Am I a Christian?

Am I a Christian?

Short answer: Yes

But allow me to expand!

If there was an historic Jesus then I somewhat doubt that he’d correspond directly to the Jesus of the gospels

But I am pretty sure that such a man did exist, in a way that inspired the gospels

That's just the way my mind works and I cannot readily account for that belief

Although I think it is likely that much has been added to those, as well as much removed and much modified

Did he rise from the dead? I have no idea, I wasn’t there

But I go along with the idea that he did, as a matter of faith

Although granted, the gospels could have been divinely inspired in one way or another

However, I like to imagine that there was such a man, who lived a remarkable and exemplary life and was full of wisdom even if things weren’t exactly as they are recorded as having been in the bible

I also believe that he may have been absorbed into The Divine Agency having finally died

And I am aware that that is not a strictly Christian belief

Now here’s the thing:

If he did truly live as recorded in the bible and all that is true (and I am very open to that being the case indeed I do actually believe that) then I would accept him as my Lord and Saviour:

This is on the condition that he exists (and note “exists” rather than “existed”!)

Which I think is reasonable enough

That would therefore make me a Christian!

If he exists then I believe in him and follow him and if he doesn’t exist or did and is now dead (and therefore not Lord) then I still think he’s a cool character, a cool thought experiment

If he exists then I follow him and to be a Christian you have to believe that he is still alive! 

To be a Christian is to follow Jesus as your Lord, not to simply like a literary character

I mean Batman is a pretty cool guy but he is not my Lord and Saviour and I don't follow his example and teachings although if I did then crime in my local area would be much lower!

If Jesus doesn’t exist and isn’t still alive I’m still a fan, even if he is only fictitious

And on balance I do think Jesus is still alive in an extraordinary way and is therefore Lord

So I think that qualifies me to be able to meaningfully call myself a Christian

And I do so in a way that acknowledges that although I have a degree of doubt I am still willing to make a leap of faith and to live my life in a Christian way

At the end of the day it is about faith and I have faith in Jesus and Christianity as a true and valid path

As far as my daily life goes, I try and live in a Christian way even if a great many of my beliefs are not at all Christian

I suppose I am basically an unorthodox Christian!

So yes, if he is truly out there then he is my Lord and Saviour

And I behave and think as though he is!

And if he isn’t then those stories that feature him are still pretty cool

So yes, I’d say that makes me a Christian

And I am also a member of a Christian church, so I am a Christian in that sense too, as in I am affiliated with a Christian community

And I always take Holy Communion whenever it is on offer, as a means of pledging myself to Jesus and honouring him as my Lord