The Big C* of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
- Personal Faith v. Corporate Action
- Saving Gospel v. Social Gospel
- Repentance v. Acceptance/Inclusiveness
- Law v. Gospel
- Law for Salvation v. Law for Morality
- Visions and Expectations v. Tolerance and Inclusion
- Personal Obedience v. Alien Righteousness
- Love God Push v. Love Neighbor Push
- Confessional Theology v. Process Theology
- Lutheran Heritage v. Ecumenical Fellowship
- Simple Piety v. Higher Reasoning
- Bible Camps v. Seminaries
- Local Mission v. Global Mission
- Congregational Decisions v. Churchwide Statements
- Traditional v. Progressive
- Word of God as Scripture v. Word of God as Jesus
Does v. mean versus in the Supreme Court kinda way or are these both/ands? I guess that's your question. . . I would say they are both/ands and in some cases I find myself more on one side than the other. For instance I am a confessional Lutheran but there are some real pulls toward Process Theology for me. Simple piety is good but I also find myself drawn to higher reasoning. Personal faith leads to corporate action. Law and Gospel are only one with the other and never alone. So there is much to think about in this list!
ReplyDeleteYes. Versus, as in Roe v. Wade. These seem to be the poles I hear and read in our trying to listen to the other when we are "not of the same mind" and are bound to respect each other. I seem to hear the poles -- but find myself either agreeing with each end at times or gliding somewhere in the middle. I guess my two congregations in one and the recent human sexuality/biblical authority issues remind me that I'm looking at the world through my own glasses -- theological and otherwise. I've tried to find the "both/and" in the local and national church. But it seems when it all falls out, we all go to our corner waiting for the bell to ring for the next round. Am I cynical, sad, tired or what?
ReplyDeleteI, like Ray, try to go to the 'both/and' view. Some are inextricably linked, like law-gospel. With others, I have more difficulty. I do think that none of the pairs are as black and white as we want to make them. For me - the one clear thing is that demonizing the 'other' is not what I would hold out for myself as a faithful option. Oh for the day when all will be made clear.
ReplyDelete