Some theses on the Church in North America Today (4)

4.    We talk about “God” too much and “Jesus” too little. Christians don’t believe we know who or what God is and then fit Jesus into that that picture we have already fashioned from whatever other sources. No, on the contrary, Christians claim that we only know God through Jesus. Our most decisive and provocative claim is not about how “godlike” Jesus is, but about how “Jesus-like” God is.

a.    Much of our talk in church about “God” is simply ill-informed chatter that “no longer signifies” (Walker Percy).

b.    With the Barmen Declaration we must again strenuously assert: “Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and in death.”

c.    “As he is attested for us in Holy Scripture” requires intentional and properly informed appropriation of Holy Scripture if we hope to learn to know Jesus Christ and, through him, God.

d.    We must let go of all conceptions of God not filtered through and redefined by the biblical portrayal of Christ. If we do not do this, our talk about “Jesus” is simply more ill-informed chatter.