Why We Published “We Call Ourselves Disciples”

Each denomination has its own list of beliefs, practices, administrative and business structures, ordination standards, and other unique traits. This is true for Disciples as well. Who hasn’t heard, “In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things, love,” or, “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent”?

The one I’ve heard most is “No creed but Christ.” There’s a line following that I don’t hear nearly as often: “No book but the Bible.”

That’s probably awkward to say to a book publisher, but the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) defied that second line in the creation of the Christian Board of Publication, the company better known by our Chalice Press imprint. For more than a century, our company has served as a publishing house for the Stone-Campbell Movement and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which emerged from the movement in 1968.

Yes, the Bible is the central book to our faith, but a good book can uphold the purpose of the Good Book. This is why we published We Call Ourselves Disciples in 2025. 

Printed denominational resources like Chalice Hymnal, Chalice Praise, Chalice Worship, and dozens of other books have supported Disciples congregations and participants all along their spiritual journeys. In recent years, Disciples identity—who the Disciples are, what we believe, and how we function—emerged as a priority for pastors and church leaders welcoming newcomers to their churches, as well as for building a theologically Disciples culture for lifelong members. Chalice already had several books on the subject in print, but we needed something concise, affordable, and approachable for people who wanted to know more.

It’s rare that a book title is the first piece of the work, but it made complete sense that a book on Disciples identity should be titled We Call Ourselves Disciples. Number 357 in your Chalice Hymnal, Rev. Dr. Jim Miller’s 1984 work is a beloved hymn heard frequently at denominational gatherings and in worship services.

With this concept in mind, I turned to my friend José Morales Torres, a comparative theology and philosophy professor at Chicago Theological Seminary with whom I’d talked Disciples theology for years, and an all-around great fella. He, in turn, brought in Kamilah Hall Sharp, a professor of the Bible and public ministry, also at Chicago Seminary. The three of us developed a 12-point outline of topics to be addressed and who we wanted to write on those subjects. José had to step away from managing the project, but Joel Brown, president of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society, stepped in to co-edit the project. 

Matching the topics and the writers ranks among my most enjoyable book-construction projects:

• The Disciples and the Bible: Ron Allen, a longtime seminary professor who has mentored countless pastors.
• Social Justice: Kamilah Hall Sharp, drawing on her academic expertise.
• Doing Theology: José Morales Torres, using his comparative theology skills.
• Liturgy and Worship: Nathan Russell, pastor at Washington Avenue Christian Church in Elyria, Ohio, and a regular hymn composer.
• The Baptized Life: Chris Wilson, pastor at Saint Andrew Christian Church in Olathe, Kansas, whose Passage to Discipleship explores baptism’s significance.
• Communion: General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens—who can speak better to the key practice that unites Disciples so often?
• Christian Unity: Paul Tché, President of the Christian Unity and Interfaith Ministry, who frequently represents Disciples at ecumenical interchanges.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Eli Rolon Jeong, associate regional pastor in the Illinois-Wisconsin Region, who brought his personal and professional experiences to the page.
• Turning Points in History: Joel Brown, bringing his academic and professional work in an overview of how Disciples found diversity while still pursuing unity.
• Global Ministries: LaMarco Cable, co-executive of Global Ministries, tracing the international work that spans oceans and cultures.
• Congregations and Their Pastors: Katie Hays, pastor of Galileo Church in the DFW area, focusing on where most Disciples interaction occurs and the spiritual life is lived.
• Our Polity: LaTaunya Bynum, regional minister of the Northern California/Nevada Region, examining the nuts-and-bolts operations of our denomination.

When it comes to Disciples identity, that twelve-pack of authors is the 1927 Yankees, the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls, or the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins—there’s no way that lineup can be improved. Each contributor was allowed 1,000 words: enough to explain the topic well but also to keep it focused. Each essay hit the mark. Kamilah and Joel contributed the introduction, including this jumping-off paragraph:

We hope Disciples who are new to the tradition, as well as those who have long called this movement home, will encounter the chapters here as neither prescriptive nor descriptive of Disciples doctrines and practices but, rather, as an invitation to enter into an ongoing conversation. This dialogue opens space for considering the diverse ways Disciples have thought about and practiced their faith. Although this diversity can feel messy and challenging at the world, it is precisely in our willingness to dwell within these differences and tensions that we move closer to our shared vision of unity. It is in embracing this complexity, faithfully holding together the many and varied threads of our identity, that we live into our calling as Disciples of Christ, co-laborers with God in the pursuit of unity and wholeness in the church and in the world.

The result is a slim book under 70 pages, priced for congregations to buy by the dozen, serving newcomers and lifelong Disciples alike.

But wait, there’s more! This summer, the Proclamation Project released its accompanying multimedia curriculum that includes six weeks of material that can be used as a sermon series, a small group study, a new member class, and more.

We hope that the book and curriculum help you and your fellow Disciples find a connection to each other, to congregations in your area, and to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) across the United States, Canada, and the world for years to come.

We think Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell would approve of our work.

(Note: The photo used on the cover of We Call Ourselves Disciples was taken at First Christian Church of Jeffersonville, Indiana. Thank you for your hospitality!