a few unrelated religious/theological thoughts & links:
- This article from John Ortberg is right on. There is no “evangelical voice,” which I believe is confusing for most outsiders. It’s a real PR problem, for sure. On the other hand, he ends the article by asking, “who speaks for you?” And, truthfully, I have to answer that I can’t think of a single leader who speaks for me. And this is where I get a little “Catholic-envy” (although, that solution is less-than-ideal).
- I just finished Greg Boyd’s book God of the Possible. I’ve steered clear of the Open Theism debates that have raged over the last 10-15 years. So I decided to see what all the drama was about. I still don’t claim to know everything, but I really like Boyd’s explanation of Open Theism – I like that he accounts for all of Scripture, and not just the particular verses that support his side.
- About once a week I find an intriguing post of The Jesus Creed blog. (I like Scot McKnight… I just get irritated by the sheer volume and general ugliness of his blog.) Anyway, I liked his discussion of The Wesleyan Quadrilateral. I particularly liked this paragraph:
I grew up as a son of the reformation. Sola Scriptura was mother’s milk to me, and continues, frankly, to be a huge blessing to me, forever reminding me to go back to scripture as the truest guide. But I can also say now that the idea of sola scriptura that I was taught in my youth is a mirage, with all the dangers that mirages provide. The stubborn pursuit of a theology shaped by scripture alone can kill a person from dehydration as they chase it, to the extent that it encourages them to forego drinking from other real, God-given (scripturally recommended) springs which some teach are too poisonous to willingly consume in any but the slightest quantities. My concern for those who believe that Theism is at stake with the age of the earth debates, for instance, is that such folks have been taught too much disdain for the Spirit as He works in Tradition and Experience; leaving only Scripture and Reason (and an unacknowledged and smaller Tradition and Experience) as their tools to build their faith. Such a faith may find more than just the age of the earth as a serious threat to its stability and credibility.
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I love the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. It came up on Monday night.
Open Theism makes sense to me and I, too, like how it accounts for all of scripture, not just the parts that fit one’s theology.
Ditto on Scot’s blog. Lately I’ve been a bit burnt out and can’t invest the energy in reading it. That said, when I do, I find it fruitful. Love the paragraph you quoted.
I rarely experience Catholic-envy, and I think the idea of the RC church speaking with one voice is a myth. I suppose the institution has it’s hierarchy and official teaching positions, but there is far from universal ascent (especially in America) to those teachings among clergy and Roman Catholics on the ground.
Like the look of your new blog. Looking forward to getting together soon. Perhaps when Eric gets back.