a messy middle christian manifesto
We believe in boundaries, not boxes.
We hold to orthodox Christian beliefs but we don't think Christianity in one expression is totally right or wrong. We fit a lot of places in between, and we're okay with that.
We love the gospel and stand for justice.
We think the gospel is the best news ever, but we also believe that God loves our bodies and lives as much as he loves our souls. So we seek to be a part of his restorative work in the world.
We cling to God in faith but create space for doubts.
God is big enough for our doubts and even meets us in them. We wrestle and we sit with them because they need space to breathe, but we carry them all with our faith in a loving God.
We believe in a God bigger than our brains.
We think there is a lot to know about God, and we seek out that knowledge. But we also understand that with a God as big as ours, we also live with some mystery of the divine and we kinda like it that way.
We believe the world is wider than our experiences.
The global Church is a big tent, and we know it's bigger than our localized experiences (both good and bad). We participate in her legacy and celebrate her diversity in idea and practice.
we are committed to God and his Kingdom above any allegiance to country or institution.
We live as heavenly citizens in a place called earth, an we remember our devotion to God is above any earthly power. We’re neither conservative nor progressive, and we are committed to living the purposes of God’s present and coming Kingdom and participating in its work of restoration today.
Jesus is our only celebrity.
We celebrate the contributions of God's servants to our spiritual education and formation, but we look to Jesus above all other humans and put our hope in him alone.
We believe that we belong together.
We believe that God transforms us in community. So we seek it out and create safe spaces to be in community with both intimacy and integrity, and we each partner with the Holy Spirit to disciple one another in the Way of Jesus.
We believe in the two greatest commandments.
We judge our success by how we are growing in our love for God and our love for neighbor, and we judge that growth in attitude and action as we trust the Holy Spirit to develop those loves within us and our communities.
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an untidy Faith
A gentle guide for Christians caught in the messy middle of their faith
“For those disentangling their faith in the face of church abuse scandals and political idolatry, Kate Boyd offers wise and compassionate guidance for a better path forward. An Untidy Faith centers the global church, prioritizes faithful interpretation of Scripture, and clings to Jesus in the midst of the failures of his church. I’m thrilled to have a resource I can confidently give to people asking big and important questions about the Christian faith.”
“An Untidy Faith is a book that provides ample space for nuance, asking questions and disentangling from toxic forms of Christianity. Kate does a beautiful job of writing honestly, passionately, and with conviction about her own journey as well as what she has experienced with others. I particularly love that she doesn’t just leave you stuck but offers, if you are willing, to journey along with her, to construct a meaningful path to faith that makes sense.”
“There is a vulnerability in rebuilding your faith after an earlier version has collapsed. Kate shows us that vulnerability with clarity and kindness but importantly, without judgment. An Untidy Faith isn’t a how-to, but a how-I-did, a humble invitation to consider that there’s a life of faith after deconstruction for those who seek it”