Comments on: “Any stigma will beat a dogma”

By: kimberly

kimberly — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:09:29 +0000

On Sayers’ orthodoxy–
Peter, I know this point is late, but it’d be wrong to take Sayers’ theology from her Wimsey books.

Wimsey himself is non-religious (although he makes some interesting philosophical points regarding relgion) … this is actually in one of the short stories (I unfortunately don’t remember which one) as a statement from his lordship.

Sayers is quite obviously religious, thus her theology and faith is not Wimsey’s. Probably–although not assuredly–she merely had no interest in making her stories “Christian” stories and just wrote good stories.

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:19:31 +0000

and as for brilliance, Sayers’ or anyone else’s for that matter, what good is it without love, and how do we experience the love at a distance when those brilliant ones we admire so are stuck on a pedastal of our own making?

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:15:17 +0000

23-
“Nevertheless, it’s important to see Edwards’ pietism as a departure from classic Reformed orthodoxy.”

Yes, let’s make sure that we don’t fall down from this high place, the high place of classic reformed orthodoxy…the wounds are too great a risk if we fall

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:12:28 +0000

22-
An author, Donald Joy, wrote about this issue regarding women being quiet in the church. It is not to missed. The book is Two Become One

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By: REG

REG — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:10:23 +0000

Tony,
“a mental conflict between what seems logical and what Scripture teaches. If it’s any consolation, a lot of Church fathers had similar struggles, and not all of them ended up heretics”

How many of these were burned at the stake?
We were talking at home the other day about Calvin having someone burned at the stake for turning his theology the wrong direction. I wonder what was Calvin’s Biblical rational (heaven forbid a prooftext) for burning people at the stake? I haven’t heard a sermon of that par tof Calvin.

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By: Pauline

Pauline — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:52:08 +0000

#35
Peter Leavitt,
I would hope that you don’t mean what you say about having “little patience or concern for the unchurched” quite the way it sounds. How in the world can Christians share the good news of Jesus Christ with people they have “little patience or concern for”?

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By: Jonny

Jonny — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:21:25 +0000

As greatly humorous as I find it to see Tony being accused of being willing to compromise with non-Christian concepts regarding homosexuality, I’ll pass on engaging in that thread and try to focus on Tony’s request for some “dogma” (sorry ahead of time for the absence of Q&A format).

How about:

(1) Hate the sin but not the sinner.
(2) Judge not lest ye be judged (unless, of course, it’s a matter about which you have a fundamnetal disagreement).
(3) I don’t do it if it’s not in the Bible. (Wait a second while I take a sip from my unscriptural cappuccino).
(4) All sins are equal.
(5) Humans were granted dominion over the earth, so therefore we can do anything with it that we like.
(6) Catholics are wrong when they ask the Saints to intercede with God on their behalves because we all know that there is only one mediator between God and man. (And, hey, brother, while you’re in a religious-feeling mood would you pray for my friend who is in the hospital?)
(7) The measure of a preacher’s success is the size of his congregation (unless, of course, his interpretation of the Bible disagrees with mine).
(8) That part of the Bible (e.g. head coverings?) was intended only for [fill in the blank].

Have a GREAT weekend, all.

Jonny

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By: Peter Leavitt

Peter Leavitt — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:50:46 +0000

Tony, the problem here might be that I am a conservative orthodox Christian with little patience or concern for the unchurched including their views about Christian dogma or stigma. My own children and grandchildren-so far- are strong in the faith that has been in our New England family without interruption since 1635. I appreciate your concern to reach out to the young people and unchurched folk but am skeptical whether it will have much affect given the corrosive skepticism of most of our secular culture.

I’ve read most of the significant modern apologetics including Lewis and Sayers; lately I read the most impressive contemporary Christian American apologist, Tim Keller’s book, The Reason for Faith: Belief in Age of Skepticism.

Keller who came to New York City as a missionary, mainly to young professionals, has built the Redeemer Presbyterian to a congregation of 6,000 on the basis of orthodox Christianity with no guitar strumming or other pizazz. His two most formative Chrisitan mentors are C,S. Lewis and-gasp-Jonathan Edwards.

I am aware that you might find this another maddening evasion of the issues you are concerned about. I’ll try in the future to be more attentive to your concerns.

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By: Tony Woodlief

Tony Woodlief — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:36:52 +0000

Seriously, re-read what I said in #30, and consider how your response in #31, which is to produce evidence that some kids understand conservatism, and to claim, without a shred of evidence, that I have a view (or aim, or intention) of making Christianity more palatable to young people, has anything to do with what I wrote.