The BioLogos Faith Commitments

One weakness was that the old document muddled together two kinds of things. Some sentences affirmed what every Christian believes (e.g. “all people have sinned against God and are in need of salvation”). Meanwhile, other sentences gave a BioLogos view on a particular contemporary topic (e.g. “the diversity of life is best explained by the God-ordained process of evolution”). Mixing the two kinds of sentences together made it hard for a reader to see how they might share our faith commitments even while they disagree with us on particular issues.

…the theology and beliefs of BioLogos have not changed. We still hold to the same Christ-centered, biblical faith that we’ve had since the founding of BioLogos

Moreover, in the old document, all of the sentences started with the same “We believe…” language. This move put both kinds of sentences at the same level, when in fact they are very different. The sentences about Christian belief are timeless, reaching all the way back to the Apostle’s Creed and Scripture itself—the BioLogos commitment to them will not change. Meanwhile, the sentences on science and faith topics are positions we hold more humbly. We know that we are still learning things about God’s creation and are open to changing those positions in light of new scientific discoveries.

The number of topics we address at BioLogos has expanded in recent years. We could have kept adding to the old document, but it would get long and unwieldy. We’ve decided instead to use a different approach. We will now refer visitors to our Common Questions as the best introduction to the positions BioLogos holds on various issues. In those articles, a visitor can see our context and reasoning in an approachable short article, rather than a terse one-liner. For example, you can read How Long are the days of Genesis 1?, What is evolutionary creation?, Should Christians get vaccinated?, or Why Should Christians Care for Creation?

The new Faith Commitments statement was developed in consultation with our entire team (staff, board, speakers) and with several advisors and friends of BioLogos. The group included theologians from a range of Christian denominations and faith traditions. I’m grateful to everyone who gave feedback.

One thing I like is that we are calling these “commitments” instead of “beliefs”. Of course we fully believe these sentences, but we wanted to emphasize that these are more than intellectual viewpoints. These are foundational truths that we are committed to with our whole selves and in every part of our lives. We are personally committed to living out this faith, individually and in community.