THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 20, 1996 TAG: 9606200013
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 37 lines
The interesting article by Richard Scheinin (Daily Break, June 8) could just as well have been titled: ``Who is Christian?'' Differences of opinion over the meaning of ``Christian'' were explored. The ``Religious Right'' and Evangelicals were exposed as having taken over the term.
I found it striking that most if not all the meanings of ``Christian'' aired in the article are found in Webster's unabridged Third International Dictionary. It seems that plurality of meaning has been around for some time!
At the same time it occurred to me that more ought to be said about the origin of the word in our striving for some definitive understanding. ``Christian'' occurs only three times in the New Testament. It was probably used in a disparaging way for the first-century disciples of Jesus in the early church. It referred to those who professed to believe in the Lordship of the risen Jesus and had committed their lives to follow him.
But what is sometimes missed is that these early disciples through personal faith in Christ had experienced the risen Christ through the gift of his spirit. This is why many today insist on New Testament ``born again'' terminology to define ``Christian.'' Being Christian included a formal identification through church membership (however that was decided) and a spiritual experience. It is the latter which is too often overlooked in the desire to be identified as Christian.
If we allow for diversity of meaning, we need to understand that in some cases the original meaning of ``Christian'' is being redefined. In this case we may have ``nominal'' Christians, ``cultural'' Christians, then experiential,'' or should we say, New Testament Christians.
CHARLES L. HOLMAN
School of Divinity
Regent University
Virginia Beach, June 14, 1996 by CNB