Sunday 29 October 2017

On Creeds and Narrative

The creeds are good - but I wonder how clearly a bullet-point list of truths is capable of telling the story which the gospel tells. 

Someone said that whereas the previous generation learned by points, the current generation learns better by a story.

If someone asked the early Apostles 'what we believe' - would they have just given a list of points - or would they have told a story? A narrative.

I wonder if a 'Statement of Faith' could actually be better presented nowadays as a short-story, a story which includes certain points of truth, rather than just isolating out those points of truth without telling the story. 

I suppose the creeds do tell the gospel-story in its barest essentials. But sometimes the Apostles told that story as part of a larger story; as the climax of an ongoing story - the story of the kingdom; of Israel; of Abraham; of mankind, from the lost paradise on the earth to the restored paradise in the new earth, God dwelling with man again; through Jesus' cross and resurrection; the Spirit being the downpayment on that inheritance.

A list of ingredients is an important part of a recipe - but so is the way it all comes together into the cake. We're not just offering the world a list of ingredients - we're offering them a beautifully-made cake, which is made-up of those ingredients.

1 comment:

  1. POINTS OF TRUTH exist within a NARRATIVE, not just independently of any narrative.

    What is the story the gospel is telling us? The story is that God is restoring creation, through Jesus, through His cross and resurrection, and by the Spirit; through faith; experienced by the Church; in accordance with His promise to
    Abraham, and Israel and the prophets.

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