The “essentials” of the faith, as we view them, are articulated in our Statement of Faith. While these are not the basis for salvation or inclusion in the Body of Christ as a whole, we do believe they serve as the basis for unity within the local body that is Tapestry Church. When people join this body, they are asked to ascribe to those fundamentals of the faith.
Beyond those fundamentals, there are a panoply of issues over which Christians of good will may have differences of understanding or may disagree altogether. While agreement on these secondary or tertiary issues is not necessary for fellowship, we believe that on certain issues it is important for Tapestry Church to be straightforward and open-hearted about what it believes. Such Position Papers are presented as a means of educating the congregation on the issues addressed as well as being informative to prospective church members. While we don’t consider these issues a basis for fellowship, some others may, and they are entitled to know the church’s stance on doctrinal issues that are of particular importance to them.
In deriving these positions, we strive to understand what the Bible says comprehensively on any given matter. We endeavor to discern the scripture in the context of its time and culture, the audience to which any specific passage is addressed, and the application of any principles to our day and time. In short, we approach the topic trying to understand through the lens of scripture how God views a given matter.
We also approach all these topics with great humility and sensitivity to their complexity. We know there are people who love Jesus who will disagree on these matters. Most of all, we know that Position Papers are a poor substitute for conversation so, we encourage face-to-face, respectful dialogue on any of these issues.
