Despite consciously avoiding formal creeds, throughout the history of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), adherents have formulated their thought in distinctive theological ways. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a denomination that has recognized the need for clearer self-identification and a deeper understanding of its theological convictions. Despite traditionally characterizing themselves as indifferent to theology and avoiding the use of theological terms, Disciples of Christ have always been theological in nature. The challenge lies in articulating their distinctive theological thought and acknowledging its practical implications. A more recent period of fruitful theological thought since 1977 has paved the way for the development of a written theology that takes responsibility for covenant theology within the Disciples of Christ tradition.
The final chapter offers a constructive proposal for ongoing theological reflection that identifies current trends and focuses on the theme of a people in covenant.