What do you believe?

In this season after Pentecost we'll be looking at beliefs... -what do we believe- why do we believe it. The word Creed comes from the Latin "Credo"... "I Believe". Share with us your Creed.

I'm sure most of us have about the same central beliefs; in one God, that this God is real and has something to say to the world (and the people in it), etc. But I'll bet we each have at least some beliefs we might have reticence sharing with the church doctrine police. It's not that they are so much heretical (although they might be) as much as they just might not be the norm.

We live in a VERY heterogeneous world (I'll say this is particularly true to Columbia MD and it's environs). In this world we're exposed to a whole array of thoughts, philosohpies, beliefs, and doctrines. Some we might have some attraction to and some we very definitly reject. We have a standard -- but this is different for each person (some differences might be incredibly slight, but still there). And even in the life of one person, the standards for what to accept and what to reject might change over time as well.

What do we belive? What is true? Is is subjective or objective? For some, there is an objective standard of what is the "right" belief. Taken further... is there a "right" religion?

Here's a story I heard from the Jewish Midrash, or interpretations of the Torah. The story goes that a few Rabbi's were debating the interepretation of a section of Torah, whne God shows up. God says something like, "I'll tell you what I meant by that." They then say, "No. You wrote it, and it's our job to interpret it." God then responds by saying, "Now you're getting it!"

During the first century after Jesus lived and died, before there was a notion of "one" church (organized and unified under one banner - like now of course!) there were "Christian" groups
that claimed Jesus was a very unique person, but a person none the less. And there were other groups that claimed he was God incarnate, so much so that he was not human at all. And both claimed the bible as the basis for their beliefs as well.

But today we have it all under control. We have all the questions answered of course. Have you heard of "Bible" churches? You know, the ones that "teach" the bible. Let me ask this... Which teaching of the bible are you teaching? There are some Christians that teach that Jesus is in the Bread and the Wine during Communion. Then there are others that do not teach that at all. Yet each side claims the bible as not only inspired, but the basis for their treachings. There's more where that came from.

Here's a question: Is there one "right" kind of flower? Or tree? Or fish? Or person? Why don't we ask those questions?

As a Church, we believe what we believe... as an historical community... that has travelled the river of time for about 2 thousand years. And in that time, this community has made sense of the divine in a certain way. Over these millenia, this community has, in a very specific way, expressed it's beliefs about who this God is, and who we are in relation to this God. It has used the tools at its desposal; it's sacred texts and it's sacred traditions.

Yet at the forward edge of this movement through time, here we sit. What we believe has just as much to do with life as with theology. What do you believe about how God acts in the world? What do you believe about who you can become? Do yo believe people can change? DO you believe in the death penalty? Who do you believe Jesus would hang around if he came back today?

Take a look at this website when you're here. it really is worth a look. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138

Then share what you believe. "About what?" you ask. You tell me.