The Phoenix Affirmations
by Eric Elnes
Rating: 9 out of 10

It’s now been almost 2 weeks since Alli and I got back from the Congregational Life Workshop for our church. One of the wonderful things (of many) that was a part of the workshop was that we used The Phoenix Affirmations as a conversation starter for our early morning Living Room Group discussions.

The book is a really fascinating collection of “the new tenets” of Christianity that have been gathered ecumenically from across the country and were ceremoniously walked across the United States to Washington D.C. and “nailed to the doors of all the major religions” Martin-Luther-style.

As a strong believer in a living God, I think these affirmations are a wonderful step toward bringing Christianity back towards its original purpose.

This book is a very easy read, one that certainly will challenge the faith of some, but ultimately is a step in a great direction.

The affirmations are as follows:

1. Being sincerely Christian without denying the legitimacy of other religions.
2. Listening for God’s Word, which comes through praying, studying the Bible, and attending to God’s activity in the world.
3. Celebrating the sanctity of God’s Creation, including Nature, the sacred and the secular, the Christian and non-Christian, etc.
4. Worshipping in a way that is sincere, artful, and biblical.
5. Treating all people as creations made in God’s image, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, economic class, nationality, religion, physical or mental ability, etc., just as Jesus did.
6. Standing up for the poor, for the margianalized, for the oppressed, seeking justice and peace for all.
7. Preserving religious freedom and maintaining the separation of church and state.
8. Humbly acknowledging our own shortcomings while sincerely trying to see and bring out the best in others, even if they consider us their enemy.
9. Basing our lives on the faith that Christ restores all things and that all of us are loved beyond our wildest dreams.
10. Recognizing the sanctity of both our minds and our hearts and that both science and faith, doubt and belief, serve the pursuit for truth.
11. Realizing the benefits of prayer, worship, recreation, and healthiness in addition to work.
12. Acting on the faith that we born with a purpose, a vocation that serves to strengthen God’s Kingdom and extend God’s love.

These affirmations match up very well to the latest counsel to our church and provided for some great discussions with a diverse group of people. If you are a believer, I’d suggest this book. It’s a great theological study. At times, the book can be repetitive and it is certainly challenging in sections, but ultimately, it’s a great read.