Ordination Questions
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3:
Do you sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions to believe and do, and will you be instructed and led by those confessions as you lead the people of God?
He was interviewed by Krista Tippett (of Speaking of Faith and On Being) in 2003, and he was open about his own doctrinal evolution, ambiguity, and pluralism. At one point, Tippett asked him "how a fixed creed can be reconciled with an honest, intellectual faith, which is surely not marked by static certainty." His answer was simple and considered:
My faith life, like that of every one else, fluctuates. There are ups and downs and hot spots and cold spots, and boredom and ennui and all the rest can be there. And so I'm not asked on a Sunday morning, "As of 9:20, what do you believe?" And then you sit down with a three-by-five index card saying, "Now let's see. What do I believe today?" No, that's not what they're asking me. They're asking me, "Are you a member of a community which now, for a millennium and a half, has said, 'We believe in one God'?"
His words clarify what many people fail to understand about confessing traditions. The liturgical purpose of the creeds is to demonstrate the characteristics of the community rather than to provide a weekly test for individual membership. My faith is a daily wrestling match between me, the Scriptures, the tradition, and ultimately with God. On any given Sunday, I may confidently affirm that which I denied only a week earlier and may very well deny a week later, but the Church remains assured and hopeful. There is a reason that the Nicene Creed says, "We believe..." rather than "I believe..." The creeds are not about me, but us.
The ordination question describes the confessions as "reliable" rather than as perfect or impeccable. This is important because it reveals that the Church also continues to examine its beliefs and practices. It is a human institution and as such is capable of error. The confessions present those doctrines which - taken literally or metaphorically - have stood the test of time as distinctive and affirmative, rather than exhaustive and exclusive, markers of the Christian tradition. They tell us what is unique about our community, and they provide faithful, credible, enduring guidance as we Christians serve to follow after Christ and serve one another.
Whew! What a relief to grasp that the preservation of the Church does not hinge upon what I believe at my weakest moment! Or, even my strongest moment. I love the "we" not "me" thought. We, and by we this time I mean me, sometimes act as if what we believe is so fragile that one misstep will cause the house to fall. Love you and your eye opening writings.
It's especially helpful for those of us whose personal beliefs often fall outside of the scope of the creeds. The discipline of reminding myself that I belong to a community that is bigger than my personal perspective is helpful in breaking away from self-centered thought and action.
Some of my non-religious friends can't understand why I would participate in a community with whom I don't agree on some important issues, or why I would affirm creeds in worship every week when I only intellectually agree with certain tenets. I usually respond by comparing the Church to my family. Unity of love, mutual affection, and respect, rather than doctrinal agreement, are the priorities. Confessions are a discipline of belonging that are underused in much of the modern church.
Love you too, V! Thanks for reading and sharing so much encouragement.
I love the way you've explained this Riley, truly I do. I suppose for so many, a faith life means total absolutes, and as you so eloquently pointed out, that is impossible if you are growing and expanding in a faith life at all. Lovely.
Jayne -
Thanks for the kind words. I always appreciate your comments. Knowing that you're reading thoughtfully helps me to write critically. All of this is a helpful exercise for me as I try to approach my life - marriage, faith, and all the rest - with intentionality. I guess most people keep these sorts of thoughts and questions private, but I think there's value in letting others listen in, particularly people like you that I would never meet any other way.
My favorite part: "We believe..." rather than "I believe..." The creeds are not about me, but us.
Not super easy to get out of my own way in my faith community/life. If only I could...
Enjoying reading this series. Thanks for posting!