The recent Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla provoked debate over the use of a form of oath of allegiance to the King. People were divided about what they thought; some opinions were strong. In his digital sermon for the Ipswich Methodist Circuit the following day, the Reverend Ian Gardner asked the pertinent question, how public are we in stating our allegiance to the God we serve.
Ian made me think about the Statement of the Nature, Faith, and Order of the United Reformed Church, which I have known and used since 1972. Our Ipswich Circuit includes two LEPs, Framlingham and Leiston, and both will occasionally use the Statement of Faith. It is not short, but it enshrines some important tenets of faith and Church Membership that are worthy of reflection, even if we are not URC members.
The first section says: With the whole Christian Church [the United Reformed Church] / [I] believe(s) in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The living God, the only God, ever to be praised.
Remove the words in square brackets and put in the personal pronoun and I will be surprised if you can see anything to divide any of the trinitarian churches.
People becoming British Nationals swear the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown and usually when URC Members are made, The Statement of Faith is used. The rest of us are unaccustomed to being asked to swear national allegiance just as in our non-conformist churches weekly worship does not include a reaffirmation of credal declarations.
Thank you, Ian, you hit the nail hard on the head. If we do not regularly reaffirm allegiance in the safe space of Church, small wonder we get embarrassed about having to admit who it is we believe in, follow, and serve when we are out in the big wide world.
A Prayer
God who has called me to faith, strengthen me to vocalise my loyalty without embarrassment that I may be unashamed in my devotion and unwavering in my witness, for the sake of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.