I do not know the exact day or time I became a believer. I remember a day that I asked my dad if I could be baptized, but I know that my desire was based on the fact that my friend was just baptized.
I know that I have followed Christ for some time now but I am unwilling to concede that I know the exact moment at which I decided to "follow" Christ. I believe that I should not create theology or doctrine about salvation or the reality of another person's salvation based simply on my own experience. Having said that I also wonder and am concerned about this world where people I have encountered in the mainline protestant church are so concerned with the concrete evidence of one person's salvation, in essence placing the judgement themselves. Do we think we really understand the width of God's grace as we carry out these types of inquisitions.
I believe that the belief and following of Christ, conversion, if you will, represents a starting place rather than a place of arrival. I refuse to spend the entirety of my intellectual endeavors on the introduction of story meanwhile missing the rest of the story. An author does not spend 399 pages of a 400 page book simply to set up a story that is one page in length. Why live then? This model leads to a people too wrapped up in the self-benefit or gain obtained from salvation, eternal life with God. We miss out on participating in restoration of creation that God can make real by the restoration of our soul. We then miss out on the boon of conversion for life between now and death.
I believe that God has chosen a group of people to spread his message of salvation to the world just as the people of Israel. I believe this galvinic process of election in no way is a guarantor of salvation. I also believe that many people who adhere to the election miss the entire idea of a call to share the love of Christ in ways that he commanded and rest instead on Laurels of their election. I don't believe this is the fault of the believer but rather the logic of the belief.
Friday, December 1, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
This, I Believe
"This I Believe is a national media project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives. NPR has airs these three-minute essays on Morning Edition and All Things Considered. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow." (Source: thisibelieve.org)
To the right of this blog column, I will try to flesh out or delineate some of my beliefs in systematic way. The guidelines used in this blog are based on thisibelieve.org, hence the title. Why do this? I think this is an opportunity for me to share with my family and friends my beliefs without the heavy philosophical baggage that you will most likely find in my talk and writing where I address my thoughts and questioins and entertain my musings. In order to retain these statements I will transfer them to a blog post as I add new parts to my this, I Believe statements.
To the right of this blog column, I will try to flesh out or delineate some of my beliefs in systematic way. The guidelines used in this blog are based on thisibelieve.org, hence the title. Why do this? I think this is an opportunity for me to share with my family and friends my beliefs without the heavy philosophical baggage that you will most likely find in my talk and writing where I address my thoughts and questioins and entertain my musings. In order to retain these statements I will transfer them to a blog post as I add new parts to my this, I Believe statements.
Does Culture Affect How we Read the Bible
I believe that I need to be aware of how the culture and age in which I live creates a lens through which I read the Bible. I believe that I must strive to make sure that the lens through I am reading does not pervert content or become of greater value than the conent which I am viewing.
I believe that in the past I have been reading the Bible as a product of the industrial revolution. a model if input - output. I read the Bible and expect some sort of output from that time of reading. "How does this relate to me?". "Why did so and so do this in such and such story". I often times try too hard to force output out of every experience I have with scripture. Can the simple act of reading have an impact? Do I read scripture with myself too much in mind? How do I apporach my faith and beliefe from a more catholic stype of view and even on a larger scale including all of God's creation.
I believe that in the past I have been reading the Bible as a product of the industrial revolution. a model if input - output. I read the Bible and expect some sort of output from that time of reading. "How does this relate to me?". "Why did so and so do this in such and such story". I often times try too hard to force output out of every experience I have with scripture. Can the simple act of reading have an impact? Do I read scripture with myself too much in mind? How do I apporach my faith and beliefe from a more catholic stype of view and even on a larger scale including all of God's creation.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
"Write" on!
Paul,
Deep thanks for this invitation into an important conversation. I'm reading a Brian McClaren book called The Secret Message of Christ. It is helping me solidify the more liquid nature, if that's possible :-), of Jesus' message about his kingdom, here, now. This is good timing for me! Since you have included a goal or mission statement with which this blog shall operate, I'll make a bit of a reflection on it that includes what I hope about this now documented conversation.
To all members, my declaration of ownership in My Process:
Participation in this blog is a good step to take in that we will see the words and ideas we are thinking, that we are vulnerable and hopeful in our offering them to this community, and that it presupposes that we understand this citizenship in God's kingdom, here and now, is dynamic, alive, growing and changing. And, beware, I'm sure that means we are asked to be and do the same! As Paul said, it cans the idea that we have arrived, or ever can arrive, at some point after which we are comfortable, certain, and closed for discussion. By contributing here, I own that I am not waiting until I am "ready" to engage questions but, rather, nervous and excited about what I might learn about myself, and myself as a kingdom citizen, and what that means to my relationship with all of you, my family, and others, who may not acknowledge Christ or the kingdom he proclaims. May we all discover more of the mystery of Christ's call to us as his creation redeemed, here, now. I'm truly looking forward to it!
Deep thanks for this invitation into an important conversation. I'm reading a Brian McClaren book called The Secret Message of Christ. It is helping me solidify the more liquid nature, if that's possible :-), of Jesus' message about his kingdom, here, now. This is good timing for me! Since you have included a goal or mission statement with which this blog shall operate, I'll make a bit of a reflection on it that includes what I hope about this now documented conversation.
To all members, my declaration of ownership in My Process:
Participation in this blog is a good step to take in that we will see the words and ideas we are thinking, that we are vulnerable and hopeful in our offering them to this community, and that it presupposes that we understand this citizenship in God's kingdom, here and now, is dynamic, alive, growing and changing. And, beware, I'm sure that means we are asked to be and do the same! As Paul said, it cans the idea that we have arrived, or ever can arrive, at some point after which we are comfortable, certain, and closed for discussion. By contributing here, I own that I am not waiting until I am "ready" to engage questions but, rather, nervous and excited about what I might learn about myself, and myself as a kingdom citizen, and what that means to my relationship with all of you, my family, and others, who may not acknowledge Christ or the kingdom he proclaims. May we all discover more of the mystery of Christ's call to us as his creation redeemed, here, now. I'm truly looking forward to it!
Let's Get it Started
Today is the first day I will blog on this site.
I am excited to have a place to dump my mind's thoughts with the hopes that maybe someone can shed light upon, extrapolate from, or agree upon those thoughts. This is not intended to be place of argument but more a place of sharing what we believe or are thinking. This page is set up on the presuppostion that those who contribute realize that they have not arrived. By this I mean they concur that knowledge has not reached its culminating point in the now past 20th century. They concur that knowledge and understanding of the physical and spiritual world around us is fluid and never reaches that point where it is absolute in its shape.
Having said this, my goal is to make comments that never start with "so and so" is wack or out of touch or is way off base. In other words, I don't want to denigrate others and their ideas. This does not mean I agree with their ideas; rather, I will share how I see things without stating that I agree or disagree. The people who read what I say can make their own judegments on what I have written without me setting them up as a failure if they disagree with me. You won't hear me say actually, "I disagree".
This all may or may not make any sense but if you keep in touch I think you will find the principle of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you at play in a very strong way.
Feel free to recommend books and why you found them worthy of recommendation.
I am excited to have a place to dump my mind's thoughts with the hopes that maybe someone can shed light upon, extrapolate from, or agree upon those thoughts. This is not intended to be place of argument but more a place of sharing what we believe or are thinking. This page is set up on the presuppostion that those who contribute realize that they have not arrived. By this I mean they concur that knowledge has not reached its culminating point in the now past 20th century. They concur that knowledge and understanding of the physical and spiritual world around us is fluid and never reaches that point where it is absolute in its shape.
Having said this, my goal is to make comments that never start with "so and so" is wack or out of touch or is way off base. In other words, I don't want to denigrate others and their ideas. This does not mean I agree with their ideas; rather, I will share how I see things without stating that I agree or disagree. The people who read what I say can make their own judegments on what I have written without me setting them up as a failure if they disagree with me. You won't hear me say actually, "I disagree".
This all may or may not make any sense but if you keep in touch I think you will find the principle of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you at play in a very strong way.
Feel free to recommend books and why you found them worthy of recommendation.
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