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>.If you have either of them, I would be interested in reading them. I'm curious.

 

RE: new creed

 

A New Creed (from the United Church of Canada, 1980)

 

We are not alone, we live in God's world.

We believe in God:

who created and is creating,

who has come in Jesus,

the Word made flesh,

to reconcile and make new,

who works in us and others by the Spirit.

We trust God.

We are called to be the Church:

to celebrate God's presence,

to love and serve others,

to seek justice and resist evil,

to proclaim Jesus,

crucified and risen,

our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death.

God is with us.

We are not alone. Thanks be to God.

 

I like this, with only a few problems (as opposed to multiple ones with the Nicene creed or

Apostles creed). For instance, I am not to fond of the line about Jesus being our "judge",

all line about life beyond death, and then I'm not too sure I'm a Tritarian.

 

OTOH, I really like the linews about God created and is creating; about seeking justice and resisting

evil, etc.

 

 

--des

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  • 2 weeks later...
>.If you have either of them, I would be interested in reading them. I'm curious.

 

RE: new creed

 

A New Creed (from the United Church of Canada, 1980)

 

We are not alone, we live in God's world.

We believe in God:

who created and is creating,

who has come in Jesus,

the Word made flesh,

to reconcile and make new,

who works in us and others by the Spirit.

We trust God.

We are called to be the Church:

to celebrate God's presence,

to love and serve others,

to seek justice and resist evil,

to proclaim Jesus,

crucified and risen,

our judge and our hope.

In life, in death, in life beyond death.

God is with us.

We are not alone. Thanks be to God.

 

I like this, with only a few problems (as opposed to multiple ones with the Nicene creed or

Apostles creed). For instance, I am not to fond of the line about Jesus being our "judge",

all line about life beyond death, and then I'm not too sure I'm a Tritarian.

 

OTOH, I really like the linews about God created and is creating; about seeking justice and resisting

evil, etc.

--des

 

I came back for the "We believe in God." and would add, "But sometimes we don't!"

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I came back for the "We believe in God." and would add, "But sometimes we don't!"

 

Yes, I don't know that you would want it in a creed?? But doubt is an essential part of most

belief. (Prob. not fundamentalist belief-- but most other belief.)

 

--des

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Yes, I don't know that you would want it in a creed?? But doubt is an essential part of most

belief. (Prob. not fundamentalist belief-- but most other belief.)

 

--des

 

Perhaps the next question is why creeds are even necessary. Not all denominations have creeds--for example, Quakers don't (and one of the reasons I was attracted to Quakerism many years ago was the fact that it is a creedless faith.)

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In order to try to confront my fundamentalist theology demons I go onto fundamentalist forums from time to time and challenge their way of thinking. I find it does help in a strange sort of way, although I usually end up getting kicked off the forum as what I have to say is an anathema to most of them. At present I am on an end times forum. It beggars belief that people can actually believe the in the things they do. I confidently expect to be kicked off the forum by the end of the day as I challenged their views on homosexuality, which they seem to think is at the bottom of all the ills in this world! :blink:

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MOW's comment about Lord started me thinking. I have only positive associations with that myself. I think of all the things I dislike about fundamentalism - the idolatry of the Bible, the inability to see any validity in another point of view, the agenda of anti-abortion, anti-evolution, and anti-homosexuality, and I don't hear "Lord" in any of it. It must be there, but it doesn't register with me.

 

To me "Lord" came up in prayer, both the Lord's prayer and more personal ones. I learned to use it from people who I did think were following the real God, at least somewhat, even if some had beliefs that weren't mine. When I say Jesus Christ is my Lord and my Savior, the first part just means I follow Him. He is my leader, not as impersonally as a political leader, but as naturally and intimately as being the head of my body, Paul's image. If only I could get along with the rest of Christianity as intimately as I do with Jesus.

 

I think of samurai movies where I think the word for lord is "tono". "Dictator" would be a poor translation. There is not only the sense of someone with high rank, but a brother-in-arms as well. I don't hear Lord as any more oppressive than "boss", as if Jesus were some crime lord. It's not like calling your spouse "honey", but there is this sense of endearment that I think is missing in looking at "Lord" as someone who lords himself over you, maybe even involuntarily, maybe even illegitimately, arbitrarily.

 

People do hear all sorts of words differently.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Actually I don't think UCC *does* have a creed. But there are several in the hymnal (interesting stuff in there btw). Both UCC churches I have been to any length of time (i have visited a couple) had some creed statements like this. Sometimes I say out loud the things I believe and just shut up for the parts I dont'. Actually we sing Amazing Grace and I never sign "wretch like me". I actually think at one time that Baptists didn't do creeds either. The earlier Baptist idea (perhaps the most basic to Baptists) was free thought/ free will. At one time, they actually were pro-choice not so much for women's rights as they did not want to make any type of statement about what someone should believe vise a vie abortion, so they didn't want the government ruling against it. Funny how things change. Perhaps the American Baptists still are like this, I dont' know.

 

--des

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