The formation of EAI may well be a seminal moment in the long history of evangelicalism in Ireland. It is a small, but encouraging sign (one of many), not only of growing numbers of a previously unnoticed and marginal minority, but of the increasing awareness within the Irish evangelical community of the need to work together to impact their nation for Christ. 

EAI has several different ‘strands’ of which ‘Theology’ is one. In 2003, prior to the launch, EAI formed a Theology Working Group (TWG), composed of theologically informed men and women drawn from various streams within Irish evangelicalism. The brief of the group was to revolve around three main areas:
 
(i) The essential matters. To speak or write on those matters on which evangelicals are agreed and which define both the centre and boundaries of the evangelical movement as it is represented in EAI.

As part of this brief, the TWG was given the task of forming a Basis of Faith for the new Alliance in time for the launch. An aim was to summarise essential beliefs shared by all evangelicals. We decided that it would be a positive affirmation and celebration of the Christian faith rather than a negative statement of what we do not believe. As the Basis of Faith of an Alliance that contains a wide variety of people, we wanted to focus on what is central, that which unites and defines what it means to be an evangelical Christian.

Taking the EA UK’s 1970 Basis of Faith (which has since been revised) as a starting point the group met regularly over the next few months. Churchmanship included Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, charismatic, Methodist, Anglican and independent – many of whom did not know each other that well beforehand. As chairman, it was truly a joy to see how the group developed over the year. The group’s meetings were marked by a high commitment to Scripture, a common sense of purpose and a gracious willingness to listen to one another. Meetings were marked by plenty of vigorous debate but always in an atmosphere of respect, humour and cooperation. The experience reminded me of two things. First, that as the Spirit unites believers together, the body works at a greatly increased capacity. Second, within evangelicalism, denominational differences are of little significance compared to a shared faith in Christ. In him we are bound together in a common faith and with a common purpose.       

In light of this the Group decided it would be helpful to produce a companion booklet.  We were very aware that no statement can capture adequately all of what is means to be a follower of Jesus. Each sentence within the Basis is brimful with content that needed some unpacking. So we wrote and published a booklet with three aims in mind:

1. to set out clearly the beliefs that evangelicals consider as crucial to the Christian faith and which provide the foundation for them to work together in the service of God.

2. to note and explain issues of belief and practice on which evangelicals differ and so promote better understanding.

3. to inform readers unfamiliar with the world of evangelical Christianity what it is we believe and why.

In it we comment on the meaning of key phrases and discuss some of their implications for life in Ireland today. It was published in 2005 and called Together We Believe: A Common Faith, A Common Purpose.  Buy now

During the final stages of production one of our writing team, Mrs Margaret Childs, fell seriously ill with cancer. I was able to visit her shortly before she died and show her the finished booklet. Her joy and hope in the face of death were a powerful testimony that what we as a group had been discussing was not just theory, but the life-giving good news of the Gospel. 

The Group’s brief also extends to two other areas:

(ii) The disputed matters. To work for understanding on and to write about those matters on which evangelicals disagree and which occasionally threaten unity.
 

(iii) The public issues. Working in co-ordination with other EAI committees (such as Media, Politics and Voice) to develop theological reflection on and active response to national and social issues and the complexities of contemporary life which call for a united evangelical engagement and voice.

We are only just beginning to turn our attention to these two areas. Our primary objective is to produce written resources for the media and voice groups in their public roles. Initial work has begun on producing briefing papers on a variety of issues. It is planned that some of these papers will also be extended and published as articles or a more in-depth theological treatments of issues of contemporary relevance to the Irish evangelical community.

Dr Patrick Mitchel

Chairman

Theology Working Group

Evangelical Alliance Ireland