Dylan’s Grace Notes: Things we agree on…

April 28, 2007
by Nicholas Knisely
General Convention

Sarah Dylan Breuer has been thinking of what would happen if the people involved in the conflict in the Episcopal Church could work dilgently on finding the limits of their agreement – rather than focusing on why each other are wrong in what the other person believes. She starts off with a story of finding out that she and Bishop Mynns agree on something so simple as preferring to use a Macintosh computer.

Her list of the things she thinks we can all agree to is pretty complete:

  • Jesus is Lord.
  • Jesus and the God who created the universe are one.
  • The Old and New Testaments were inspired by God, and are useful for teaching and Christian formation (a la 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
  • Jesus of Nazareth was an actual historical person who was born of Mary, gathered disciples and taught, healed, and confronted evil powers in ministry the first-century Roman province of Palestine, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate’s authority.
  • Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Christ of God.
  • The God of Israel raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead. I know some Christians struggle with this, but I believe this was a bodily resurrection, and the tomb was empty (and John Dominic Crossan never persuaded me that there was no tomb).
  • Jesus’ disciples met the risen Jesus — some had visions, some corporeal encounters (though Jesus’ body was different in some ways — e.g., he didn’t seem to need doors to be opened or unlocked to get into a room), but in all cases reported in the New Testament it was Jesus they met.
  • I think the list of canonical books in the New Testament is a good one. There is no non-canonical gospel that I would have liked to see in the canon, and no book currently in the canon that I’d exclude if I could.
  • I believe that the kingdom of God was inaugurated in Jesus’ ministry, and that Jesus will come again to realize fully his work among us.
  • I believe that the God of Israel has chosen Jesus, the Christ, as judge of the nations.
  • I believe that Jesus is really present in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
  • I believe that Jesus is really present wherever people gather in his name.”

I might add that we can all agree that

  • we worship one God in a trinity of persons.
  • That Jesus’ death on the cross is THE apocalypse of God.

How about the rest of you? What would you add?

Read the rest here: Dylan’s Grace Notes: an invitation especially to ‘reasserters’

The Author

Episcopal bishop, dad, astronomer, erstwhile dancer...

7 Comments

  1. the Reverend boy says

    We might wish to add that the Apostles and Nicene Creeds are the sufficient articulation of our faith. The statements you list are consistent with them and even restate some of the things found in the Creeds, but I think a direct statement of “loyalty” for lack of a better word might help.

  2. Nicholas Knisely says

    I’d have no problem with adding the two creeds, and I’d probably throw in the Quadrilateral as well now that you mention it…

  3. the Reverend boy says

    Agreed.
    Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we’ve just found our covenant. Shall we put this on the agenda for Lambeth?

  5. bls says

    Spong is retired, and has been for about 5 years, I think.

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