Session 3

Here are this week's questions based on what we talked about today.

1.  We talked today about the four questions to ask when making a decision/choice: what does the Bible say? what does tradition say? what does experience say? what does common sense say?  In the Catholic church, tradition has equal authority to Scripture, meaning that what has been done in the past mandates what's done in the future.  That notion was rejected by the Reformers in the 16th century, noting that only Scripture has full authority.  Why do you think the Reformers rejected the authority of tradition? What role should tradition have in ethics or decision-making?

2.  What is a situation you're facing today where you can use the four questions to make a decision.  Give some brief details about how you used the four questions to make your decision/choice.

3.  In our denomination, we typically baptize infants; however, there are some parents/families that prefer not to have their children baptized.  How should churches handle that?  Should the CRC adopt a form of infant dedication (like is used in the Baptist tradition)? Should they force infants to be baptized?

Session 2

Thanks for your comments last week.  Here are this week's questions.

1. In Matthew 1:21 it says that Mary's baby will have the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.  How would you respond to someone who said that they don't need Jesus for salvation and that just being a good person is good enough?

2.  In our tradition, some will say that we underemphasize the role of the Holy Spirit.  For example, in some churches, you have to be able to speak in tongues to be considered a Christian.  Do you think the gift of tongues is still active in our world today?  If so, how?  Have you seen anyone using the gift of tongues?  How might the gift of tongues help the church and Christians today?

Session 1

Welcome to the Profession of Faith class blog.  In this blog, I will give you some questions to reflect on.  Please post your responses in the comment section.  Please only respond to what I write; not to what others post in the comments.  You may use others' comments to help formulate your thoughts but please do not offer opinions on what they write.

Our questions for this week are the following:

1. Genesis 1:27 says this:
"27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

What does it mean to you that you are created in the image of God?


2.  In the Christian tradition, God has most often been referred to using masculine (male) language.  For example, we use the pronouns him and his, we refer to God as Father, etc.  Is it appropriate to use feminine language to describe God (for example: she, Mother, etc.)?  Is there biblical support for that?  If it's not something you would do yourself, can you think of a scenario where feminine language would be helpful?