The Theology Of The United Methodist Church - 1050 Words

When I was 10 years old Rev. Holland Vaughn looked into my eyes and said, â€Å"Michael, you are going to be a pastor one day.† I found his prophetic pronouncement humorous. One, because I had no intention of ever becoming a pastor, and two because even at that age I was already running with neighborhood gangs and engaged in very unchristian activities. As the acolyte, week after week I carried my candle lighter and sat beside him on the altar. I watched the people laugh, cry, fall asleep, and occasionally shout an enthusiastic â€Å"amen!† From the â€Å"preacher’s bench† behind the pulpit. I observed this master plie his trade, using tradition, experience, and reason, to bring the Bible to life. Subconsciously I was reasoning through my own theology,†¦show more content†¦We draw from that depth of tradition reaching back to the church of Pentecost, including early creeds (e.g., Apostles’ and Nicene-Constantinopolitan), various church coun cils, journeys of Christian pilgrims, and writings of Christian thinkers (Heb 12:1-2). This diverse witness has been shaped and preserved over the centuries of Christian teaching and reflection on the Gospel. It contains the great triumphs and epic failures of our tradition, both of which we can learn from. Next, our Christian experience serves as a resource. The Book of Discipline defines Christian experience as â€Å"the personal appropriation of God’s forgiving and empowering grace† yet also highlights the necessary intersection of the Bible and our experience, â€Å"Our experience interacts with Scripture. We read Scripture in light of the conditions and events that help shape who we are, and we interpret our experience in terms of Scripture.† Thus, while I read Scripture through the lens of my own formation, the Bible interprets my