What are the essentials?
With a blog name like "Essentials", it seems reasonable to let you know what I think are the essentials of the Christian faith. The five Solas of the Reformation seem a good place to start. Sola scriptura (a latin phrase meaning only scripture), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola Christos (Christ alone), and Sola Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone). We can only be reconciled to a Holy God and saved by means of faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone as revealed by the bible alone. Although I believe the glory is due to God alone, I am not comfortable with the usual Reformed (Calvinist) interpretation of this phrase. I believe that the credit and glory for our redemption are God's alone, but I believe that He has granted us autonomy and free will to the extent that we must actively decide to accept His redemption.
The latter is a relatively minor distinction and does not prevent me from being able to cooperate or fellowship with Reformed Christians. Thus, the essentials are few. I cannot find clear evidence in the Bible that anything beyond these essentials are required for us to be reconciled with God.
It is not quite this simple, however. There probably are individuals or groups who would express a belief in one or more of these solas but whose interpretation would be so different from mine that I would not be comfortable expressing my willingness to cooperate with them in the ministry of the gospel. For example, a number of denominations support sola scriptura, but their view of scripture is that it contains fables and errors as well as truth. I would have difficulty cooperating with such a denomination. For example, I would hesitate to refer a new believer to them for discipling. If one is not sure that the Bible is entirely reliable, what can be the basis for determining which parts are true and which are not? Luke Timothy Johnson (The Real Jesus) has exposed the so-called scholarship of the Jesus Seminar with their colored marble votes on the degree of reliability of various passages of scripture. Such a view of the Bible eliminates its claims of truth, its validity, and any sense of rationality in ordering one's life on the basis of its claims. In short, denying that the Bible is truth in its entirety eliminates its power.
Perhaps there are other issues on which interpretations on the Solas would be different enough to indicate it would be best for those on different sides to work with those with whom they agree more closely rather than compromosing their own sense of doctrinal integrity.
However, there is much room for cooperation among believers where little now exists. Many more believers can agree on these essentials than are now cooperating for the important work of spreading the good news. Hopefully that can change. Hopefully, we can respect and find a place for dialogue also with those who disagree with us on the essentials.
With a blog name like "Essentials", it seems reasonable to let you know what I think are the essentials of the Christian faith. The five Solas of the Reformation seem a good place to start. Sola scriptura (a latin phrase meaning only scripture), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola Christos (Christ alone), and Sola Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone). We can only be reconciled to a Holy God and saved by means of faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone as revealed by the bible alone. Although I believe the glory is due to God alone, I am not comfortable with the usual Reformed (Calvinist) interpretation of this phrase. I believe that the credit and glory for our redemption are God's alone, but I believe that He has granted us autonomy and free will to the extent that we must actively decide to accept His redemption.
The latter is a relatively minor distinction and does not prevent me from being able to cooperate or fellowship with Reformed Christians. Thus, the essentials are few. I cannot find clear evidence in the Bible that anything beyond these essentials are required for us to be reconciled with God.
It is not quite this simple, however. There probably are individuals or groups who would express a belief in one or more of these solas but whose interpretation would be so different from mine that I would not be comfortable expressing my willingness to cooperate with them in the ministry of the gospel. For example, a number of denominations support sola scriptura, but their view of scripture is that it contains fables and errors as well as truth. I would have difficulty cooperating with such a denomination. For example, I would hesitate to refer a new believer to them for discipling. If one is not sure that the Bible is entirely reliable, what can be the basis for determining which parts are true and which are not? Luke Timothy Johnson (The Real Jesus) has exposed the so-called scholarship of the Jesus Seminar with their colored marble votes on the degree of reliability of various passages of scripture. Such a view of the Bible eliminates its claims of truth, its validity, and any sense of rationality in ordering one's life on the basis of its claims. In short, denying that the Bible is truth in its entirety eliminates its power.
Perhaps there are other issues on which interpretations on the Solas would be different enough to indicate it would be best for those on different sides to work with those with whom they agree more closely rather than compromosing their own sense of doctrinal integrity.
However, there is much room for cooperation among believers where little now exists. Many more believers can agree on these essentials than are now cooperating for the important work of spreading the good news. Hopefully that can change. Hopefully, we can respect and find a place for dialogue also with those who disagree with us on the essentials.
posted by Stephen Pruett at 8:23 PM
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