Remembering Who We Are with "The Phoenix Affirmations"

 Friends, 

 

Throughout the summer we will follow a theme called “Remembering Who We Are.” As a guide, we will use a set of affirmations, called “The Phoenix Affirmations,” which were published in a book bearing that same name in 2006, by Eric Elnes. I had a small part in the discussions that went into articulating the affirmations when I was part of a Pastor-Theologian group with Eric. You can see the affirmations and descriptions of them on the Progressive Christianity website here.  

 

There are twelve affirmations, in three major categories based on the Great Command to love God with all of our heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. The first four affirmations are about our love for God, the second four are about our love for our neighbors, and the third four are about our love for ourselves. For our sake, we will begin the month of June with attention to the Great Command itself, the spend the last four Sundays of June focused on loving God, the month of July focused on loving our neighbors, and August focused on loving ourselves. 

 

In itself, the process of The Phoenix Affirmations sounds predictably like a million other Bible studies or devotional guides – love God, love others, love yourself, blah, blah, blah. But consider this: The first affirmation reads: “Loving God includes: Walking fully in the path of Jesus, without denying the legitimacy of other paths God may provide humanity.” From the outset we are affirming our fidelity and love for God, while also recognizing how God can be at work within other forms of faith. Many – perhaps most – Bible studies and devotional guides do not move in that direction. That is why I feel The Phoenix Affirmations are exceptional and fit within the way God has shaped St. Mark over the years. 

 

It is often a hard task to convey to others that at St. Mark we can affirm diverse forms of faith and doubt, include those whom others exclude based on some traditional (and questionable) interpretations of Scripture, and other marks of being welcoming and progressive while being faithful to the God made known in Christ. Many of our critics presume that we have to bracket our Christian fidelity, or perhaps leave it altogether, to embrace the openness to which we aspire. And, frankly, many progressive Christians seem to me to feel that way as well. It’s almost like there is a lacuna between what our hearts are leading us to do and what our minds have been taught is right to do for proper Christians. The Phoenix Affirmations are an attempt to show that we can live with a capacious spirit and curious mind because of our Christian faith, not despite it. I hope our explorations offer you an opportunity to find encouragement and clarity to articulate the faith that so many of you live consistently. 

 

Along with our weekly emphases in worship, I will be offering a discussion each Wednesday morning at 10:00am in the Bonhoeffer Room. We will begin on June 12 with chapter one of the book, The Phoenix Affirmations, which you can order here. We will read it both appreciatively and critically, since many things have come to light since 2006 that also need to be part of our faithful identity. I will share more about the book discussion in future posts. 

 

Mark of St. Mark