Parchment & Pen Blog

We talk a lot about this: essentials and non-essentials. In fact, at the Credo House of Theology (our headquarters), right when you walk in the front door you will see written on the wall in Latin the words in necessariis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas. Translated into English, this means, “In essentials, unity; [...]

One of my former teachers used to say that we are all allowed one pet heresy. I am not sure that this is generous enough, but his point is good. I believe that we each have beliefs that are wrong. If we knew which ones we would change them so yours is something you are [...]

I guess that I will take the test again. I thought that I took it before, but I guess it got lost in the crash. I will break it up into three parts. Progressives: I know what you are going to say . . . typical fundamentalist. Fundamentalists: I know what you are going to [...]

How does one determine if someone is a heretic? Is this a word that should be used today when Christianity seems to be so pluralistic with regards to levels of commitment, beliefs, and practices? Today’s theological word of the day (which I write ) says this about heresy: “An opinion, belief, or doctrine that is [...]

Get PDF version I am thoroughly orthodox. No, not Eastern with a capital “O”, but orthodox meaning that I believe all the right things. Well . . . at least I think I am. But, really, it depends on how one defines “orthodox.” What does it mean to be orthodox? It would seem that this [...]

Is the Roman Catholic Church unorthodox?   From the perspective of a Protestant understanding of “orthodoxy,” relations to other traditions can vary. Protestants can be found who believe that any deviation from the developments and articulations found in the Reformation, particularly with regard to justification by faith alone, amounts to abandoning the Gospel completely. The question [...]

My view of what I call “progressive orthodoxy” allows for maturation and development in our understanding of orthodoxy. Here is the definition I gave in the last blog: Progressive Orthodoxy: The belief that the ultimate authority for the Christian faith is found only in the Scriptures (sola Scriptura) and that orthodoxy is a progressive development [...]

Christians have different presuppositions that they bring to their theology. This does not make it right or wrong, but we must understand that the unexamined presupposition is not worth having. Our view of history is no different. It is a presupposition that we bring when asking the question What does it means to be “orthodox”? [...]