Re: [asa] RE: (fall-away) TE and apologetics

Granted that our theologies are at best imperfect & may even be "impertinent." But theology is essentilally an attempt to understand what we believe and its implications. We are, after all, to love God with all our mind as well as heart, soul & strength. Any dismissal of theology amounts to an endorsement of an anti-intellectual "spirituality."

Shalom,
George

---- John Walley <john_walley@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Wow. I really like the SDG and JofA and quotes below. I agree that is what our faith has to be based on, our own personal experiential revelation. Everything else is sinking sand. That is the example Jesus gave us in the NT as well. When Jesus challenged Peter, he confirmed his response by saying that "flesh and blood has not revealed this to you". So I contend it has to be today as well. This is consistent with Burgy's comment below. I am intentionally and blissfully ignorant of most of the infinite man-made theologies referenced below, and I don't think I am missing much. It is much more important to be like Peter (and JofA) and recognize God's revelation when you experience it.
>
> I also agree the secret is not to get hung up on #5.
>
> John
>
>
>  
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: John Burgeson (ASA member) <hossradbourne@gmail.com>
> To: "Dehler, Bernie" <bernie.dehler@intel.com>
> Cc: asa <asa@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 4:25:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [asa] RE: (fall-away) TE and apologetics
>
> If I understand you, Bernie, you went through these steps:
>
> 1 The Bible is inerrant.
> 2  Some of the scientific atatements in the Bible are incorrect.
> 3 Some of the biblical statements about history are incorrect
> 4 Therefore the Bible is not inerrant.
> 5 Therefore the theology (as you understand it) in the Bible must also
> be incorrect.
> 6 Therefore it is not possible(intellectually) to be a Christian.
>
> Do I have it about right?
>
> I went through points 1-4 myself, some years ago. I did not hang up on
> #5 because I had studied enough that I recognized that "theologies"
> are man-made, not God-made, and that there are almost an infinite
> number of theologies that one can construct from the Bible.
>
> Theology, to me, is terribly interesting, but not terribly important.
> One of the most incisive comment I have encountered about this issue
> was penned by Nathanial Hawthorne. . "So long as an unlettered soul
> can attain
> to saving grace there would seem to be no deadly error in holding
> theological libraries to be accumulations of, for the most part,
> stupendous impertinence. -- Hawthorne (Preface to Twice-told Tales)
>
> Another quotation:
>
> I do not place my faith in writings, nor in creeds, nor in the
> statements of scholars and philosophers, but in the living and present
> Christ, infinitely beyond any human expression. Soli Deo Gloria
> (author unknown)
>
> "God" is just our name for the devine infinite. It does not define Him.
>
> Joan of Arc, when asked by the bishops "Do you not believe that what
> you call your voice from God is really nothing more than your
> imagination?" To this she replied, "Of course it is my imagination.
> How else does God speak to us?"
>
> Cheers
>
> Burgy
>
>
> --
> Burgy
>
> www.burgy.50megs.com
>
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Received on Fri Sep 18 22:21:54 2009