On few occasions I have sat down and written personal creeds in Icelandic on my blog, ispeculate.net. The following faith statement is based on my most recent creed, written in December 2011, https://igrundun.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/eg-trui/, translated and adapted to my current situation.
I believe in God with us. The God who is the beginning and the end of all things. The God who gives herself completely for the other. The God who walks ahead, never gives up, stands up for the truth, even when the thruth seems harsh.
I believe in God, who in Jesus Christ stepped forward, and criticized the powerbrokers of his time. I believe in God in Jesus Christ who walked to those on the margins and stood with them. I believe in Jesus Christ who calls me to follow in his footsteps. I believe in Jesus Christ who gave himself fully for others and the other. I believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified but rose again.
I am aware of the sin and the danger of self-centeredness, that appears even in writing one’s OWN creed. I am aware of the evil in a world that is created by the God of All Good Things, and I do wrestle with the questions of theodicy.
I believe in God the Holy Spirit, who sparkles glimpses of God’s reign over all of us, allowing us to be touched by God’s love. I am thankful to the Spirit for giving me an insight into God’s reign through natural beauty and the graceful acts of people I meet. I am thankful for the hope of God’s reign breaking in, thankful for a hopefilled future.
I don’t always feel thrilled about God’s call to me. I am not always sure that God choose wisely, and I wonder at times if I might have misheard. But I do my best at all times, knowing and believing that when I fall short, God does raise me up.
I have seen the evil and it’s consequence in the work of people like my self calling themselves Christians. I have seen the misery and pain, when the strong and powerful oppress others in name of traditions, wisdom, power, and religion. I have too at times seen God at work through those who worship him and praise and I have seen the beauty and truth in the struggle for justice, both by those who identify** as people of faith and of those who identify* as atheists or agnostics.
First and foremost I believe in a risen God, who created, saves, leads, and loves. God of forgiveness and God who stands with the weak in the struggle for justice.
* Originally it said “who call themselves atheists or agnostics”. It was rightly brought to my attention that it sounded condescending to atheists and agnostics in this context. It was not my intention to be insulting and I apologize.
** Added later.