First off, the term "Nazarene" can be used two ways, firstly it is a person from the relatively small town of Nazareth in Israel. Jesus was a Nazarene. Secondly, it is used as the name of a Global Protestant Christian Denomination, started in the early 1900's, founded on ideas of holiness, free will, missions, and ministry to the poor.
This site will attempt to tackle issues important to Christians striving to live out a life of obedience to the God of the Bible by loving others, being responsible stewards of Gods Creation, and renewing our minds. More specifically, it will also attempt to address issues that have been raised in the more recent past by a group that calls themselves 'the concerned Nazarenes', a grassroots organization of members of that particular protestant group which feel as if the denomination is straying from God and from its roots. In this vein, some of the posts will be fashioned to reflect the issues, interests and discussion topics of this particular debate and of these particular kinds of people.
Feel free to read, discuss, and critique. The person who stops re-evaluating their own thoughts and automatically dismisses those of others is one who has prevented themselves from ever learning or growing. The plant or animal that stops growing starts dying... and the same is true of our minds. If we are not constantly renewing our minds and questioning our assumptions and seeking new ways to better understand both ancient and newly-revealed truths, we will start dying; physically, mentally, and spiritually.
This site is devoted to open discussion, honest questioning, real debate, hard and soft truths alike, open disagreement, and Christ-like attitudes- no matter what. The only enemy is the evil that is still so pervasive in our world, not each other. Let us never forget that.
Also, this blog will be open to guest bloggers on a routine basis. The issues discussed here will be community issues, and there will by no means be only one person behind the content of this page. If you would like to be a guest blogger or have something you would like to share, simply contact the blog and your request will be considered. Thank you.
Sincerely,
The Serene Nazarene
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I like what you're doing here. Can't wait to hear more!
ReplyDeleteCan you post more about how the Nazarene movement started in the early 1900's? Was it a split from another denomination, or a completely new church? Was it a reaction to some specific theological problem or issue? Does it draw from a particular ethnic or demographic community? I am curious to know more details because I respect what you write.
ReplyDeleteI am not a true church historian, even though I am both a theology and history major currently (go figure), but I will do my best to answer in brief, and hopefully give you some more info even though I do not have all the specifics memorized.
ReplyDeleteThe church started in southern california, in the inner city. It was a single church 'of the nazarene'. Eventually several other churches also took the name in the surrounding areas. The church was born in the inner city, and was based on doing what Christ calls us to do 'preach good news to the poor and freedom to the oppresed'. The name "church of the nazarene" was chose because Jesus was from Nazareth, and when people wanted to insult him they called him 'a nazarene', b/c to be from nazareth was not a good thing. Therefore, the church decided to take on the despised name of Jesus in an attempt to show that they were willing to do the despised things and love those who are despised, in his name.
The church did not become an official denomination until a few years later, when several 'holiness' church groups came together. The denomination has it's roots in Methodist and Wesleyan traditions, and are sort of in-between those two modern denominations. We value the doctrine of holiness (the concept that we are called to 'be perfect, therefore, as God is perfect'...although different nazarenes understand that in different ways, many of us understand that to mean living a life completely devoted to God and exemplifying what it means to love, not necessarily that you are 'perfect' in that you never sin (even though all things are possible for God).
At the same time of this organization the pentecostal movement was being formed, and the church was originally called the pentecostal church of the nazarene, but we switched the name after the pentecostal movement moved in a distinctly different direction than us, emphasizing the work of the spirit to a degree the church found unnecessary and harmful, (like requiring believers to speak in tongues).
Hope that answers some of your questions!
i wrote this at nearly 3am, so I am very sorry for the numerous mistakes in grammar and spelling and sentence structure. I would re-write it, but I'm about to go to bed. :-)
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