A brick layer will use a plumb line to insure a wall is straight. If it isn’t straight it is called out-of-plumb. The word orthodox means plumb line, or a means for measuring accuracy or correctness. In the religious spectra, each particular religious group has their own accepted definition of orthodox. The major faiths of the world have a general orthodox to measure its membership. Within each, the subgroups (denominations or factions) add to this general plumb line to clarify even more what their particular subgroup views as orthodox. And within their group, there are further, sub groups, and so forth and so on.
A heretic is basically someone, who is disloyal to a particular set of accept rules or facts for a particular group. They are unorthodox, which means they are out of plumb and the group will label them unorthodox, disloyal or heretic. Historically heretic has been used to describe those members or followers, who are really way out-of-plumb. If, a person must exist within that group, then being labeled a heretic is close to being destroyed. In fact, on May 30, 1431 Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for being a heretic, according to the church authorities. That is the Roman Catholic Church, which is a subgroup within the Christian faith.
Over the last few years, I have come to realize, I might be a heretic. How is that possible? When I first joined the church I was baptized and professed that Jesus Christ was my Lord. I then agreed that Jesus was God and the only way to eternal life. I taught that no one can get to "heaven" with out accepting Jesus as their savior. I also, believed that the book I called the Holy Bible was word for word from God. And the list went on and on.
Over the last fifty years since I became a Christian in 1953, I have prayed to God and studied everything I could that would teach me more about God. Along the way, whenever I learned something that was out-of-plumb with what I was led to believe, I would research it and accept or reject it. I never felt accepting it made me out-of-plumb or unorthodox. Why? Because if my research was done in a sound manner, then my conclusion was still within the orthodox view (in my mind).
The other day I was asked if I am still a Christian. I said, "Yes, I believe I have, even though I have evolved in my understanding about certain things." The person, who asked the question pushed me farther, "Come on Dad, you know what I mean. According to "the Church" are you still a Christian?"
Whew, see what happens when you educate your children. They ask pointed questions of you.
I had to answer and it went something like this: "It depends upon which definition you use to define Orthodox belief. I have learned over the years there are thousands, maybe millions of ways of defining Christian, even if you just take the old standard general definitions. Why? Because so much of what people believe is orthodox came about in some weird and mysterious ways."
At this point I was asked to clarify or give an example.
I chose to use the Council of Nicene in the fourth century. "At that council and the subsequent ones, the Roman Church defined the New Testament over the protest of many people. Then to reveal Jesus as divine they developed the definition of the Trinity. Prior to this dramatic move, Christians were spiritual people, whose only real plumb line was the life of love modeled in the way of Christ."
Like the earlier people, I am still searching for the truth about God and praying that Jesus can lead me to it. At the same time I believe.....
Over the last few years, I have come to realize, I might be a heretic. How is that possible? When I first joined the church I was baptized and professed that Jesus Christ was my Lord. I then agreed that Jesus was God and the only way to eternal life. I taught that no one can get to "heaven" with out accepting Jesus as their savior. I also, believed that the book I called the Holy Bible was word for word from God. And the list went on and on.
Over the last fifty years since I became a Christian in 1953, I have prayed to God and studied everything I could that would teach me more about God. Along the way, whenever I learned something that was out-of-plumb with what I was led to believe, I would research it and accept or reject it. I never felt accepting it made me out-of-plumb or unorthodox. Why? Because if my research was done in a sound manner, then my conclusion was still within the orthodox view (in my mind).
The other day I was asked if I am still a Christian. I said, "Yes, I believe I have, even though I have evolved in my understanding about certain things." The person, who asked the question pushed me farther, "Come on Dad, you know what I mean. According to "the Church" are you still a Christian?"
Whew, see what happens when you educate your children. They ask pointed questions of you.
I had to answer and it went something like this: "It depends upon which definition you use to define Orthodox belief. I have learned over the years there are thousands, maybe millions of ways of defining Christian, even if you just take the old standard general definitions. Why? Because so much of what people believe is orthodox came about in some weird and mysterious ways."
At this point I was asked to clarify or give an example.
I chose to use the Council of Nicene in the fourth century. "At that council and the subsequent ones, the Roman Church defined the New Testament over the protest of many people. Then to reveal Jesus as divine they developed the definition of the Trinity. Prior to this dramatic move, Christians were spiritual people, whose only real plumb line was the life of love modeled in the way of Christ."
Like the earlier people, I am still searching for the truth about God and praying that Jesus can lead me to it. At the same time I believe.....
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