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there are certain bottom-line issues that we must agree on - not by means of a committee, but through mutual assent.

The original post concerned Christian Churches who are forming a committee to try and find a unified theology.

The fact that they are, at least nominally, Christian, means that they have at least accepted the basic, foundational beliefs that you refer to.

Nevertheless, these are precisely the churches who, as institutions, seem to have lost their way. This is an assertion on my part, which is probably too broad to be fair.

A vague "God-directed"ness is not a statement where we can find unity

"God-directedness", while it may seem vague, is all there is. Finding doctrinal purity means very little if God is not there. God is the point.

"Hearing God's voice, and acting on that" is nice and fluffy

Its not nice and fluffy at all. It is the whole point. If you don't do that, none of the rest means anything at all.

I don't think what I am saying is beyond the pale. The pharisees dedicated their lives to scripture and doctrinal precision. And they failed to recognize the living Christ when he was right in front of them.

Peter and Paul, Paul and James, could hardly stand to be in the same room together. But they were each in God's service, they each had their road to walk and their life to lead, their death to face.

There is a kind of unity that flows naturally out of the fact of God's claim on us, and our love for him. But unity is not conformity. We each have our road to walk, and our own experience with him, and our relationship with him that will build over the years. Your walk will not look like mine. But my experience is that, if God is with you, I would know you if I met you.

If I met you in person, I would not know that you have a precise and mature understanding of scripture, unless you told me so. But I would recognize, I believe, the mark on your spirit that God leaves on you.

I understand that the thread had to do with a committee trying to reach an agreement. That aside, I have repeatedly asked you a very simple question which you have not answered, or even addressed. to wit:

Is the man Jesus, who walked on the shores of Galilee nearly 2000 years ago Christ, the Son of God, the third person of the Trinity?

Did this man hang on a cross, die, get buried in a tomb, and then rise from the dead three days later?

Is the Lord and Saviour of mankind?