The Apostles creed:
We believe in God, the Father Almighty,
the Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
It was a really interesting discussion on Tuesday. Some important questions were asked:
Are the creeds constricting or liberating?
What was the context within which the creeds were developed? What cultural and political factors were at play in its development?
Is it enough to know Jesus or do we also need to know the right things about Jesus?
Now we have a day or two digest it all, what thoughts have you had? Elizabeth has started us off (sorry, Elizabeth, my “J-ness” has compelled me to copy your comment below, Thanks for starting us off)
November 10, 2008 at 11:35 am
ELIZABETH:
Elizabeth Says:
November 6, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I mentioned a book on Tuesday which some of you may have already read as it was on the original reading list we got in the summer. It’s called “Adventures in Missing the Point” by Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo. Each chapter deals with a specific subject, such as evangelism, culture, salvation, the Bible, doubt, worship, etc. which means that the book doesn’t go in depth into any one thing but gives a good overview and brings up compelling food for thought. One author writes the main bulk of each chapter and the other one then responds in some way, agreeing and/or disagreeing – and I appreciated this format as it kept things honest and balanced. Obviously the book has a emerging church/postmodern slant (McLaren is one of the authors!), but I found this helpful in exploring how postmodernism is affecting our culture and the church these days over a whole variety of subjects.
In reflecting on some of Tuesday’s discussion, I thought the chapter on Truth had some interesting things to say about modernism, postmodernism, and how this affects our interface with the Bible and Truth and God —
“We must admit that our quest for ultimate and absolute truth is impossible, if not for the reasons postmodern philosophers raise, then for this reason: the ultimate truth is not an objective concept, not an objective principle, but rather a Person, the Subject of such splendour, dignity, wonder, winsomeness, and glory that to know him is to love him, worship him, enjoy him, and seek to please him with one’s very existence. When God comes to us, God doesn’t say, ‘Seek for absolute, objective, propositional truth,’ but rather, ‘I am the way, the truth, the life.” p. 269
Obviously it helps to read that quote in context (the chapter fleshes out the idea of objective vs subjective truth – McLaren doesn’t deny the necessity of objective truth by the way). It raises some interesting ideas – what do you all think?
November 12, 2008 at 11:57 am
Great quote. I thought Tuesday’s meeting was just amazing in every way. McLaren’s New Kind Of Christian trilogy of books are great too about all of this stuff. I know all three are at the Trent bookstall if anybody wants them.
November 15, 2008 at 8:52 pm
It was a great evening, some really good points and opinions. It is very difficult if not impossible to give easy simplistic answers to a lot of what we’re discussing, but I love everyone’s contribution.
Food to a thinker is always relished…
N.