Experience

Here, I will state my main theological understanding that one day may be my claim to fame.

(Although, I do highly doubt that it is new. It is probably just more unarticulated.)
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For the record, I hate the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.

Or rather, I have hated most every single discussion I have ever had in a theology class where people have had to use it or apply it to their own faith.

But, that is probably because no one ever agrees with me. Ha.
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This may be incredibly boring, but if you want to hear my frustration, follow me on this.

The Wesleyan Quadrilateral has 4 things:

Scripture
Experience
Tradition
Reason

Now, the purpose of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral is to help understand what matters in your faith. What is paramount over everything else.
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Some people make the claim that they cannot split apart any of the 4 because they all play on each other.

And I agree, BUT I also have always been very convicted that experience, my life experience, is what determines whether or not I remain a Christian or I do not.
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Here is my conclusion:

Christian scripture and the faith's tradition interpret my experience. When tradition fails to interpret my experience, as it often has, I have found that tradition to still be valuable, but far from essential. The day that scripture no longer is able to speak to my experience, is the day I leave the Christian faith as I know it. However, to this day, scripture has been better able to interpret my experience in intelligible and rational ways more than anything else I’ve ever encountered in my life.

Thus, I have finally articulated my perspective on the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
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Here's where it gets interesting.

I think that what I just said above is true of all Christ followers. They will not, apart from divine intervention (which is not on the quadrilateral I mind you), continue to follow this faith if all of a sudden the faith was not able to resonate with their experience and who they were or where they came from.

That's why so many Liberation theologies have been written. People have looked for a church to teach the gospel to them in a way that respects their story and their stuggle and where they are coming from. The problem is that because churches failed to reach out to those communities, they decided to create an entirely new branch of Christianity when all that really needed to be had were some honest and open discussions.

If those discussions had been had, I am convinced that we could have avoided having the pendulum swing too far away in reaction. Unfortunately, overcompensation is a repetitive sin in the church.
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Luckily, I also believe that the Bible (and maybe some traditions) do speak to people in their experience, no matter where their life is. I think God is able to resonate with all people in all places and all that they deal with in their lives.
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God resonates with the CEO in Hollywood and resonates with the homeless man in Ohio.

God resonates with the Middle Eastern dictator and the Asian expereincing oppression.

God resonates with the middle class family in New York and the gambling addict in Las Vegas.
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God is a God who created this world, created all of us, and lived this life. He knows what it is to be in our shoes. He is above all of our experiences and transcends the lives we live.

And most importantly, He loves us.

He loves you.
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For God so loved the world...
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Peace.