2. To ask both 'What does the Bible say about this issue?" AND "What has the Church traditionally said about this issue?"
3. To see authority in the Church as well as the Bible, albeit different in nature and degree.
4. To not hold a position on a theological issue without understanding the other major positions and properly located myself on the theological landmap.
5. To discern whether a theological issue is highly disputed or highly unified within the Church.
6. To establish the points of theology in which the Church is most unified (e.g. God as Trinity, Christ's Incarnation, Salvation by grace) as deserving the most conviction and the highest value.
7. To not defend a theological position before others without fairly describing the alternative positions and the support they have within the Tradition.
8. To be more teachable if the issue is more highly debated within orthodoxy.
9. To never criticize the Church from the outside. If I am part of the Church, I am necessarily engaged in a type of self-criticism, of reformation and not revolution. But if I am not part of the church, I have no business correcting it.
10. To go to church primarily to hear and receive from the shepherd God has placed over me, and not primarily to be a tester of their teaching.
11. To find humility in tradition, knowing that my views are neither new nor original.
12. To only embrace theology that leads to loving God and loving others.
13. To pray for wisdom and clarity when the Bible presents truths that appear to contradict true love.
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