Theological reflections of a Theological Orphan

 

 Has anyone felt that as a Christian you see one denomination and you cannot fully agree, yet their answers fall short and you go to another Christian community and see gaps in their theology but are more loving. Then you enter another, and see their high level of orthodoxy but the orthopraxy aspect of their lives are a lackluster, lack for a better word. Then another who is so focused on fighting and speaking out against injustice like the days of the prophets. The list goes on. But you get my drift. Along the years of being part of all these communities I have deconstructed my theology and faith and reconstruct it with new convictions but yet such convictions never truly fit in any one community. And I felt like a Theological Orphan (T.O), not fitting in and not being able to be free to share some thoughts for fear that I may be seen as an outcast who is not "one of us".

Before any of you jump at the usage of Theological Orphan (T.O), I humbly ask you listen to the context of what I will invite you in and also share my of mistakes, corrections, and final stance. And by making this stance, I have come to acknowledge the reality that someone is gonna dislike me for it, someone is going to share that they feel the same way, or probably label me something within their own theological framework. How do I respond to that? That will require you to read to the end. But I will just simply unpack it to three points. My community, corrections, and final stance. Anything else would require a discourse with me. Cause the TikTok generation can probably last for 30 seconds before they click 'X'.

My Community

 I am from Melaka. I come from a Charasmatic non-denominational Bahasa speaking church. Then i was trained under Fellowship of Evangelical Students (FES) under my uni days. I currently serve in a Pentecostal church. Then started working in a Methodist College till now. Joined a seminary that practices generous orthodoxy. Mentored by many but mostly by one who is Reformed which then brought me in the more reformed community. Outside Malaysia, I started my theological journey listening to a spectrum of speakers from Andy Stanley (Now called antinomian inclined to liberalism for his conviction of his apologetical approach) to Matt Chandler (another Reformed Charasmatic). This this as I slowly come to understand my church history, seeing what our church fathers have come to teach us, from the historical reformations, even among the German theologians and much more. (But you must start to get the idea)

I have seen how different circles really have their grievances with another. How some are so focused on one aspect that they just are not interested what is going on with the world. But through this community i have come to learn the importance of my identity as a Christian in Malaysia. To know my national language well. To know what it is to disciple students faithfully. To know what it means to engage in the gifts. I have learned the importance of needing to be sound in theology. I have learned what it means to live a holy life. I have learned how to not only be theologically sound but to really understand the listener and to engage them in a manner that they understand while not distorting the Word of God. From Matt Chandler specifically I have come to learn the utmost need of honesty and humility in understanding that it is only in Jesus one is saved and through that we try in our broken failures to practice that grace and truth like Jesus did. 

But because of being part of these communities, I have seen the bias one holds on to. Keep in mind as I say this I am not claiming that I can see the mountain top view and propose a lens. I too am bias and absolute objectivity is not possible. The best objectivity comes from having the humility to acknowledge that you can be wrong and when someone points out your inclinations, you acknowledge it. But it was actually a battle of convictions. Here I am trying to discern carefully for I was wondering why are Christians fighting amongst themselves when the church is supposed to be a the FOREFRONT OF CULTURE AND THE WORLD! Do we not carry a Kingdom that is ETERNAL? An ethic that truly works according to our design? I digress. We shall talk about that for another time. But I felt like an orphan.

My Corrections

A good friend once corrected me such term T.O, though he understood its underpinnings is not the most coherent with our Biblical identity. Because we are called to be His sons and daughters, coheirs with Christ. Such a redemption from being dead in one's sins to sonship gives the premises that provides no space for a Christian to call themself an orphan. Granted my etymological usage for orphan had to be paired with the context merely on theological stances, I conceded and agreed because at the end of the day, it may not be a helpful term though at that time, probably a cry for help.

Another correction, I used to struggle how stubborn certain communities can get without wanting to be willing to just let down their guard and have a discourse but always chide the other side as if the other side has totally missed the point. But a healthy Ecclesiology (understanding of church) reminds me that at the end of the day, we are all part of the body of Christ. Each part has a a calling. A finger is called to point, to scratch where things itch but can be used to blame. The mouth can be used to speak but can never be used to see. The butt... well never mind. 

Siblings are siblings and we will fight. Be it denominations and theological stance. But we come back to the core of the identity in Christ and humble ourselves to see whether we can do what Paul calls us in Ephesians 4 and Galatians 6. To carry one another's burden and journey with them.

Like I have come to see, a sound Pentecostal theologian who would use the word prophetic, I would just call it Biblical. Although, my personal reading of what prophets are has got me to conclude, that today's self-proclaim prophets are nothing like the biblical prophets of the old, what more Jesus.  (Another time for that topic too)

But through my corrections, it was a process of deconstructing and reconstructing the whole time where my theological house was built upon Christ my rock of salvation.

My Stance

A good start I think would to call myself a Biblicist. Basically in everything that is determined, I try my best to make sure where I get my convictions has to be biblical first and foremost. That the greatest authority is the Word of God and it is the universal subset over experience and the church and for a good imagery, I think the Wesleyan Quadrilateral is a good one.

The Bible being God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) and that Jesus is the Word of God incarnate. And this whole time I was not a theological orphan, I was a growing child of God, who was privileged to have grown under such platforms. I am not tied down by a denomination. I am a Reformed Charasmatic serving in a Pentecostal church and my pastor gives me free reign to teach accordingly. (Though they too try to clump me in by calling me a Neo-Pentecostal ahahaha).

My God is an infinite God. For what He has ultimately revealed through Christ, we can stagger forward as the church being his broken body just like how physically Jesus's body was broken for our iniquities. But through the Holy Spirit, we continue to be faithful.

As a Biblicist, I would also call myself a historical Christian (drawing from the term used by Alisa Childers). I would end by adding the term contextualized. I wanted to use progressive, but the word has been used in different context that I do not think I can redeem it. So I am a biblical, historically contextualized Christian. In a manner where not that the times of the world dictates how I read the bible. But drawing the eternal truths and values of the Bible, how would it then play in today's day and age? How would you understand black lives matter or critical race theory for example. 

But I will stop here. Because chances are, many have come to the same position as I have in terms of journey. What i say may be nothing new. But it is my reflections. 

I am not a Theological Orphan. I am a Historical, Contextualized Biblical Christian (To which some may reply...Is it not just being Evangelical? To which I will just shrug my shoulders). Because in the end, I will be known by my fruits. And if I produce bad fruits I hope a brother or sister in Christ calls me out to repent. And If I produce good fruits, may the Holy Spirit keep my soil healthy to continue to grow. And all this is done for His glory because He is the best there is.

All is left (and definitely not trying to be a reductionist) is Micah 6:8 "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Writer: Eddryll 
Author's views are his own and does not represent the entire team