With some time to simply sit on this project and think about some of the concepts I find that I now have a sharper picture of where I want to go and how I want to get there. It’s always been there in my head, but now I have a very structured, comprehensive list in mind. To top it all off, I have even made it into a diagram. Now we’re getting somewhere!
As I revise the introduction to Beginning Conversations, I hope to include some sort of diagram that presents my conversational approach to practical Christian reflection (which I use instead of theology because it sounds less academic and can have the dual meaning of reflecting on God or reflecting God, which should happen simultaneously). Though I begin with a discussion of culture and context as a matter of necessity, let’s start here with revelation:
Revelation: There are two sources of revelation for all Christian reflection: God and the Bible. I discuss the absolute importance of relationship with God as a first point in Christian reflection. As primary as the Bible is, and it’s crucial, scripture has no power or relevance to us without the ministry of God’s Spirit.
Participants: I think I need a better word for this, but the idea here is that Christian tradition and the global Church are the participants who give shape to Christian reflection. While having the input of a local congregation while having coffee or gathering on Sundays is good, we also need to be aware of and informed by the historic and global Church. For example, one church I know of will recognize anyone who has been baptized in accordance with a historically recognized tradition of the church. It’s no an "anything goes" situation, but room is left for the diversity of the church.
Context: We often need to deal with context first in order to sniff out bias and cultural limitations in our thinking. The context of Christian theology is always that of a particular time, place, and culture. We need to be aware of other cultures and the limits of our own, lest we be guilty of Christian/American syncretism. But at the same time, there will always be a form of Christianity that is particularly American, and that is where we need to constantly engage with our context and examine how it shapes our understanding of Christianity. The other context that we need to be aware of is that of mission. Sharing the Gospel and ministering to one another is the context for all Christian reflection. If our reflection does not make us better salt, we need to reevaluate what exactly we are doing and why.
If I can I’ll try to convert these thoughts into some kind of pie chart. Let me know if I’m missing anything.
Filed under: Introduction
