Confessing Our Faith in the Twenty-first Century By Teresa Chávez Sauceda

Confessing Our Faith in the Twenty-first Century
by Teresa Chávez Sauceda

God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world

(The Belhar Confession, item 3).*

In our Reformed tradition, the confessions of our faith represent the response of believers as they sought to be faithful to scripture and to God’s will for their lives. While the Form of Government, Part II of the PC(USA) Constitution, may order our daily interaction as a church, the Confessions, Part I, define our identity as a community of faith, connecting us with Christians across the centuries and around the world today. The confessions are not just historical relics. They are a living witness, shaping the way we live our faith in each generation.

At its meeting in San Jose, California, the 218th General Assembly (2008) took the first step in considering an addition to the Book of Confessions. Acting on a recommendation from the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns, commissioners voted to begin the process described in the Book of Order (G-18.0201b) to consider amending the confessional documents of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to include the Belhar Confession.

Find out why this South African confession is important — even vital — for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Read the full text of this article in the January/February 2009 issue of Horizons.

Call (866) 802-3635 or subscribe to Horizons or order the January/February 2009 issue (HZN-09-200; $4 plus shipping).

Teresa Chávez Sauceda is a clergy-member of the Presbytery of San Francisco. She is the former associate for racial justice and advocacy for the PC(USA).

Illustration of I Heard the Cry of My People by Margrit Roussos, South Africa.

*Excerpts from the Belhar Confession. The confession, as adopted by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa, was written in Afrikaans. These excerpts are taken from the inclusive language English translation prepared by the Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Other Articles Online This Issue

The Church as the Exclamation Point!
The Journey from Babel to Antioch
Multicultural Congregations
Confessing Our Faith in the Twenty-first Century
The Need for Evangelicals
Dispatch from Forbearance Presbyterian Church
The Church of All Nations
Mosaic


Find out why this South African confession is important — even vital — for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Read the full text of this article in the January/February 2009 issue of Horizons. Call (866) 802-3635 or subscribe to Horizons or order the January/ February 2009 issue (HZN-09-200; $4 plus shipping).	Confessing Our Faith in the Twenty-first Century by Teresa Chávez Sauceda God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world (The Belhar Confession, item 3).* In our Reformed tradition, the confessions of our faith represent the response of believers as they sought to be faithful to scripture and to God’s will for their lives. While the Form of Government, Part II of the PC(USA) Constitution, may order our daily interaction as a church, the Confessions, Part I, define our identity as a community of faith, connecting us with Christians across the centuries and around the world today. The confessions are not just historical relics. They are a living witness, shaping the way we live our faith in each generation. At its meeting in San Jose, California, the 218th General Assembly (2008) took the first step in considering an addition to the Book of Confessions. Acting on a recommendation from the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns, commissioners voted to begin the process described in the Book of Order (G-18.0201b) to consider amending the confessional documents of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to include the Belhar Confession. Find out why this South African confession is important — even vital — for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Read the full text of this article in the January/February 2009 issue of Horizons. Call (866) 802-3635 or subscribe to Horizons or order the January/February 2009 issue (HZN-09-200; $4 plus shipping). Teresa Chávez Sauceda is a clergy-member of the Presbytery of San Francisco. She is the former associate for racial justice and advocacy for the PC(USA). Illustration of I Heard the Cry of My People by Margrit Roussos, South Africa. Excerpts from the Belhar Confession. The confession, as adopted by the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa, was written in Afrikaans. These excerpts are taken from the inclusive language English translation prepared by the Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Other Articles Online This Issue* The Church as the Exclamation Point! The Journey from Babel to Antioch Multicultural Congregations Confessing Our Faith in the Twenty-first Century The Need for Evangelicals Dispatch from Forbearance Presbyterian Church The Church of All Nations Mosaic	Current Issue JAN/FEB 2009 About This Issue Contents FREE Resource How to Use In Our Next Issue to Horizons or call (866) 802-3635 the January/February 2009 issue, HZN-09-200 ($4 plus shipping/handling)

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