When I first became a Christian in 1978, I was running the bath. I decided to argue for Jesus rather than against him. After the bath, I went to see a Methodist minister and asked him, 'what must I believe?' to which he replied, 'Nothing'. We studied the Nicene creed together and then called it a day.
About a year later, hands were laid upon me and I received the Holy Spirit. I went to see the same minister, who told me I should continue contributing through my mind; too many people abandon their mind then they come to faith. I think he was right. I've been privileged to know my faith both intellectually and emotionally.
The thing is I took the minister's advice and after all these years find the essentials of the faith as set out in the creeds, mean something to me. As I have lived as a Christian, experience has informed my understanding. Understanding of Christian teaching has crept up on me. I've never worried about believing the right thing. Belief comes through experience. Too often we see Christians trying to force their beliefs onto the world. Live in the world fully and you will discover how Christian teachings make sense of the world.
This is not picking and choosing, I have no idea when I started to believe certain things or why. There are a range of ideas, stories and insights that form the basis of my faith and the faith of many others. Maybe belief is not the right word, for me it has been a discovery - 'so that is what this story means!'
But as much as I scrutinise the historic creeds, simple statements of the essentials of the Christian faith, I find nothing at all about sexuality, the role of women or abortion (to name the main ones). Where has the idea come from that a particular view on these subjects is essential to the Christian faith? For almost 2000 years no-one felt impelled to make these claims, why all of a sudden if you have the wrong view on abortion, are you not Christian?
Note my point here is not whether a particular view of abortion (or any other ethical issue) is wrong. My point is since when did these views become essential Christian beliefs?
The trap I nearly fell into all those years ago was to think that Christianity depends upon belief. It does not, it depends upon faith. Faith is driven out by belief. Doubting creates room for faith to grow. Belief means intellectual assent to propositions. Faith is the discovery of the truth of scripture through experience.
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