Why FOUR Gospels? Why not just one? When teh “word became flesh”, we needed not only the “teachings” of Jesus, but the “story” of Jesus as well. As Emil Brunner (1889 – 1966 an eminent and highly influential Swiss theologian who is commonly associated with the neo-orthodoxy or dialectical theology movement) put it, “All other religions deal primarily with doctrines which are the revelations, but no story of the revelation”. Where would we be without the stories of Jesus? Continue reading ‘Portraits Not Photographs’
Monthly Archive for September, 2007
I’m not done with this topic, but I’ve got other things more burning within me now, so I’ll end this series prematurely and come back to a few related subjects later on down the road. The central core or theme of this five-part series is simply that the church has taken the wrong road. The church has camped in the valley of sin instead of living on the mountain of love. Religion has exponentially increased the list of “dos and dont’s” (sins), and then claimed that it alone had the power and process with which to eradicate us from our dark souls. But, the process would take forever which meant all mankind needed to live in the shadow of the church each and every week, doing penance, and performing works found pleasing to the pastor, priest, or minister. Continue reading ‘# 5- Sin Management Obsessions’
Lists and more lists. We begin in the Old Testament with Ten Commandments. Shortly thereafter the religious leaders come up with 613 laws. And, we’ve not stopped in 3,000 years, of coming up with more and more laws that will ultimately be broken. Objective list(s) of sins, while Jesus said we could just boil it all down to two subjective principles: love God, love your neighbor. Sounds too simple now doesn’t it. Continue reading ‘# 4- Sin Management Obsessions’
There is probably no one in America that would disagree with the fact that Billy Graham was America, if not the world’s greatest evangelist. And isn’t it shocking to find out that even he, the great evangelist didn’t believe in an eternal firey hell! Protestants of course have railed on Billy Graham for years since in 1979 he called the Pope, “The moral leader of the world”. Say what? Continue reading ‘Even Billy Graham’
For so long I struggled with my denominational teaching that somehow MY WILL was more powerful in the end than GOD’S WILL! And yet I was also taught that God was omnipotent. How could I have struggled wo long with what is so obvious? When is the last time that you read and meditated on I Timothy 2:4? Do it NOW! Continue reading ‘God’s Will………Will Be Done!’
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus! And don’t ever forget it! The English translation of the Latin phrase is “Outside the church there is no salvation”. Why do Catholics particularly get off with such arrogance. I know, tradition Ernie, tradition! Protestants don’t say it exactly that way; however, they come close by saying that there is no salvation outside of Christianity. Like why would one go into Texas stadium wearing a Sooners T-shirt? Are you insane, mad, or just looking to make your life miserable? Back off of the John 14:6 when you first meet someone. Don’t lead with your chin, even if it is made of steel. Continue reading ‘The Stench Of Exclusivism’
September 21, 2007 - How is it that we say God is love, but then follow a doctrine that says the Creator of the Universe came up with a PLAN that would eternally damn and torment 80-90% of the earth’s population? And who came up with the idea that OUR will is more powerful than HIS will, while we still call God omnipotent?
In order to properly grasp the truthfulness of the “sin concept“, it would help if we first sorted out the objective-subjective aspects of life. In our Western, American, Aristotelian, and Greco-Roman mindset (did you follow all of that?), we seem to like building boxes (mental grids), and living within them: pointing fingers at those who are not in “our box“, but another one less worthy of course. We need labels, laws, and licenses! God forbid that someone did something just by the Spirit! So it is that SIN is thus “specific laws” (many of them) or “moral codes” (ours of course) that we break. Thus we sin! Ah, but what about the heart? Continue reading ‘# 3- Sin Management Obsessions’
I love it when people have the guts and courage to say they were wrong. I don’t ever recall hearing a “fundamentalist” saying that. How could they? They believe that “they” as well as the “words of God” (they speak of the Bible-every word) are inerrant and infallible. Of course they reject the Pope as being such. After all the Pope is a heretic as all of Catholicism is. Such arrogance. Way too imperialistic and triumphalistic (is that a word?). Continue reading ‘First In Antioch………….but!’
Wrestling With “Words & Spirit”
I was taught in my denominational days, that the Bible was the FINAL AUTHORITY! Who was I to question that? But as I grew in age, maturity, and Spirit, I discovered that the “textus receptus“, otherwise known as the King James version of the Bible had some problems (and I’m not talking eloquent and antiquated language). And then I discovered that there were other translations like the REB (Revised English Bible) that actually pointed out in the footnotes where the Biblical errors were. Say what? The Bible isn’t inerrant? Now what? Continue reading ‘Wrestling With “Words & Spirit”’