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Further to my post on creeds, the difficulty I find with creeds persists with worship music, where the vast majority of popular choices (hymns or contemporary) contain lyrics reflecting a single, particular approach to God I cannot affirm.
Maybe it is just me? I know others can "let go" and recite creeds and sing songs whose content they don't agree with because the "why" (being together, connecting with our past, feeling the rhythm) is sufficient for them. But, for me, this feels like leaving my brain at the door. Is it impossible to worship with both "head" and "heart" at the same time?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
A minimal creed
Rowland Croucher writes:
Despite this, I still find the concept of succinctly summarizing my faith fascinating. And I like the idea of a set of statements to bring people together and unite people in common mission and vision. Hence,
I like the idea of "minimal creed". Yet I am not sure I could even say the one Rowland prepared. (I note here that Rowland said it was "mine (at present)" indicating that it is not necessarily for anyone else, like me, nor fixed for all time.) For example, I like the concept of 1. but would prefer the phrase "One God: Creator, Christ, Spirit" to reflect my understanding that God is neither male nor female. Similarly 2., for me, would be "Jesus is my way to God", dispensing with the gender and imperial overtones of "Lord". 3 is OK, but, in a communal context, I worry it whitewashes the issue of what, from the record we have, is legitimate "teaching and example of Jesus" and what is later embellishment. 4 and 5 seem fine to me.
I raise this not to challenge Rowland's creed, but simply to reflect on the diversity that was the focus of the earlier part of his post. I am sure others will find things in my choice of words that don't reflect their understanding. With such a diverse range of beliefs, is a creed useful? Furthermore, is a creed *possible*? If so, what would it contain: what are the set of words "everyone" could stand up and
honestly and loudly proclaim?
In the 1980s I wrote a little book – Recent Trends Among Evangelicals [1] – and tried to argue for a 'minimal creed'. Here's mine (at present): 1. One God: Father, Son, Spirit; 2. Jesus is my Lord; 3. The teachings and example of Jesus are authoritative for faith and conduct; 4. Love for, acceptance of and full fellowship with all who thus confess their allegiance to Jesus Christ; 5. Our calling to minister in the world as Jesus did – in terms of justice, compassion and evangelism.I am uncomfortable with creeds. I know how awkward it feels when the person up the front (often following Uniting in Worship liturgy) says "Let's together affirm our faith" and you stand in silence while everyone else recites the Apostle's or Nicene Creed. For a while, I quietly recited it as a nod to "what Christians used to believe": the common starting point from where our theology has developed. Then as a "sacramental" practice where the words are largely irrelevant and it is the continuity of this practice through history which is important. However, I eventually decided reciting the Creeds was reinforcing a mindless acceptance of the literal truth of the statements. So I stopped.
Despite this, I still find the concept of succinctly summarizing my faith fascinating. And I like the idea of a set of statements to bring people together and unite people in common mission and vision. Hence,
I like the idea of "minimal creed". Yet I am not sure I could even say the one Rowland prepared. (I note here that Rowland said it was "mine (at present)" indicating that it is not necessarily for anyone else, like me, nor fixed for all time.) For example, I like the concept of 1. but would prefer the phrase "One God: Creator, Christ, Spirit" to reflect my understanding that God is neither male nor female. Similarly 2., for me, would be "Jesus is my way to God", dispensing with the gender and imperial overtones of "Lord". 3 is OK, but, in a communal context, I worry it whitewashes the issue of what, from the record we have, is legitimate "teaching and example of Jesus" and what is later embellishment. 4 and 5 seem fine to me.
I raise this not to challenge Rowland's creed, but simply to reflect on the diversity that was the focus of the earlier part of his post. I am sure others will find things in my choice of words that don't reflect their understanding. With such a diverse range of beliefs, is a creed useful? Furthermore, is a creed *possible*? If so, what would it contain: what are the set of words "everyone" could stand up and
honestly and loudly proclaim?
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