Over the next week or so I will post several messages probing into a topic that's been hot on my radar in recent weeks. For several months now I have participated in numerous discussions that have included probing examinations into the diversity within our movement, and the challenges we face in practicing our unity in the midst of it.
More and more I am convinced that the Church of God is actually quite diverse in its composition, in fact, to a greater extent than we often acknowledge or admit. We have a good deal of ethnic and racial diversity, and theologically we cover a much wider spectrum than perhaps we are even comfortable with.
Yet, we struggle with our diversity because we are faced with two opposing pressures. First, is our firm conviction of Christian unity and its importance for the church. But, on the other hand, there are powerful forces at work among us trying to bring about homogeneity and conformity in both our theology and our culture. The resulting tension of all this has caused us some discomfort, and it is imperative that we work to resolve it.
Maybe I'm biting off more than I can chew, but I hope you stick with me through this discussion and provide feedback and your own comments.
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Lloyd, we in the Church of God struggle with two factors:
1. In the beginning of our movement our eschatology & ecclesiology dictated that the Christian world would come out and join us. When that failed to appear we were left with partial confusion to the question, "Why do we exist?"
2. Our refusal to accept confessional (creedal) Christianity leaves us in uncertainty. What does it mean to be Church of God? If "the Bible is our rule of faith", what if two ministers sincerely hold to that beief but arrive at different conclusions on a major area? (Say, Arminianism and Calvinism, to use one example.)
Personally, I'm glad I'm not asked to sign a creed; I'm leery of statements that may back me into a corner. However, the underlying tension remains: if we have no creed, how can a Credentials Committee tell a candidate, "You're not Church of God"?
I think these internal tensions, in part, led me to John Wesley for a foundation.
(I'm just thinking out loud. I'm looking forward to the posts, Lloyd.)
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