Today, the question is not “Are you a Christian?” but instead, “What kind of Christian are you?” This, actually, has always been the question, because there have always been different kinds of followers of Jesus. Like the four original Gospel writers, each Christian community emphasizes different aspects of who Jesus was and is and each Christian community interprets the life, teachings and death of Jesus in different ways. As it turns out, the diversity of emphasis and interpretation creates different outcomes, shaping the lives of Christian communities (and individuals) in radically different ways.
It is quite useful, I believe, to take as models the two most popular (and, arguably, most influential) American Christians in the 20th century: Billy Graham (born 1918) and Martin Luther King, Jr. (born 1929). These men are deeply cherished by many both inside and outside of the Christian tradition, but they represent tremendously divergent brands of Christian faith. I should know: I grew up (born 1973) in the Graham strand and, in the past five years, have transitioned into the King tradition.
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