Gareth Bezett

I'd like to take a test that would tell me how evangelical, charismatic, etc, etc I am. Maybe someone knows of an Interet-based one. These labels are completely useless except for talking to people who care about these things. A Generous Orthodoxy is a good book to throw some light on this area.

So what sort of theology should we have? I wonder if there is or could be any consensus on this.

One smart idea might be to align our beliefs and practices with a group or individual who we think has got it right. Some options might include:

• A local leader/personal mentor
• The Pope
• The primitive church (Acts 2 maybe?)
• The church fathers/sub-apostolic church/pre-300AD
• Jesus

For me there are some non-negotiables (does this make me fundamentalist?). The resurrection and the Trinity would make it into my list. I think a non-negotiable list sould be as short as you can make it. I'm unsure about what to do with the sacrements (baptism and communion) as for me they are very important, but the Salvation Army's non-use of them doesn't make them any less of a church in my book.

I'd like to be considered fairly orthodox, but even the meaning of that word probably depends on your theology.

Labels: theology