Further thoughts on Limitation

 

In light of my most recent post (before this one of course!), i thought i would give you a quote that a staff member of an apologetics site said regarding soteriology:

“Every view of soteriology limits atonement, unless you are a universalist.

The question becomes, is it limited in scope (i.e., who it is for) or is it limited in effectiveness (i.e., it can fail to save some for whom it was made).”

What i appreciate about this quote is that this participant (whose screen name is “Love Supreme”) understands that to attempt to perform theological reflection it is a necessary part of the undertaking to “limit.”  In fact, i would go further than him and claim that even to be a univeralist is to limit in some fashion, in the sense that it severs certain passages and concepts (eg hell, necessity of atonement) from their traditional classical theological moorings.  Since all doctrines are supposed to (roughly) cohere with each other, to be a univeralist is to (as i see it) significantly compromise other aspects of doctrine. 

In doing theology one cannot help but have certain starting places or points of emphasis.  This is actually a good thing, since i can learn from others and even adapt my paradigm in ways i would neve see on my own, if i’m willing to let myself examine their view with integrity.  Here is where doing theology in community, can really bless the body of Christ.

Hopefully we can be grateful for our differences, and approach them with charity and humility, seeking to come closer to the Triune God, who isn’t bound, or afraid of, the limits we put on Him when we seek truth.

Unavoidable Limitations

 

One of the more common criticisms levelled against Open Theism is that it “limits God.”  This is usually meant in term of God’s power and/or ability to control events.

However, as Terence Fretheim has pointed out in his book The Suffering of God, the “limiting of God,” as such is unavoidable when doing theology.  In Fretheim’s view, if one does not limit God’s knowledge and thus with it His unilateral control of creation, then one has to limit God’s ability to experience genuine sorrow, compassion, etc, b/c then they are metaphors that are significantly (if not completely) drained of all meaning.

I often find that using the terminology of limiting God serves more as a rhetorical device rather than a genuine concern.  My hope is that the more classically informed brethren will see that the nature of theology includes “limitation” as such, but that this is bad only when it limits areas that it shouldn’t.  Once we’re at that point, fruitful dialogue can begin again.

Gotta go to church now: any thoughts?

Rating Theology Blogs

So i recently came across this list of theology blogs ranked in order of how good people think they are.  It isn’t really eternally significant or anything, but it is good fun.  I would say that some of the rankings are way off base in my humble opinion, but so far i’m a big fan of # 40.  However, how this blog, or this one didn’t even make the list, much less the top 20 is beyond me.  One last thing I noticed that was interesting to me.  The rankings, based on the number of people who voted for you, showed that a lot more people are reading my stuff than i thought, but are choosing not to comment.  That is encouraging, although i hope dialog can become a bigger component as i continue to get better at this.  The converse of this is that one of the blogs i listed above gets more comments a week than i do a year, but remains unranked, unless i missed it.  Weird.

Any thoughts?

Meditating on the Atonement

“If our faith is only to believe what our reason can make clear to us–no wonder the power of the blood effects so little.  Let us have faith, not in what we understand, but let us have faith in God, and the heavenly, the inexpressibly glorious realities, of the blood and Spirit of the Son.”

[Source]

Reverend Falwell Dies

Here is a report about the death of Jerry Falwell.  He was 73 years old.  While i certainly don’t condone many of his views, i sincerely offer my prayers to his family, friends, and those who he ministered to.

A Meditation on Judgment

“In the Christian Tradition, condemnation is an element of reconciliation, not an isolated independent judgment, even when reconciliation cannot be achieved.  So we condemn most properly in the act of forgiving, in the act of separating the doer from the deed.  That is how God in Christ condemned all wrongdoing.  That is how i ought to condemn. . .”

 God thank You that through Your Son Your judgment contains the promise and guarantee of a new start.  Amen.

[Source]

Ruling a Planet

So although this is probably getting out of hand, here goes:

You Should Rule Saturn

Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye.You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don’t always follow the rules of nature. And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone delve beyond your appearance. You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you’ll be a friend for life. You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past.

What Planet Should You Rule?

Any thoughts?

What Version of the Bible are You?

So i’m officially on a quiz binge.  In a few weeks i’m sure it will die down, but in the meantime, prepared for more quizzes like this:

You scored as NASB – New American Standard Bible. You are intelligent, responsible, and understanding. You strive to do your best possible in all areas of life and are generally quite successful. You do not mind being different and sometimes taking risks, but you simultaneously find no virtue in completely doing away with the past. NASB – New American Standard Bible 65% NWT – New World Translation 55% CEV – Contemporary English Version 55% NRSV – New Revised Standard Version 35% KJV – King James Version 20% What version of the Bible are you? created with QuizFarm.com

So i think that this one was pretty accurate. I would say that this is a good assessment. I like reading the NASB, but i’m also into the JNT, mainly because i think it often captures the intent of passages better, due to its goal of expressing “the essential Jewishness of the New Testament.”

Feel free to take these quizzes and tell me what/who you are according to these.

A Bedtime Meditation

Come I this night to the Father,

Come I this night to the Son,

Come I to the Holy Spirit powerful:

Come I this night to God.

Come I this night to Christ, Come I with the Spirit of kindness.  

Come I to thee Jesus.

Jesus shelter me …

The peace of all peace

Be mine this night

In the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

[Source] 

What is your theological worldview?

So i found this fun quiz which (attempts) to show what your theological persuasions.  Here are my results:

You scored as Neo orthodox. You are neo-orthodox. You reject the human-centredness and scepticism of liberal theology, but neither do you go to the other extreme and make the Bible the central issue for faith. You believe that Christ is God’s most important revelation to humanity, and the Trinity is hugely important in your theology. The Bible is also important because it points us to the revelation of Christ. You are influenced by Karl Barth and P T Forsyth. Neo orthodox 82% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 71% Emergent/Postmodern 68% Charismatic/Pentecostal 57% Roman Catholic 46% Fundamentalist 39% Classical Liberal 36% Modern Liberal 29% Reformed Evangelical 25% What’s your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

  To be honest i think that i’m not quite as big a fan of neo-orthodoxy as the quiz says i am, but i am influenced by Karl Barth, and i do give huge weight to the God’s revelation as Trinity and in the Incarnation.  I guess that means i have to throw inerrancy out the window according the quiz, but i disagree.  I want to see both given their proper due.

So what is your theological worldview?

The President Steps Down

In what was quite a surprise for many, the president on the ETS (Evangelical Theological Society) has resigned.  The President, noted philosopher and theologian Francis Beckwith, stepped down after (re?)joining the Roman Catholic church.  He writes for a group blog, and has posted about this decision and subsequent stepping down as presidentof the ETS.

While i may not agree with Beckwith, i certainly wish him well.  Perhaps the most disheartening aspect of this situation is the uncharitable way man y protestants have handled it.  I pray for the best for Mr. Beckwith, and that he may continue to serve our Lord with joy.

(HT: Aaron)

Update:  The ETS executive committee has released its official statement regarding Beckwith’s resignation.

(HT: SP)

Begbie Interview

Here is a transcript of an interview with Jeremy Begbie, one of my new favorite scholars.  He delves a bit into the Trinity in this interview.  Hopefully i can post on that later.

Video Lecture From My New Favorite Scholar

Here is a lengthy but amazing video lecture from my new favorite scholar.

I like him a lot after this lecture alone because he is able to combine my two great passions in life; music and theology.  He does so by viewing the historical factors influencing music when it was written, all the while asking about the role of resurrected Christ in the midst of music.  He also shows in this lecture how a Christian view of history, centered on Jesus Christ, has had an effect on the way music is composed and presented.  Also, the implications music has for theology are explored.  This much i gleaned from the lecture. 

Finally, no one can accuse of him of unoriginality.  He is doing some unique work here, but with a passion ofr Christ and not merely to carve out a niche for himself (at least not that i can see at this point).

Please watch the lecture.  It is, in all honesty, one of the most amazing lectures i have ever seen.  It blew me away.