where do we stand?

There’s an interesting tension that exists in our culture today that I find, as I think about it more and more, to be quite unhealthy. When it comes to belief in anything, not just matters of religious faith, people in our society tend to fall to one extreme or the other in how they express that belief.
On one hand political correctness has become such a domineering method of thought and as a result there is an extreme fear of offending another party. As a result many people simply don’t say what they believe or state it in a vague manner that really means nothing at all.
On the other end is the attack. Why is it so much easier to attack another person’s position or belief than to state what you believe. Some denominations have built entire reputations in recent years based on stating what they are against. Politicians have made an art form out of rejecting an opponent’s position without ever clearly stating their own.
What ever happened to the ability to simply and humbly say what you believe? The Bible says that if you do not stand firm in your faith you will not stand at all. That’s a position of strength that does not waiver for fear of offense but also is not constantly on the offensive against everyone else who thinks or believes differently. During the first 3 centuries of the Christian church there were many challenges to the faith. That hasn’t changed much but there is definitely something to be learned from their responses to these challenges. They did not back down from those challenges. And their greatest refutations of opposing or divergent beliefs was accomplished by clearly stating their own beliefs. New challenges resulted in greater clarifications. And so over the course of 300+ years we see this development of a statement of faith that resulted in a creed developed at the council of Nicea and it’s final revision at Constantinople in May of 381. For all the challenges that came from differing beliefs about Jesus to philosophical views on the nature of the world the church put forth a statement of belief that continues to shape and guide the faith of so many today.

Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed May, 381ce

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible;
And in the one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all time, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of the same substance as the Father, through whom all things were made;
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and rose on the third day, according to the scriptures, and ascended to heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets; and in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. We confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.