Credo (I believe, I trust, I have faith in)

If I’m going to answer the question “Why am I a Christian?” then I’d better first decide on what I mean by “Christian.”  Otherwise, the question is pretty meaningless.

Here are some of my thoughts on what I mean by “Christian:”

• I understand that reality is so much bigger, deeper, and more mysterious than the big, deep, and mysterious physical world we live in.
• I trust that the set of writings commonly called “the Bible” is a special place that reveals bits and pieces of this larger reality.
• A large part of this larger reality is trusting that there is a personal power (God) who organized, created, and maintains the universe and who is involved in a loving relationship with the creation.
• I trust that this God did something special with the descendants of Abraham of Ur and more specifically of his grandson Jacob (Israel).
• I trust that this God did something extraordinary and unique in the person of Jesus, the promised Messiah of Israel, specifically in his death and resurrection.  God did something deep and wide and mysterious because of his great love for me and you, the whole world!  This God-action did something major that was "out with the bad and in with the good."
• In addition to the good things God has done for us (known often as the Gospel), there is also instructions given by this God as a gift (Torah, or law), instructions on the best way to live together in this creation.

There are many questions that I have, and I will be exploring these items more clearly, but I think this covers the main points of what “I believe.”