With so much conversation in the blogland on hell and orthodoxy it has been interesting to watch. I thought Kesters latest post interesting on living in theological fear very interesting and I wonder how much that shapes who gets heard or access to the pulpit.
However my main question was how much of this conversation was rooted in day to day mission and living with people facing the issues on the ground everyday, and how much this sort of praxsis was shaping the conversation rather than as a kind of theological speculation. (see developing doctrine from practice)
For me there is something about how following the missionary God leads us into heresy and to challenge orthodoxy as we encounter, value, learn, and seek G-D on the journey and then we find / rediscover the missionary God in the other we were seeking to follow in the first place. But it is new discovery or facet.
Anyway hat tip to TSK for this quote
“A religion that is not constantly spawning alternatives and heresies has ceased to think and has achieved only the peace of the grave.” Phillip Jenkins Jesus Wars
I am amazed that theology has not really moved on – I was scared into the Kingdom when i was a kid with threats of accept god or perish – if you don’t say the sinners prayer you are going to hell. For me this is outdated theology – it’s a bit like the early followers of jesus who thought he was going to come back in their life time. We need a theology for the living ( we are living longer) and to see the hells that are crfeated on this earth instead of worrying about the next life.
I saw something about Rob Bell and a new book he’s written. Ruffled feathers. Made me want to read it as its good to think.
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