Who Am I?
Theologians have noted a recent shift in the dominant questions Christians are engaging. While the earliest Christians grappled with questions about Jesus’ divine and human natures, the churches of the Reformation focused on issues pertaining to salvation. Today, though, questions regarding human identity dominate. “Who am I?” and more importantly still, “Who or what determines who I am?”
Clapham’s chapel series this year, “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made,” will explore the various identities to which we have been called. While some of these involve an element of personal choice (e.g., vocational, marriage) and others do not (e.g., sons and daughters, gender, stewards of creation), all of God’s callings on our lives bring both joy and challenge, often simultaneously! As a school community, we want to 1) embrace each of these facets of our human identity as divine callings, and 2) learn how to navigate them with biblical wisdom.
"I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
We are often given the impression that controlling these identities (e.g., changing jobs, gender, spouse) is the key to good living. But as even secular voices like Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie movie have begun to recognize, human attempts to control all the variables and manufacture a heaven on earth, actually end up creating a certain kind of hell.
Thankfully, God, in his Word, has given us guidance on how to navigate the various facets of what it means to be human. And, still more, he has sent his Son to be our Savior and a model of humanity par excellence. For these reasons, despite all the challenges and cultural confusion, we can confidently step into our God-given identities, knowing that God’s vision for humanity is best, and that he fully intends on bringing it to completion in his good timing.