Comments on: To Creed or not to Creed? http://nbc.org.nz/2008/04/to-creed-or-not-to-creed.html Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:56:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Dale http://nbc.org.nz/2008/04/to-creed-or-not-to-creed.html/comment-page-1#comment-37 Dale Mon, 12 May 2008 23:33:29 +0000 http://nbc.org.nz/?p=116#comment-37 Again, good discussion here. As pastors, Peter, Shawn and I are all fine with the current statement, but I'll suggest we add an additional note of affirmation of the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds. Cheers! -d- Again, good discussion here.
As pastors, Peter, Shawn and I are all fine with the current statement, but I’ll suggest we add an additional note of affirmation of the Apostle’s and Nicene Creeds.
Cheers!
-d-

]]> By: Memento Mori http://nbc.org.nz/2008/04/to-creed-or-not-to-creed.html/comment-page-1#comment-36 Memento Mori Fri, 09 May 2008 03:45:40 +0000 http://nbc.org.nz/?p=116#comment-36 I’m just going to chuck in my two cents worth seeing as Dale called for thoughts from others… As far as the statement of faith goes I think it does ok. It covers the fundamental ideas while being concise enough that people will bother to read it. In my view a statement of faith should leave room for debate on non-essential theology (e.g. Calvinism versus Arminianism) but not leave room for erroneous belief to slip in (e.g. Modalism). That being said I think a couple of things could be better described in the current statement of faith with the addition of a few words. For instance: I would add to the Trinity that God is one being made up of three personages and each personage is co-existent, co-eternal and fully God. Ben is right in what he said regarding the section about Christ. Just mentioning that he has two natures doesn’t quite cut the mustard for me either. I’d like to see more of the hypostatic union outlined so there isn’t room to dilute or mix the two natures (no demi-gods allowed). I also think the section on baptism should include not just the mode but take more of a stance against paedo-baptism and baptismal regeneration. Including a statement about Christ returning (to judge the quick and the dead?) would also be worthwhile. I’d prefer the statement of faith had a heading for itself but I’m sure changing a website is a nuisance. I’m just going to chuck in my two cents worth seeing as Dale called for thoughts from others…

As far as the statement of faith goes I think it does ok. It covers the fundamental ideas while being concise enough that people will bother to read it. In my view a statement of faith should leave room for debate on non-essential theology (e.g. Calvinism versus Arminianism) but not leave room for erroneous belief to slip in (e.g. Modalism).

That being said I think a couple of things could be better described in the current statement of faith with the addition of a few words. For instance:

I would add to the Trinity that God is one being made up of three personages and each personage is co-existent, co-eternal and fully God.

Ben is right in what he said regarding the section about Christ. Just mentioning that he has two natures doesn’t quite cut the mustard for me either. I’d like to see more of the hypostatic union outlined so there isn’t room to dilute or mix the two natures (no demi-gods allowed).

I also think the section on baptism should include not just the mode but take more of a stance against paedo-baptism and baptismal regeneration.

Including a statement about Christ returning (to judge the quick and the dead?) would also be worthwhile. I’d prefer the statement of faith had a heading for itself but I’m sure changing a website is a nuisance.

]]> By: Ben http://nbc.org.nz/2008/04/to-creed-or-not-to-creed.html/comment-page-1#comment-34 Ben Thu, 08 May 2008 06:11:26 +0000 http://nbc.org.nz/?p=116#comment-34 It is not a question of whether we would exclude 'the life of the mind'. I know that we don't. But are we 'seeking' the life of the mind. Do we seek (or pursue) to follow Jesus in a deeper understanding of the truth? It is not a question of whether we would exclude ‘the life of the mind’. I know that we don’t. But are we ‘seeking’ the life of the mind. Do we seek (or pursue) to follow Jesus in a deeper understanding of the truth?

]]> By: Dale http://nbc.org.nz/2008/04/to-creed-or-not-to-creed.html/comment-page-1#comment-33 Dale Thu, 08 May 2008 04:36:46 +0000 http://nbc.org.nz/?p=116#comment-33 Cheers Ben, No personal attack taken! :) Also, the form of the questions in the orginal 'blog' post (above) were to raise them in such a way that engenders discussion, not necessarily to endorse the (in my view) simplistic statement about Judaism being more concerned with o-praxy than with o-doxy. I doubt anyone at Northcote (or within Judaism) thinks (thought) that God doesn't want us to be concerned with orthodoxy! :) And likewise, I doubt anyone would exclude the life of the mind from the 'all of life' in which we seek to follow Jesus in. Cheers Ben,
No personal attack taken! :)
Also, the form of the questions in the orginal ‘blog’ post (above) were to raise them in such a way that engenders discussion, not necessarily to endorse the (in my view) simplistic statement about Judaism being more concerned with o-praxy than with o-doxy. I doubt anyone at Northcote (or within Judaism) thinks (thought) that God doesn’t want us to be concerned with orthodoxy! :)
And likewise, I doubt anyone would exclude the life of the mind from the ‘all of life’ in which we seek to follow Jesus in.

]]> By: Ben http://nbc.org.nz/2008/04/to-creed-or-not-to-creed.html/comment-page-1#comment-32 Ben Thu, 08 May 2008 04:11:20 +0000 http://nbc.org.nz/?p=116#comment-32 Hi Dale. Please don't take my comments as a personal attack. I would question whether the 'about us' section of the church website is equivalent to an online foyer. Where else would one look for detailed information about what we believe? If I was looking for a church, that is the first thing I would look for. Of course, I may just be a sole psycho :) Now to make a completely different comment. If Judaism was not so concerned with orthodoxy, then how come Paul could raise such a stir by mentioning the resurrection of the dead? And the Shema begins with a theological statement as the basis of it's orthopraxy. But the issue is not whether Judaism was concerned with orthodoxy or not, but whether God wants us to be concerned with it. Our church says Northcote Baptist Church... ...is a community of people who seek to follow Jesus in all of life. By all of life, do we include the life of the mind? Hi Dale. Please don’t take my comments as a personal attack.

I would question whether the ‘about us’ section of the church website is equivalent to an online foyer. Where else would one look for detailed information about what we believe? If I was looking for a church, that is the first thing I would look for. Of course, I may just be a sole psycho :)

Now to make a completely different comment. If Judaism was not so concerned with orthodoxy, then how come Paul could raise such a stir by mentioning the resurrection of the dead? And the Shema begins with a theological statement as the basis of it’s orthopraxy. But the issue is not whether Judaism was concerned with orthodoxy or not, but whether God wants us to be concerned with it. Our church says Northcote Baptist Church…
…is a community of people who seek to follow Jesus in all of life. By all of life, do we include the life of the mind?

]]>