Theological Perspective

 Over the 2,000 year history of Christianity there have been countless debates about what is the correct understanding of the Bible, Jesus, and God’s involvement in the world. These debates have led to many theological positions and many groups who believed they had the most accurate understanding of the Christian worldview. Naturally those who disagreed or were in opposition to one’s group were deemed misguided or out of sync with God’s agenda and therefore could not be trusted as sources of truth. This antagonistic posture towards opposition has been prominent throughout the history of Christianity—until the last 100 years. Now we not only have groups who maintain the exclusive rightness of their doctrines, but on the other side of the spectrum, we also have a strange call for “unity in the midst of plurality.” I say “strange” because a number of these individuals and groups continue to call themselves “Christians,” even as they promulgate the notion that all religions are equally valid—no matter how divergent and contradictory their doctrines may be. This way of thinking seems admirable to many because of its ultimate goal—to have divergent groups get along. But actually it places “congeniality” above the quest for truth and makes a mockery of all religious beliefs. It mocks true followers of various religions because none of these arose out of a vacuum. All religions have original founders and believers who declared that the currently held views of their society were wrong—that there was a better way to understand Reality and the “spiritual” facets behind the material world. In short, they believed that there is a right way and a wrong way to describe Reality, including the spiritual aspect. Thus, to say no religion is more right or more wrong than any other is to deny the primary reason for why different religions arose. By attempting to affirm all people and all religions, these advocates of “religious congeniality” unwittingly call into question all religious beliefs and the integrity of all who advocate a particular way of life.

As a result, there now exists a very wide spectrum of those who call themselves “Christian” – from those who claim they are the only group that knows the truth, to those who maintain that no one is more right than any other. Where then do I place my theological perspective within this very wide range?

       When I was a child I believed in God’s existence. Indeed, I have never doubted the existence of God for more than a brief moment. However, I have experienced many doubts and deep reservations about whether God has been completely understood by any group that bears his name or the name of Jesus. And because of these doubts, I have never found a descriptive “label” that I can confidently apply to myself. So far, none of the designations I have encountered perfectly describes my overall theological stance. For example, when I read the lists of doctrines that various church groups publish, I often find that I can embrace a good share of them without reservations. However, it seems inevitable that I will find at least one doctrine that I would call into question. Why is this the case? I think the first reason for my difficulty is the human tendency to use simple labels to describe complex beliefs. They do this as if one-word labels can encapsulate all the complexities without interminable exceptions. Put another way, people stuff too much meaning into single-word labels for the sake of convenience. This is so they might easily know who’s in and who’s out, who is acceptable, and who is not acceptable as true witnesses of God. But I do not believe such practices are particularly helpful for knowing what an individual actually believes; and the practice has certainly not contributed to the unity and betterment of the Christian Church throughout the ages.

The second reason I have found it difficult to label my theological stance is because of the spiritual journey I have been given. I was raised in the Presbyterian Church, so from an early age I became familiar with the Bible and some of the traits of Reformed theology. At the age of 16, I committed my life to God while attending a charismatic Episcopal youth group. A year or two later, I regularly took part in a charismatic Catholic prayer meeting as well as a home church associated with Calvary Chapel churches. This exposure to different theological traditions within Christianity would only expand as I grew older. Through church attendance and formal education, I became familiar with various theological camps—Reformed, Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, Methodist, Lutheran, Brethren, Messianic Jews, and even Eastern Orthodoxy. In my quest to know the truth about life, I have found it more advantageous to listen to a chorus of Christian voices rather than a single source. The reason for this is not because I see no advantage to staying with one tradition, but because I have found each denomination, each Christian perspective, usually has its strengths AND its weaknesses for understanding and living the Christian ideal. This method for seeking the truth resonates with two proverbs I find particularly helpful: “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” (Pro. 18:17 ESV) and; “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Pro. 27:17 NIV). Every Christian tradition seems perfect and right to its adherents until others are given a chance to challenge those beliefs. Then some corrective measures may be needed. And when Christians allow some “sparks to fly” as they debate theological points among themselves (but with no hint of rancor in the discussions), they become all the better for it by the sharpening of their minds. So in the sense of pursuing open debate and discussions among Christians of different persuasions, some might accurately label my position as “ecumenical.” That may be correct, but only as a way to describe how I pursue the truth. For some people, ecumenicalism represents a theological position that is unwilling to take a stand on any of the issues; that is not what I am about.

Now after stating why I shy away from labels as far as identifying my theological stance, I don’t want to give the impression that I’m at a loss to declare what I am. I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I am a Christian. I am one who has fully embraced the basic definitions of these designations as they were established soon after the resurrection of Jesus. In other words, I’m an orthodox Christian. This means that I believe what most Christians have believed most of the time throughout the 2,000-year history of the Church.* 

       This stance is in contradistinction to those who bear the name “Christian,” but have hollowed out its meaning by not remaining true to its essential doctrines. These “followers” like to be associated with Christianity, and the credibility it has earned, but they are superficial in what they accept. They only embrace what pleases their intellectual sensibilities, but then are dismissive of basic tenets of the biblical worldview. Such duplicity is something many have gotten used to because of its prevalence, but as I have indicated above, I find such mind games unacceptable.** Indeed much of what I wrote above reveals my temperament towards any form of intellectual duplicity—whether it’s found among “liberal” or “fundamental” Christians.

       In the long run, I believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ can always withstand intellectual honesty, if given a fair hearing. This stated conviction reflects a great deal about me and why I have such a keen interest in the study of epistemology and philosophical hermeneutics. It also demonstrates why the overarching desire of my life is to uncover, learn, and assimilate into my soul the best understanding of the Christian worldview and what it means to have faith in God.

Finally, I know there may be some Christians who read the above statements and wish I had provided a more traditional list of beliefs. There is something to be said for bulleted presentations and how they help people know what to expect. However, in regards to what I believe I can offer Christians as a teacher of the Bible and of Christian theology, I am convinced such a list would be misleading. I don’t want to simply present doctrines that are poured into receptive minds without any thought as to why we should embrace them. I want the freedom to grapple with difficult passages of Scripture, and wrestle with complex theological concepts, so that those who learn from me are not just accumulating information, but are learning to think more clearly about the Kingdom of God. I want to assist Christians to become better thinkers who are able to process theological ideas and arrive at well-thought-out positions they can hold with confidence. In other words, I want to help believers ‘do their best to present themselves to God as those approved, workers who have no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth’ (paraphrase of 2Tim. 2:15). Put another way, our objective is ‘… not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect’ (paraphrase of Rom. 12:2).

       While I have given here my best effort to briefly state in writing my theological position, I believe it is ultimately inadequate for the purpose of deciding whether someone would benefit from my teaching. Because of my ecumenical background and my evangelical orientation, I believe most dedicated Christians will come away with valuable insights from the Bible and other Christian writings as we study these sources together. And even though I have my convictions and reasons for why I believe certain doctrines, I know that I’m not the last word on any topic. There is always room for more “sparks to fly” as Christians sharpen each other’s minds for the glory of God. In the end, my hope is that this webpage will be largely superfluous for many, because those who come to my teaching sessions for the first time will have heard from others. They will come because they heard how I helped facilitate a closer walk with Jesus for them and others. In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks about the hearts of others being “letters of recommendation” for him, his colleagues and their ministry. It is my aspiration to have such “letters” eventually become the reason why people recommend me as a teacher of God’s Word.