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What We Believe
Unity in Diversity
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Diversity is an important word in the lexicon of the United Methodist Church. As United Methodists, our theological perspectives and religious convictions often differ from one church—and one member—to another. Rather than interpret this diversity in a negative light, however, we see it as a sign of our vitality and strength. With our founder, John Wesley, we believe that it is important to “think and let think” when it comes to matters of theology and belief. Within our congregation, as in many United Methodist congregations, you will find the full spectrum of belief from the liberal to the conservative. While we may not always agree on all matters of biblical interpretation and the resulting social implications, we are clear that, in the midst of our diversity, there is also a common unity that we share.
We are united in our conviction that, at the center of our faith, stands the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life and witness, we catch a glimpse of what God is like. We believe, as the United Methodist mission statement proclaims, that it is our purpose as a community of faith to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” It is our understanding that this transformation of the world begins with our own willingness to allow the transforming love of God to work within the context of our own lives. We are also united in our belief that the Bible is likewise central in providing shape and definition to our faith.
As United Methodists, we are inclined to take the Bible seriously, but not literally. We believe in the importance of reading and interpreting the biblical text through the lens that reason affords. While the Bible can be used as a weapon to judge and exclude others, we believe that its true intent is to communicate the radical and inclusive nature of God’s love for all of humanity. In addition to our belief in the authority of scripture, we find unity in our belief that the presence and power of God is made known to us through the tradition that we share, the reason that we employ, and the experience of God that is unique to each one of us. These are clearly critical ingredients in the recipe of a vital and dynamic faith.
It is likewise our conviction as United Methodists that we are called to translate our faith into action and our love into service. With the writer of the Book of James we would affirm that, “faith without works is dead.” Therefore, it is our continuing goal to be a people who live out their faith in a wide variety of ways in our effort to “do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God.” (Micah 6: 8)
While it is, of course, impossible to fully describe the depth and detail of our belief in a few paragraphs, it is our hope that this very brief description will, nevertheless, provide a clear glimpse of the unity of our conviction in the midst of the diversity of our opinion. As John Wesley put it so well,
“In essentials, Unity;
In non-essentials,Liberty;
And in all things,Charity.”
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