Dan Kimball posted these pictures. I liked them and thought I'd post them just to get us thinking about essentials vs non-essentials.I started calling this post beliefs but realized it is more about essentials. Whether the topic is dogma or politics we all seem to focus a bit too much on the non-essentials. Really, I sometimes think that church for me has become more about the non-essentials of the faith like worship and preaching styles. Similarly I think that my voting preferences have been ones where a candidate's positions seem to be the focus instead of the candidate themself. I'd like to change that - at least in one area :)
I don't know, I think the Mac/PC thing is pretty important :)
ReplyDeleteGreat charts.
The more I hear from the candidates the more discouraged I get. Its just such a POWER thing, saying what will get votes rather than standing firm on policies.
Nice chart, but why necessary? Don't you profess the Nicene or Apostle's Creed in your church? They say everything we need to believe about Jesus and His Church. Then at least you know that everyone is on the same page, providing they're not crossing their fingers over any parts.
ReplyDelete"I believe in Jesus" just isn't clear enough - immediately the question arises: "WHAT do you believe? That He is true God and true man? That He ascended into Heaven?" People can say they believe in Jesus Christ but only He knows what oddities they've cooked up in their minds or their congregations.
Therese,
ReplyDeleteNot my charts - I took them from Dan Kimball (see post). I just used them to get us thinking about essentials vs non-essentials.
I tend to think a little like you about the creeds - maybe you could chart one of them for me so I could use it :)
Peace, KB
I think the charts are kind of neat, by the way, it's always good to do a little thinking about core vs non-core beliefs.
ReplyDeleteTry the Apostles Creed - http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/apostles_creed.html. It's short and to the point:
I 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. On 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.
I 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.
What's not to love? The creeds arose to combat heresy and to clarify belief, so that when believers were baptized, they KNEW what they were promising to believe, often at the pain of martyrdom. Lucky us can peacefully stand and recite these creeds in our safe, clean churches and not be put to the test or the sword for the truths contained.
The webiste I linked to has many of the creeds. Interesting. And Protestant! No Catholic cooties for KBob!
(We stand and profess the Nicene Creed (also listed) every Sunday, and at every baptism.)