Murray,
"Gentleman" is one example, but I'm thinking of a work which cites
several words that have changed meaning. It may be /Studies in Words/. I
haven't located my copy so can't be sure.
Dave (ASA)
On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:58:44 +1100 Murray Hogg <muzhogg@netspace.net.au>
writes:
> Hi Dave,
>
> Thanks for these comments, which I think are helpful.
>
> I think the C.S.Lewis reference may be the preface to Mere
> Christianity where he uses the corruption of the term "gentleman" to
> support his argument that one ought not engage in a "spiritualizing"
> of "Christian" to mean "a good person"?
>
> Blessings,
> Murray
>
> D. F. Siemens, Jr. wrote:
> > Murray,
> > Your point is well taken. What you note of theological usage re
> > "imminent" applies more generally to terms in technical contexts.
> I
> > recall one of my colleagues noting with disdain a student who
> tried to
> > solve philosophical problems by referring to /Merriam Webster's
> > Collegiate Dictionary/, in common use in the States. The same
> would apply
> > to any other respected lexicon. A similar point was made by the
> person
> > who described scientific language as consisting largely of dead
> > metaphors.
> >
> > I cannot recall the reference, but C. S. Lewis wrote about the
> change in
> > meaning over time and the errors that spring from using current
> meanings
> > in older contexts. "Exceptions prove the rule" is a good example.
> The
> > black swans of Australia do not prove that "All swans are white,"
> which I
> > think goes back to Aristotle, is true.
> > Dave (ASA)
> >
> > On Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:25:48 +1100 Murray Hogg
> <muzhogg@netspace.net.au>
> > writes:
> >> Hi Bernie,
> >>
> >> Burgy's remark that a dictionary definition is a poor guide when
> it
> >> comes to theological terms struck me as apposite. So I did a
> quick
> >> check of my theological library, and came up with the following.
>
> >> They serve to illustrate the point I've been attempting to make
> that
> >> when used in the context of Christian theology, "imminent" does
> NOT
> >> mean "soon" but rather "at any time" or (as I actually prefer to
> put
> >> it) "suddenly and without warning".
> >>
> >> Note that Gudrem has a pretty good response to the claim that the
>
> >> biblical materials teach that Jesus return would be "soon" - like
>
> >> myself he notes that NONE of the texts regarding Jesus return
> >> necessarily require such an interpretation.
> >>
> >> What's interesting about the below - particularly the passage
> from
> >> Bilezikian - is that it is apparent that there is great
> possibility
> >> for confusion regarding the use of the term. Whereas traditional
>
> >> theological usage (to which I appeal) has used "imminent" to mean
>
> >> "at any time" (now or in a million years) this stand in some
> tension
> >> with the common usage in which "imminent" is taken to mean
> "soon".
> >>
> >> Note that IF one REJECTS (as I do) the claim that scripture
> teaches
> >> Christ's return will be "soon" in favour of the idea that it will
> be
> >> "suddenly and without warning"; and IF one defines "imminent" in
>
> >> accordance with traditional theological usage to mean "at any
> time"
> >> (now OR in a million years), THEN there is no shell-game being
> >> played.
> >>
> >> Hope the below is helpful in furthering your appreciation of the
>
> >> point being made - that "imminent" when used in the context of
> >> Christian eschatology has an particular meaning which is
> determined
> >> by something other than common usage.
> >>
> >> Blessings,
> >> Murray
> >>
> >> From Stanley Gundry, "Imminence," in Evangelical Dictionary of
> >> Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1984), 551;
> >>
> >> <cite>
> >> The doctrine that Christ can return at any moment and that no
> >> predicted event must intervene before that return."
> >> </cite>
> >>
> >> From Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to
> >> Biblical Doctrine. (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press,
> 1994.)
> >> 1096n7.
> >>
> >> <cite>
> >> "In this chapter, it must be made clear that I am not using
> imminent
> >> as a technical term for a pre-tribulational rapture position
> >> (explained below), but simply to mean that Christ could return at
>
> >> any day, or even any hour. Furthermore, I am not using the word
> >> imminent to mean that Christ certainly will come soon (for then
> the
> >> verses teaching imminence would have been untrue when they were
> >> written). I am using the word imminent to mean that Christ could
>
> >> come and might come at any time, and that we are to be prepared
> for
> >> him to come at any day. (Others define imminent more broadly,
> taking
> >> it to mean that Christ could come in any generation. I am not
> using
> >> the term in that way in this chapter.
> >> </cite>
> >>
> >> From Bilezikian, Gilbert G. Christianity 101: Your Guide to Eight
>
> >> Basic Christian Beliefs. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1993.
> 231-32.
> >>
> >> <cite>
> >> Practically every church creed or statement of faith that
> mentions
> >> the Second Coming confesses that no one knows for certain the
> time
> >> of the Parousia, but acknowledges that it will surely happen. It
>
> >> could happen at the present moment or in a million years, but its
>
> >> eventual occurrence is certain. From a human perspective, the
> time
> >> of the event is unknown, but the fact is unquestionably confirmed
> in
> >> Scripture.
> >>
> >> Generally, this is the meaning that the word "imminent" is
> intended
> >> to convey when it is used in relation to the Parousia. Strictly
> >> speaking, however, the word "imminent" means something else.
> >> According to the dictionary an event is imminent when it is just
>
> >> about to happen. For instance, should someone pull the pin off a
>
> >> hand grenade and let go of it, the explosion of the grenade would
> be
> >> imminent, in the sense that it would happen almost [232]
> >> immediately. But should the pin have corroded and seem weak
> enough
> >> to let go on its own, we could not say that the explosion is
> >> imminent. All we could say is that it is "possibly imminent,"
> with
> >> the exact time being unpredictable.
> >>
> >> Likewise for our own individual demise, we all know that death is
>
> >> inevitable. Any of us could die at any moment. But people in
> >> reasonably good health do not say that their death is "imminent."
>
> >> This can be said only of people whose vital signs are down and
> who
> >> are visibly on their way out of this life. Thus, to speak
> >> accurately, the word "imminent" must be qualified when it is
> applied
> >> to the Second Coming. That is why we have placed it in quotation
>
> >> marks in the title above. We are using the term as a concession
> to
> >> tradition and as an attempt to communicate the concept in
> familiar
> >> terms. But we qualify its meaning here to convey the idea of the
>
> >> possible imminence of the Parousia, an event that will happen for
>
> >> sure but at a time that cannot be accurately anticipated by
> humans.
> >> Indeed, the occurrence of the Parousia could be imminent, but it
>
> >> could also be a long time in the making.
> >>
> >> Any discussion of the time frame for the Parousia must be
> grounded
> >> in Scripture. Fortunately, the New Testament yields abundant data
> in
> >> this area. The New Testament gives ample evidence that the early
>
> >> Christians believed in the possible imminence of the Parousia and
>
> >> that they lived in a mode of active expectancy for the Lord's
> >> return, yet without attempting to seek signs or to set dates.
> >> </cite>
> >>
> > ____________________________________________________________
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Received on Sun Jan 25 22:47:29 2009
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