What We Believe

"What we believe" and our theology seems to be of paramount importance to our ecclesiastics.
Has our notion of faith been depleted of all diversity? Is faith just about our intellectual assent to theological concepts? Our emphasis on intellectual assent is perhaps why our message has fallen on deaf ears for three generations.
I am reminded of a sermon I heard more than 40 years ago in a Presbyterian church in northern Scotland by a minister who said that theology could get you off the path because it is based on the limited abilities of the human mind in spiritual matters. The intellectual component of faith is first to be eroded by life's calamities. It is not the solid rock.
He emphasized obedience in other components of faith, such as trust, faithfulness and commitment to go the extra mile. You do not need theology; just keep it simple as in Matthew 7: 24 where Jesus says "everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." The words of Jesus are counter-intuitive to us and unless we practice them, we do not understand the blessings of the Beatitudes, or develop the stability to weather the storms of life. Only then is it all proved true in our deeper consciousness.
He had seen many deeply religious individuals whose intellectual component of faith had been shattered by calamities, trials, doubt and darkness. These folk were down and almost out. Is our church in the same position? He would tell them to set their theological questions aside and concentrate on obedience. "Be merciful, gentle and honest; Force yourself to abound in little services; try to do good to others."
To revitalize our church we need to hear the words of Jesus and just do it.
No doubt some of our conservative and constraining theological voices will view this approach as some kind of Gnostic heresy, but it was called "simple religion" and part of the Presbyterian tradition.
The gospel is the proclamation of the "Kingdom of God". Salvation is not its only attribute. Any of our theologians seeking hard intellectual work could illuminate us on some of the surprising elements in the parables of Jesus. For example, what is the significance of the bird in the parable of the mustard seed?