Things I Think…
1. The fastest way to get me to dismiss an opinion these days is to characterize something the church debates as “biblical” or “unbiblical” as if you just drew a sword and slew your opponent…both terms are wax noses that can be twisted beyond recognition…
2. All the attention given to the issues surrounding gays in the church have served to obscure a vastly more important issue …that being the “Jesus” people worship in one sect acts nothing like the “Jesus” of another…and the differences are not minor…
3. I would go so far as to say that perhaps the reason the “church” is losing so much ground is that we can’t even identify the God we worship in any catholic fashion…
4. Depending on who you talk to Jesus is fully invested in the right wing or left wing of American politics, completely immanent, completely transcendent, seeking to save or hoping to damn …nuance, of course, is the unforgivable sin…
5. Until I can satisfactorily answer the question “What did Jesus accomplish in the Incarnation”? …the rest of my theology is on hold…
6. I’m at the stage of life where it’s more spiritually healthy for me to hang out with poets than professors…
7. People that explain theology and faith in a mechanical manner impress me as knowing a great deal about mechanics and little about God…
8. I will always search the Scriptures and tradition for hints of some sort of universalism…the love that would sacrifice a Son to save people wants to save as many as possible…
9.Even if I don’t find many hints for universalism, the search enlarges my heart and keeps me aware of the grace I’ve received and that I owe to others…
10. Having a special church service on the 4th of July is idolatry…in my opinion, of course…that was my contribution to fireworks…
I really appreciate #8 and #9. I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t hope all would be saved. The brokenness of this life and ourselves seems to be such an impediment to faith in this world. I know I’m breaking many theological rules in thinking this. But I still hope.
“Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.””
JoelG,
Well said, my friend!
I like #6!
Dan,
I bought my first poetry book in thirty years the other day…it’s refreshing!
#4- i have no idea when the anti christ will materialize, but…
I hear and read so much today that seems to be anticipating a christ that is not Jesus The Christ… so much is coming from people who claim to anticipate The Christ, but compromises God’s holiness with their personal preferences – repentance has a whole different definition… as does God’s love … ?
Who’s work did you buy? I really like Neruda and Milosz and have found only a few that I find fascinating. I have to really feel it or poetry becomes ho-hum.
Jerod,
Christian Wimon.
Off to Amazon to check out Christian Wimon.
So with you. Especially number 6.
In my head, I pronounce Christian Wimon as Christian women.
And its funny to me, at least.
Speaking of poetry — Maurice Manning’s book “One Man’s Dark” is very good poetry, with a depth of religious feeling to it, highly recommended.
I, too, have been reading more poetry than ever, challenging myself to read and look at the world in a different, deeper way. I’m even thinking of tackling “Paradise Lost” again, which I haven’t cracked open since my college days, so many, many years ago.
Thought #7 was something I was accused of this past week, maybe because they read this blog? I should ask. Regardless, a mechanistic view of theology is required to literally “understand the nature of god”, which is what I thought theology was, but I digress…
Thought #8 and #9, outright heresy. But I. am fine with it. In fact I wish more would. Believing in a god who has condemned the vast majority of humanity, past/present/future, to eternal torture is insane. Insane. Again, insane.
Thought 10, word! It ties in with Thought #4, and I kinda laugh at the prospect anymore. God is not built (again, mechanistic view of theology) for either political system, as he is a theocratic authoritarian.Think Yemen or Iran. A dictatorship. Basing prostrate adoration on a date that represents independence is like celebrating North Korea with the nonsense spewed by Aquinas or Arminius.
Thoughts #1 & #2 contradict one another. Just saying…
Homosexuals have always been in the church. The example I always go back to in modern times is Lonnie Frisbee, without whom, the Jesus Movement never happened. Look what “they” did to him. The question is, would you all do the same?
Hi Bryon!
Sorry, I can’t skip Thought #3. The god western culture worships is Capitalism. This is absolutely catholic in identity.