I appreciated Dr. Todd’s reflection on following Jesus from a Pentecostal perspective primarily because of how he reminds us of the significance of the altar and Holy Spirit in forming us as disciples of Jesus. In a religious culture in which many people avoid practices that might “other” them (i.e. speaking in tongues, expressing themselves […]
As I read through Dr. Millett’s reflection on what it means to follow Jesus from the Latter-day Saint tradition, I am encouraged to find there is significant overlap between this tradition and my own – the Black Church tradition. Both traditions believe that being a follower of Jesus requires us to “search the scriptures daily,” […]
When reflecting on my colleagues’ responses to my original post, I appreciate their thoughtful and insightful perspectives regarding the complexities I attempted to name when exploring what it means to follow Jesus in the Black Church tradition. I was grateful for their attention to what I know to be true but failed to examine adequately […]
As many of my colleagues have noted during this series on following Jesus from diverse Christian traditions, there is no uniform structure or pattern to such a task. Following Jesus is primarily informed by the context of a people and the needs, desires, and goals of that people. This reality remains true within the Black […]
In Dr. Lancaster’s reflection about the Wesleyan tradition of following Jesus, I was most intrigued by what I consider to also be a fundamental aspect of following Jesus in the Black Church tradition – a commitment to an understanding of justification and sanctification as a communal process in which disciples of Jesus hold one another […]
Dr. Gehrz’s reflection on what it means to follow Jesus from a Pietist perspective reinforces what I believe is a critical understanding in our Respectful Conversation series – following Jesus is a lived practice that is reflected in our devotional life and engagement in the world. To call ourselves disciples of Jesus means that we […]
In Dr. Gushee’s reflection about following Jesus from a Baptist perspective, there were several facets I connected with, as I also identify as Baptist and serve as an executive pastor in a Baptist congregation. More specifically, I see a significant benefit in his statement that to follow Jesus means “reorienting one’s life to serve Christ […]
Dr. Granberg-Michaelson’s reflection on what it means to follow Jesus from the Reformed tradition challenges me to reimagine what it means to be in “covenant” with God. On the one hand, I appreciate his articulation of how the Reformed tradition emphasizes the communal nature of covenant with God; in a world that is so focused […]
When reading Dr. Balmer’s reflection on following Jesus from the Anglican tradition, I was struck by his point that “doctrine does not lie at the core of the Anglican or Episcopal identity.” On the one hand, I appreciate the opportunities for theological diversity and inquiry such a position provides; if there is no central doctrine […]
Dr. King’s reflection on what it means to follow Jesus from an Anabaptist perspective resonated with me as the values he articulated are helpful as I consider the Black Church tradition. More specifically, Value 1 encourages me to think about the centrality of Jesus in Black churches and where these institutions might be falling short […]
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