Thanks Ruth. Always enjoy hearing from you.

Thanks Karen. Glad you enjoy having your thinking stretched.

I like your strong emphasis on living out faith though my observation is that thoughts become actions over time, so it’s important to think carefully and well.

Thanks Ruth. Great thoughts. I guess in your own way you have articulated your theological architecture, highlighting the things that are important for you and which shape your responses. I think clarifying that is helpful so long as it doesn’t mean we stop being curious and interested in how and why others shape their focus differently. And from the conversations we’ve had I have always appreciated your curiosity and willingness to interact meaningfully with deep ideas- which is part of the thoughtful way you live out faith in the world. I guess that’s a long way of saying that I think you have a considered theological architecture that is genuinely winsome.

Perhaps the simpler your purpose the simpler your statement can be. If your purpose is to be a community that pursues God and welcomes friends on the journey then not much more needs to be said.

“There is a strongly aesthetic element to theological architecture – a few evocative words helping to clarify what holds the group together.” I like the focus on a few. The more definition you have around what holds us together the more exclusive your community becomes, which may be what some want though I would be inclined to keep asking them “Why?”

Theological architecture whilst being the design idea (and not the actual engineering plans that must be complied with) might offer more flexibility, but it still can potentially foster creative differences that result in keeping others out. Again, some organisations may desire this…it is why we have hundreds of denominations around the world to choose from. One can just move on to a better fit I guess but I very much like the idea of there being enough room for all …that in our diversity, our understanding of God gets bigger; and I don’t sit comfortably with people needing to break relationship or leave community in order to pursue God. “While statements of faith erect fences to hold some in and keep others out” it means that those who are already in the boundary line can only grow and change to a point and they are pushed out (sometimes without the H word being mentioned), unlikely being asked to leave but certainly no longer able to live within the boundary line and concurrently maintain their spirituality.

It reminds me a conversation my 10 year old daughter struck with me in the weekend ” Mum will you be angry or like upset if we don’t believe in God? Because I’m just not sure right now if I really do believe or have enough belief”.
My response “No not at all sweetheart. Discovering God is a life long journey and must be yours not mine. My beliefs have certainly changed, sometimes a little and other times a lot as I have grown into the world. You will need to discover your own faith for yourself in your time, and what you discover might not be the same as what I discovered, and that is ok”
Imagine if our family’s theological architecture was designed in such a way that she no longer felt welcome and at home. At the risk of taking the analogy too far, I like the idea of theological architecture embracing a fully accessible design.

Jesus did not say that the person who believes the right things will enter the kingdom of heaven. He said that the person who obeys God will enter the kingdom of heaven.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’” (Matthew 7:21-23. See also Luke 13:23-27)

Jesus then tells the parable of the wise and foolish builders, illustrating and reinforcing his teaching about the importance of not just hearing his words, but acting on them.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell – and great was its fall!” (Matthew 7:24-27. See also Luke 6:47-49)

Other examples of Jesus teaching on the importance of doing the will of God include:

“For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50; Mark 3:35: Luke 8:21)

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)

“You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:14)

“If you hold to my teaching, you are truly my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

“If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17)

So, it is very important that we do the will of God. If we rely on our faith, our beliefs, our creeds or our doctrines to save us, but do not do the will of God, then we may be risking hearing Jesus say: “I never knew you”.

It certainly doesn’t have to be either or. In the end it’s about something that provides meaningful and helpful guidance.