Thursday Theological Thinking

Part of the initial application (yes, there are multiple applications, apparently) to adopt through the agency we're using is to not only read and sign their Statement of Faith (one very similar to this one) but also to write your own Statement of Faith based on questions they ask you.

The questions are along the lines of these:

1. Describe your thoughts on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
2. Describe your relationship with Christ and how it impacts you.
3. Describe the working of the Holy Spirit in your life.
4. What Scripture verses or passages have been meaningful to you and your family and the experiences you've had.
5. Explain how you will incorporate your Faith into your childrearing process and how you will nurture your child's Spiritual development.

As I was going through this, it occurred to me that this is something every Christian should be required to do - probably on a routine basis. Because I don't spend much time thinking about the "person and work of Jesus" and what that means in my life - at least not in a way that would be clear and concise enough to explain my beliefs on the matter to a complete stranger. I pray, I study, I meditate - but I do it generally with a focus on growth or a prayer for revelation. I get to a point where it's almost as if I subconsciously think, "I've been a Christian for 30 years, I know the basics. I don't have to think about them anymore."

But even as I think that concretely, I'm reminded of why I loved worshipping in a reformed church (and in the Anglican church) - because every week we affirmed those basics aloud. Certainly there's a temptation to mumble the words by rote, but I never got to that point (we weren't in either congregation for long and that may be the explanation, though I hope not) - every week I was moved by the beauty of the Nicene creed and the Gloria Patri and the Doxology. Every week I was reminded that at the core of it all this is what I believed. This was the reason I was in church. And these were the principles on which I should be basing my thoughts and actions throughout the week. And two of the three of them are focused on thanks.

If you've never taken the time to write your personal statement of faith, in your own words, it's something I would encourage you to do it, you may find it's an and encouragement and blessing.