# Evolving faith > We have come to value evolving faith over defending dogma. **TL;DR** - humbly seeking truth is more important than policing community boundaries. Many Christian communities set out a list of doctrinal beliefs that members must assent to in order to be recognised as members of the group. While this has been a common practice since the very early days of the church (see "Old Roman Symbol" and the "Apostles Creed"), such "statements of faith" are typically added to rather than removed from. Over extended periods of time a body of community literature develops which incorporates the interpretation, cultural history, and controversies of the group. Formally or informally, group identity coalesces around these shared social artefacts, and these may become "boundary markers" for community members. Tension can arise as discontinuity emerges in the differing experiences of group members. The source may be social, economic, geographic, cultural, educational, or political, but results in conflicting values and challenges to established dogma. While a community's history of interpretation is important it should not be used to determine the act of interpretation, or used to define "truth". Instead, a posture of engaged, humble curiosity allows new perspectives to be explored. In other words: _it's important to assume we've made a mistake, even if we can't see where_. In this way communities can adapt to the circumstances that they find themselves in; informed by their past, but not constrained by it. Change is not something to be feared and avoided but a natural part of the discipleship journey. While a faith community may have established doctrine and beliefs, we value seeking truth above the defence of community dogma. > [!quote] > "Investigate everything you believe: if it is the truth, it cannot be injured thereby; -if error, the sooner it is corrected the better" - James Foreman, 1859.