About this episode

David Fitch and Mike Moore discuss the distinction between orthodoxy and discipleship in the church, exploring how to navigate theological issues without shutting down necessary conversations.

What if the church has confused orthodoxy with discipleship ? In this thought-provoking conversation, David Fitch and Mike Moore wrestle with a question facing churches across denominations: When should an issue become a test of orthodoxy, and when should it remain a matter of faithful discipleship? Prompted by an essay from James K. A. Smith , Fitch argues that the church often elevates disputed ethical questions into matters of orthodoxy, shutting down the very conversations necessary for faithful mission. Rather than abandoning orthodoxy, he proposes recovering a richer understanding of faithfulness, one that takes the historic creeds seriously while extending the gospel into new cultural realities through patient discernment, community, and discipleship. Using contemporary debates around sexuality as a case study, Fitch and Moore explore why theological convictions and pastoral formation must never be separated, and why the church's witness depends on learning to discern together rather than simply declaring winners and losers. 🎙️ In This Episode: The difference between orthodoxy and discipleship Why some issues belong in the realm of faithful discernment rather than…

People in this episode

Guests: David Fitch, Mike Moore

Topics covered

• orthodoxy
• discipleship
• theological convictions
• pastoral formation
• contextual theology
• faithful discernment

Keywords

• orthodoxy
• discipleship
• ethical questions
• historic creeds
• gospel
• sexuality
• theological debates

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: S11: E16 Two Kinds of Orthodoxy

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