus.
I believe that all men and women are in need of redemption, and that redemption is found in Jesus and the new exodus he offers to humanity. For those who trust God he invites us to live in unity and within his love. Those who have chosen to follow Jesus are, globally, the embodiment of Jesus in our world – regardless of denominational tags. I believe that the church are to be people who proclaim justice, meaning that all people are all deserving of the same amount of food, deserve access to clean water, and should never have to live in extreme poverty. We are to proclaim that all men, women, and children are equal and that boundaries created by human governments should never decide the worth of a person or what they deserve.
I believe that the church should be champions of peace and pursue it at all costs – even at the cost of our own lives. I believe that we should beat our swords and spears into farming tools and cultivate peace in our homes, cities, and our world. The church should cultivate the love of God, justice, peace, hope, and the expectation of a future given to us by the crucified one. We should never return violence for violence nor repay evil with evil. Instead we must bless those who curse us, and if our enemy is hungry, we should feed him; if he is thirsty, we ought to give him something to drink.
I believe that the sole allegiance of the church should be to Jesus and his kingdom and not to the United States or any other country, and we ought not hold dual allegiance. Our pledge of allegiance should not be to flag, republic or empire. The pledge of allegiance of the church should begin with the words, “Our Father in Heaven …” and end with, “… for thine is the power and glory forever and ever. Amen.” We ought not entangle the name of Jesus and his kingdom with any platform, candidate, party, military, or nation. Rather we must live within the empires and regimes of this world as people with hope, peace, love, and justice in the face of all powers.
As the embodiment of Jesus in our world the church should be defined by love, which is the essence of God, so that all people would know that we follow Jesus. We should live each day with the hope that Jesus will return to us and restore all things to himself to the glory of God. When Jesus returns he will judge all men and women, he will loose the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, and bring redemption to the world. He will sit on his throne and rule forever. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many people. His dwelling place will be with humanity on the new earth, and he will wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain for evil will be no more. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. This is our hope and joy, and the church must give our lives to living out that future reality today.
If this confession makes me post-modern or modern, liberal or conservative, evangelical or progressive-evangelical or post-evangelical, open minded or myopic, or anything else I am okay with that. This is what I believe, and this is what I, and our community, are trying to live out every day. This is my confession.
For some reason my being either of these things is really important for many people. I usually ask them to define what these terms mean. One person’s reply to my response was, “How are you different from someone who is modern or anti-emergent?”
Over the last few months I began thinking about how to answer this commonly asked question. I do not like labels and am driven mad by those who want to label me (or anyone) so they can quickly get to the judgment side of things. So I thought I would simply write my confession (or creed) and allow anyone who reads to judge if I am Post-Modern or Modern. Liberal or conservative. Tolerant or narrow-minded. Evangelical or Post-Evangelical. Republican or Democrat. Nice or Mean. Beer or wine. Cigarettes or cigars. (Never mind the last two). So for what it is worth here is my statement.
A Disclaimer: I am supremely confident that some may disagree or feel that this is an incomplete creed as it does not cover every area of theology. I would appeal to the historic creeds of the church – not that I am comparing this blog the Nicene Creed, the Apostolic Creed, the Athanasian Creed, etc. – I simply say this to point out that in comparison with typical systematic statements today they too can be considered incomplete. A Disclaimer on the Disclaimer: I am sure that some will want to argue about the early church creeds not being incomplete for some were written as a clarification or defense regarding what the church or individuals believed. I am aware of this, and I write my creed as a response to the question stated above.
I believe that God inspired authors to write his words in his book, the Bible. His book is perfectly suited to equip his people for every good work. The Bible is not a list of rules or an instruction manual. Rather, it is a living book that speaks to all people everywhere for all time, and should never be relegated to our whims or fancies. As the community of God we should study and explore the endless wonders and mystery within this text communally and individually so that we might better understand how to authentically live out its teachings in all parts of our lives.
I believe in One God, who formed all that is in our world. He is one God who was not created but has always existed in Three Persons in eternal, mutual self-giving love. He is a God who is above definition, trite phrases, stupid bumper stickers, and lame clichés. He is a God who invites all people to not figure him out, but to worship him according to our understanding of him revealed in the Bible, and the world in which we live, and embrace his infiniteness and bask in his mystery.
I believe in Jesus, who being fully God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, rather came to earth and lived as a poor Jewish Teacher on whom the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD rested, because God has anointed him to proclaim good news to the poor. He was sent to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. His good news was the radical availability of his Kingdom. His death was not about my being able to get to heaven, but about his defeating evil, death, sin, and suffering and inviting others to join in his movement to bring heaven to earth and in that experiencing redemption from the exile of sin and to enjoy true freedom.
I believe in the Holy Spirit of God who empowers all who follow Jesus with gifts and serves to guide, instruct, comfort, and reveal truth through a communal life of worship and shared mission. As a community we now live in the power of the Spirit existing as a community to live out the teaching of Jesus.
I believe that all men and women are in need of redemption, and that redemption is found in Jesus and the new exodus he offers to humanity. For those who trust God he invites us to live in unity and within his love. Those who have chosen to follow Jesus are, globally, the embodiment of Jesus in our world – regardless of denominational tags. I believe that the church are to be people who proclaim justice, meaning that all people are all deserving of the same amount of food, deserve access to clean water, and should never have to live in extreme poverty. We are to proclaim that all men, women, and children are equal and that boundaries created by human governments should never decide the worth of a person or what they deserve.
I believe that the church should be champions of peace and pursue it at all costs – even at the cost of our own lives. I believe that we should beat our swords and spears into farming tools and cultivate peace in our homes, cities, and our world. The church should cultivate the love of God, justice, peace, hope, and the expectation of a future given to us by the crucified one. We should never return violence for violence nor repay evil with evil. Instead we must bless those who curse us, and if our enemy is hungry, we should feed him; if he is thirsty, we ought to give him something to drink.
I believe that the sole allegiance of the church should be to Jesus and his kingdom and not to the United States or any other country, and we ought not hold dual allegiance. Our pledge of allegiance should not be to flag, republic or empire. The pledge of allegiance of the church should begin with the words, “Our Father in Heaven …” and end with, “… for thine is the power and glory forever and ever. Amen.” We ought not entangle the name of Jesus and his kingdom with any platform, candidate, party, military, or nation. Rather we must live within the empires and regimes of this world as people with hope, peace, love, and justice in the face of all powers.
As the embodiment of Jesus in our world the church should be defined by love, which is the essence of God, so that all people would know that we follow Jesus. We should live each day with the hope that Jesus will return to us and restore all things to himself to the glory of God. When Jesus returns he will judge all men and women, he will loose the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, and bring redemption to the world. He will sit on his throne and rule forever. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many people. His dwelling place will be with humanity on the new earth, and he will wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain for evil will be no more. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. This is our hope and joy, and the church must give our lives to living out that future reality today.
If this confession makes me post-modern or modern, liberal or conservative, evangelical or progressive-evangelical or post-evangelical, open minded or myopic, or anything else I am okay with that. This is what I believe, and this is what I, and our community, are trying to live out every day. This is my confession.