Today in theology lecture my professor talked about the American Revolution and how after the war there was a movement among churches to reject the two main creeds of Protestant Christianity, the
Nicene creed and the
Apostle's creed. They rejected these creeds on the basis that the bible should be the main source of our Christianity, and that only the bible should be the foundation of our beliefs as well as the plumb line to guard against false teachings.
Some of the main leaders of this movement included James O'Kelly (1793), former methodist minister, Barton Stone (1803), formerly Presbyterian, and Alexander Campbell (1809), who had connection with the Baptist church. These 'restoration' leaders wished to have independent churches unaffiliated with any denomination. Although these groups had many errors in beliefs, and couldn't agree even amongst themselves, the idea that birthed their movement triggers questions in my mind. Are we (all denominations in general, but also more specifically the CRC and RCA) replacing knowledge of the bible with knowledge of theology (possibly because we see them as the same)? And if we are, what effect is this having on our faith?
This comment made by my professor inspired this posts:
" The bible is so big that it is hard to know what is in it, if we memorize the creeds, we can know what is false right away."
(In clarification this comment was aimed toward laypersons, not pastors or clergy)
Does this statement bother you? I'm sure it depends how you view faith. From the time that many conservative Calvinist's kids are able to read (maybe before) they are already memorizing the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Apostle's Creed is recited almost every Sunday. Although these same kids as adults could most likely tell you the main points of predestination and why babies are baptized instead of adults, they probably could not quote you many verses other than John 3:16 and Psalms 23. Not only that, but if you ask them about their personal experience or relationship with Christ, the answers that they give you will probably be cliche'.
(I realize that this is definitely not true across the board, but I'm using extreme situations to stress a point)
Is this right? Where is the fire, the passion, the excitement and life? It's our love for God and our hunger for Him that inspires us to read, know and explore the words of the bible and not only that, but to let them renew our minds and change our lives. It's the Holy Spirit that shows us what is false teaching and alerts us to what does not line up with the character of God. How are we to know that by a creed, a statement of believe or catechism? It's not an academic exercise that will lead us from death to life but a relationship that is so deep that nothing on earth, in heaven, or even in hell can ever separate us from it.
Most of my life there has been a strong importance placed on bible memorization in our home, and family devotions were a daily occurrence. Three years ago I was encouraged to look at the bible from a different angle then I ever had before. I felt like the world suddenly went from black & white to color. I began to see all the promises that God has given us, the lies that I was believing about who I am, and the authority that I have in Christ. All those verses that I had memorized as a child suddenly became what Eph.6 talks about, they were a sword in my hand.
I recognized where the theology of my denominational background did not line up with what I was seeing and reading on the pages of the bible, and started to realize that there was so much I didn't even know about! My prayer life took off, and where before I could barely pray 5 minutes, I now can spend hours in prayer with others and by myself. Worship is no longer singing one hymn from the psalter and then siting down in a methodical, formal manner, but it's raising holy hands before my God, opening my heart and dancing before my Lord. Instead of empty platitudes I can encourage others with real, substantial truth and pray for them with a heart that truly believes God has a miracle for that person and wants to show them his manifest love.
God is no longer a distant imagination, but a present reality. A creed cannot do all that.
So in conclusion my challenge is this, open your mind and heart and explore God's word in a new way. Don't believe something because you were told to believe it or because your church reads it on sundays, believe it because you know it's true.
I'm in no way trying to undermine the importance of studying theology, nor am I saying that creeds and statements of belief aren't good things. I very much recocgnize the place and importance of them. My point is that they should be a tool, but never take the place that the bible has in our lives or in our relationship with God.
