Do you ever get tired of hearing about another denominational commitee or pastor denouncing some speck of their own communion, who nevertheless, fully believe in the fundamentals of the faith? I do.

You know the scenario well. The issue at stake is not the hyperstatic union (two natures of Christ) or the Bodily Resurrection, it is just that the offending person or persons do not believe like they do, i.e., denominational HQ. It's not so much what you do or don't believe, but that you do not believe how they do. It really has nothing to do with the authority of the bible or belief in heaven, for example; it's just that you dare to have an original thought. So many times the fight is over culture, rather than upholding Christ.

When I hear this sort of thing it makes me feel both sad and angry. These denunciations are the political acts of insecure and graceless people. They use a 100-pound mallet to squash a tiny ant. Not that the ant was doing anything other than looking for a dry spot to call home.

We do not have time for this if we are serious about sharing the Kingdom of God, and in emulating the most basic tenets of the faith, such as we find in the Sermon on the Mount. I do not mean some wishy-washy, "love will conqueror all", "let's just get along" way; I mean, taking the call of Christ so seriously that we are more likely to, daily, bow our heads in shame at our own faults and pettiness, rather than looking for someone to call a heretic. Of course, those heretics can be a good diversion from this sort of discipleship, and those pesky sins we have to deal with on a personal level.

There are heretics now, and there will always be heretics. But what is a heretic? It is a baptized Christian who willfully goes against the basic dogmas or creeds of the faith, such as I have mentioned above. It is not a small diversion in understanding or preference in something like ministry style, worship music, or some misapprehension of core doctrines. I venture to say that the great streams of Christianity, apart from some really un-orthodox liberal wastrels, all hold to a core of doctrine that none would disagree with. Every good protestant should have no problem with the creeds, such as the Nicene or Apostles Creeds; which Catholics, Episcopalians, and others recite every week.

I ask you: which of us has a full understanding of even one of the great mysteries of the faith? We must certainly believe them, but we have to admit that our puny minds cannot fully comprehend them. Were you there, sitting on the Rock with the Angel, when Christ blasted out of the tomb?

For instance, I doubt whether the Apostles knew much about the Trinity even after being with Jesus every day for almost three years, or much afterwards. Or do we even know how much faith and knowledge is required for salvation? Did the woman at the well know what Jesus was saying about following Him, even though He simply spoke about having a drink of water that would not dry up? Did Nicodemus know anything about the ascension of Christ or "assurance" of salvation when Jesus told him he needed to be born again? He did not even spell that out for him, a term we hear bandied about like a brand of cereal. If a few things are needed, then a lot of things are not needed!

At the moment of salvation, all that we know is enough for us to come to believe, but it is not enough to gain a degree in theology. Rom 10:9-10; So, after how many years of being a Christian, how well do you understand that God is three and yet He is one? You are a heretic in your ignorance, but probably a worthy saint in your heart. We need to give more grace to one another.

We are really heretics when we fail to love and serve. We are heretics when we judge one another needlessly over matters that do not make any difference, or do not add any benefit to the witness of the Church (thus, damaging that witness).

I have often wondered who appointed the modern day heresy-hunters; who are so quick to damn and yet so slow to encourage. Beware of the "leaven of the Pharisees". Matt 16:6; Lk 12:1;

As the Apostle Paul writes, "I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to build you up, not to tear you down." 2 Cor 13:10; And to the Church in Rome he warns, "because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you." Rom 12:3;

How are you doing in this building up, and in not being so proud of yourself? A good question for all of us, including me.