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A couple weeks ago my Episcopalian friend found out I had no idea what the Apostles' Creed or the Nicene Creed were, and she freaked out on me. She said every Christian should know what those are, because they are a foundation of our faith. She then posted links to each, and I read over them. It was while I was reading the Nicene Creed that I realized I did know what it was; I was simply unfamiliar with the name.
Last Sunday my dad spoke of the Five-fold ministry in Sunday School class, and when we got home mom told him he should be careful about using denomination-specific terms, because the Five-fold ministry is generally a term used in Charismatic churches, and we are currently attending a Southern baptist church. While the people may know what the five-fold ministry is, they may be unfamiliar with the term.
These two examples got me thinking about all the theological terms floating around in Christianity. Each denomination has their own terms, and some denominations even share certain terms. Some denominations have different terms for the same thing. Most denominations expect others in different denominations to know what they are talking about when they say certain terms, but people end up being confused instead.
So, what exactly should Christians know? Do they need to know the terms for their beliefs, or should they simply know what they believe? For example, was it necessary for me to know the term "Nicene Creed," or is it enough for me to know the content of the Nicene Creed? (granted, I don't agree with the Catholic church part)
Last Sunday my dad spoke of the Five-fold ministry in Sunday School class, and when we got home mom told him he should be careful about using denomination-specific terms, because the Five-fold ministry is generally a term used in Charismatic churches, and we are currently attending a Southern baptist church. While the people may know what the five-fold ministry is, they may be unfamiliar with the term.
These two examples got me thinking about all the theological terms floating around in Christianity. Each denomination has their own terms, and some denominations even share certain terms. Some denominations have different terms for the same thing. Most denominations expect others in different denominations to know what they are talking about when they say certain terms, but people end up being confused instead.
So, what exactly should Christians know? Do they need to know the terms for their beliefs, or should they simply know what they believe? For example, was it necessary for me to know the term "Nicene Creed," or is it enough for me to know the content of the Nicene Creed? (granted, I don't agree with the Catholic church part)