Boiling this article down, the authors offers that theological issues can fall into 4 categories of relative importance.

Absolutes – Core beliefs of the Christian faith

Convictions – while not core beliefs, they may have significant impact of the health and effectiveness of the church.

Opinions –  less-clear issues that generally are not worth dividing over.

Questions – currently unsettled issues

The visual diagram for these categories resemble a target of concentric circles, with absolutes being the bull’s eye.

I find this a useful way to visualize the sorting of the various issues that come up in doctrinal debate.  But, the question is how to determine where the theological issue under consideration falls in the list. Will we be discussing Absolutes or Opinions? Are we pursuing issues of salvation or issues of cultural preference? Here are the guidelines that the ESV Study Bible Article offered for picking the category.

Where an issue falls within these categories should be determined by weighing the cumulative force of at least seven considerations:

(1) biblical clarity;

(2) relevance to the character of God;

(3) relevance to the essence of the gospel;

(4) biblical frequency and significance (how often in Scripture it is taught, and what weight Scripture places upon it);

(5) effect on other doctrines;

(6) consensus among Christians (past and present); and

(7) effect on personal and church life.

This guidance advises us to not  square-off with each other  over a particular issue of doctrine before weighing it with these seven considerations.  We want to be sure we know if we are risking unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ over an absolute or an opinion.  

My hope would be that we would be able to peacefully protect and defend the purity of God’s truth. It is a shame to me when followers of Christ break fellowship over issues surrounding the length of one’s hair, whether someone wears jeans or a suit to worship, or over what beat the worship music may have. The author of the ESV article expresses it this way -

The ability to rightly discern the difference between core doctrines and legitimately disputable matters will keep the church from either compromising important truth or needlessly dividing over peripheral issues.

Let us pray that we can have wisdom in these matters. That we can respectfully preserve the core beliefs of the Christian faith and recognize when we are having a disagreement of convictions.