The Jesus Creed
by Brian McLaren
A while back I ran across this creed while doing some research on the Emerging Church movement, of which Brian McLaren was a driving force. This creed was originally shared at the Emergent Convention, Nashville, May 2004, and can be found here. What do you think about it?
We have confidence in Jesus
Who healed the sick, the blind, and the paralyzed.
And even raised the dead.
He cast out evil powers and
Confronted corrupt leaders.
He cleansed the temple.
He favored the poor.
He turned water into wine,
Walked on water, calmed storms.
He died for the sins of the world,
Rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father,
Sent the Holy Spirit.
We have confidence in Jesus
Who taught in word and example,
Sign and wonder.
He preached parables of the kingdom of God
On hillsides, from boats, in the temple, in homes,
At banquets and parties, along the road, on beaches, in towns,
By day and by night.
He taught the way of love for God and neighbor,
For stranger and enemy, for outcast and alien.
We have confidence in Jesus,
Who called disciples, led them,
Gave them new names and new purpose
And sent them out to preach good news.
He washed their feet as a servant.
He walked with them, ate with them,
Called them friends,
Rebuked them, encouraged them,
Promised to leave and then return,
And promised to be with them always.
He taught them to pray.
He rose early to pray, stole away to desolate places,
Fasted and faced agonizing temptations,
Wept in a garden,
And prayed, “Not my will but your will be done.”
He rejoiced, he sang, he feasted, he wept.
We have confidence in Jesus,
So we follow him, learn his ways,
Seek to obey his teaching and live by his example.
We walk with him, walk in him, abide in him,
As a branch in a vine.
We have not seen him, but we love him.
His words are to us words of life eternal,
And to know him is to know the true and living God.
We do not see him now, but we have confidence in Jesus.
Amen.
A Far Country 
It’s okay as creeds go, but nothing about the Logos or the Father and the Spirit? I realize it’s about Jesus but you would think since Jesus is the Logos that the other two members of the trinity might get a little mention.
And it’s too damn long.
We’ve used this a couple of times in worship (although it’s not a sanctioned confession – don’t tell) and people appreciate that they can get their heads around it. Not so much “very God of very God” talk. But yes, it’s too long.
I think it’s a little long as well, and I also agree with Jim that it should have a least a little trinitarian flavor to it.
I, too, wish there was clearer Trinitarian language included.
And I wish that a progression stronger than “confidence” has been used.
Perhaps a sequence of opening lines to each ‘stanza’ to give a sense of movement vs. simple ‘narrative’ accounts. i.e. : “We believe in Jesus…. We trust Jesus…. we know Jesus to be… etc.
The penultimate stanza is a good one, and, perhaps, should be reversed with the closing stanza. The theological-spiritual weakness of the final stanza to me is in the two phrases “…we have not seen him…. we do not see him….”.
I ‘believe’ that we can see and do experience Jesus the Christ in and through those persons who have nurtured us, mentored us, who have come along side of us in times of greatest need(s).
Thanks, Roger, for the comment and for visiting the blog. I will check your out as well.
Will: thanks for the reply…..I am not yet blogging, but hope to this fall….. just retired 🙂 from fulltime ministry as a UMC Ordained Deacon (i.e., ‘permanent deacon’).
Grace and Peace.