About Bruce Williamson

About Joy in Faith, a contemporary spiritual website rooted in Jesus Christ,  please bring your sense of humor. 

         Blue Duck is our Director of Creative Images.  Yes, he is a rubber duck.

Director of Creative Images -- joy in faith, humor photos, rubber duck

  When rubber ducks fly and land

on your head, what can you do but smile.

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This is not an overly serious website. 

silly rubber ducks of various colors on a book

Laugh a little.

Loosen up. Be creative.  Find joy in your faith. 

 

     For those who need info in a serious format, here it is. 

Background of Rev. Bruce  C. Williamson

        Baylor University  B.A.    1975          major: Speech Communication

         Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary   M.R.E.     1977

                                              Major: Religious Education

       Hardin-Simmons University   M.A.   1993   major: Family Psychology 

       

Recently I have taken up art.  Usually, I work in oil paint, but this is in pastels.                   pastel portrait of Jesus -- drawn in uncertain ethnicity - Jesus spirituality                                                                                                                                                                               

                I call this "Could this be Jesus?"

   Ministry experience includes service as pastor at Miles Baptist Church of Miles, Texas, Grape Creek Baptist Church of San Angelo, Texas, and First Baptist Church of Rockdale, Texas.                                  Bruce and Liz Williamson                                                                                

The photo shows Bruce and Liz Williamson taking a walk on the River Walk in San Antonio, Texas on a hot day,   Plus, here is a short essay that states "Why I Am Not A Fundamentalist." 



e-mail: brucewllmsn@yahoo.com
mobile: (210) 400-0861

 



Why I Am Not A Fundamentalist


I am not a fundamentalist, because Jesus Christ commands us to act in righteousness. Following his Golden Rule, I must treat others with a full measure of respect. Even if I think they are wrong, sinful, or less enlightened that I suppose I might be, still I must treat them with respect.

I will not diminish Christ's commandments to love and act with compassion. I understand that judging and condemning others is not a substitute for love, nor a loop hole through which I may escape my responsibility to love others. So I am not a fundamentalist.

I understand that the Golden Rule includes tolerance. I accept that there are other people whose lives and moral choices are not the ones I would make. And yet, those folks do not need my permission to live their way. I understand tolerance to be simply a new word that means applying the Golden Rule in daily life, especially toward those who are different from me. So how could I be a fundamentalist.

I do not posses absolute truth, and I doubt that anyone has Absolute Truth, except God. What I have is my perspective or understanding of things. So I will not use the Bible nor the church to try to force others to adopt my understanding of things. I remain humbly aware that I could be wrong, even as I have been wrong in the past. So I am not a fundamentalist.

What we can have, instead of absolute truth, is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Christian faith itself is in essence a relationship of following Jesus Christ. The Christian faith is not primarily a theology nor an ideology, but a reverent following of Jesus. All our theologies, ideologies and explanations of the faith are merely our striving to understand. The fundamentalists are too sure about too much. I am certain that the light of God is a great deal brighter and truer than I will ever be. So I will remain a Christian, but not a fundamentalist.

More Reasons I Am Not A Fundamentalist

1.  It changes a relationship with Jesus Christ into an ideology.  But in fact being a Christian is a relationship of reverence and trust in which we follow Christ in daily life.

2.  It flattens the majesty, poetry, drama and mystery out of the Holy Bible.  I treasure the Holy Bible too much to be a fundamentalist. 

3.  Fundamentalism often shortchanges ethics.  Important ethical matters are often omitted or diminished in fundamentalist thought.  Social justice, racial prejudice,

care for the poor, care for the earth, respect for the alien -- non-citizen are weighty subjects often diminished in fundamentalism. 

4.  Fundamentalism accepts pressure tactics that coerce the appearance of faith in people who do not want to be people of faith.  This is both unethical as it disrespects the dignity of people, violates the Golden Rule of Jesus, and is counter-productive to genuine faith sharing and evangelism.

5.  Fundamentalism is rooted in fear reactions.  Yes, people can be afraid of change or loss of status, or economic advantages.  Much of fundamentalism is rooted in fear, which is why it grows stronger in times of rapid change, economic dislocations and recessions, and among people who fear they are losing out one places of high status in society. 

    I am too confident in God to be a fundamentalist.  The message of angels is correct, "Do not be afraid."  So how could I be a fundamentalist.

 

Feel free to contact us at brucewllmsn@yahoo.com