Ponderings on a Faith Journey

THE SOTERIOLOGICAL THEORY OF IRENAEUS

Irenaeus laid out his theory of salvation in the way he did in large part because of the threat he perceived coming from Gnosticism, a philosophical position that in his mind denigrated the material world and with it the incarnation. In the course of several postings I will lay out something of his understanding of salvation (soteriology) as a way of showing how the early church wrestled with its biblical inheritance.

He strongly opposed the Gnostic claim that the world, as originally created, was the work of the demiurge (a secondary god) and that this world as created was less than perfect.Through his doctrine of creation and then through the doctrine of recapitulation, Irenaeus affirmed the goodness of God's creation. He insisted that the reason humanity is less than perfect now was not the result of a failure in the creation of humanity or because of a failure of God's love. Although humanity is caught in sin, God has provided a way of s…

In a couple of recent posts I've raised the question of the meaning of the cross. This is due in part to my response to Daniel Bell's essay "God Does Not Demand Blood." I'm in agreement with Bell, but his essay raises the question in the minds of many, what does the cross mean. I've posted a quote from Irenaeus, who offers a picture of Jesus' living and dying for humanity, recapitulating and hallowing each dimension of human life as he lived and died with and for us.

I'd like to offer a piece from another 2nd Century Christian, Melito of Sardis. This is a Passover Homily that links Moses and Jesus. There is, in this early Christian sermon, no sense of Jesus satisfying God's wrath. Instead, there is at most a description of a ransom theory. I invite your reflections on this paragraph or two.

He is the Passover of our salvation. He is the one who in many folk bore many things. He is the one who was murdered in the person of Abel, bound in the…

Could it be? Could we be moving on to other things besides constant debates about abortion and homosexuality (and teaching creation in the schools)? Is the religious right in decline?

Well it's too early to tell, but as Martin Marty points out, Frank Rich seems to believe that this is true. Rich believes that economic issues have taken center stage and so we're less focused on the other issues. I think he's probably correct, but the question is -- will they heat up when the economy begins to settle down (after all today the Dow went up nearly 500 points). These debates are cyclical and likely will come back, but in our economic doldrums we get a respite! Take a look, add a comment.

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Sightings 3/23/09The Decline of the Culture Wars -- Martin E. MartyEight days ago columnist Frank Rich in the New York Times joined the company of those who note, as his headline says, that “The Culture Warriors Get Laid Off.” He wrote…

A song for Spring and for Easter --words by John M.C. Crum, tune Noel Nouvelet
Played by Brian Sondahl



Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;
love lives again, that with the dead has been;
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

In the grave they laid the love by hatred slain,
thinking that Jesus would not wake again,
laid in the earth like grain that seeps unseen;
Love is come again like wheat a rising green.

Christ come forth at Easter, like the risen grain,
who that for three days in the grave had lain;
raised from the dead, the risen Christ is seen;
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
your touch can call us back to life again,
fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been;
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

Why Emergence Matters:
A New Paradigm for Relating the Sciences.

We hear a lot about emergent and emergence. We have evangelicals using such language and non-evangelicals as well. Phyllis Tickle speaks of the Great Emergence, that paradigm shifting event that happens every half-millennium or so when the way we think and practice our faith changes dramatically. Of course, nothing happens that quickly – it’s something that happens over time – building on what came before, but then perhaps in the twinkling of the eye everything appears to have changed.

As I pick up the Second Section of Philip Clayton's book Adventures in the Spirit(Fortress, 2008), for the Transforming Theology project, the book moves into a more specific area of exploration, a new paradigm for doing science called "emergence." Clayton believes this new paradigm has the potential to be transformative for theology and for the practice of Christian faith.

We are told by the New Atheists, such as Richard Da…

Good Friday is on the horizon, and whether you're a preacher or not, you may wish to reflect on the cross and its meaning. Last year I published a book of sermons on the Seven Last Words of Christ -- the traditional texts for Good Friday. This is a relatively brief book, but it reflects my own sense of the cross and of Good Friday.

I invite you to pick up one through Amazon.com.

The definition of this word in the Westminster Dictionary of Theology (Westminster Press, 1983) begins:

The English word "atonement" originally signified the condition of being "at-one" after two parties had been estranged from one another. Soon a secondary meaning emerged: "atonement" denoted the means, an act or a payment, through which harmony was restored." (p. 50).


The author of this definition notes that the word for atonement -- katallage -- is translated in the KJV as atonement only once (Romans 5:11), and elsewhere is translated as reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18ff). The author notes too that in the OT the Hebrew word translated atonement "frequently occurs in a ceremonial context" and speaks of actions taken to remove guilt (Leviticus 23:26ff) -- a ceremony that is reflected upon in Hebrews 9. The issue here is removal of guilt -- perhaps by satisfying a divine requirement. The question before us, however, has to do with t…

In reviewing the book God Does Not . . . I commented on Daniel Bell's attempt to deal with the atonement. His point is that God doesn't demand blood -- that is Jesus didn't die so as to appease God's wrath or satisfy some need for blood to resolve legal issues. It is a challenge to traditional penal substitutionary atonement theology. I applaud him for the attempt, but feel it needs more work!

As we contemplate the biblical understanding of the Cross -- something that we will be doing soon on Good Friday (see my reflections in my book A Cry from the Cross) -- it is proper to remember that in the early years of the church there were a number of attempts to understand the cross and Jesus' life and death and resurrection. One of the most important early theologians was Irenaeus, whose Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies) attempted to refute Gnostic attempts to separate Jesus Christ from his body. In developing his defense of Christianity, he described Jesus' …

Pope Benedict XVI made comments that strain the margins of credibility. Beginning a trip to Africa, a continent ravaged by AIDS (most of which coming through heterosexual contact), he made a pronouncement on the use of condoms that stands in stark contrast to the facts. He suggests that condoms, rather than helping to alleviate the situation, encourage and expand the problem. Now it's true that condoms aren't perfect, and they can break, but this isn't why the Pope is against the use of condoms. He's against them because they are a form of birth control. Now, had he said, that condoms are a form of birth control and we don't allow for any form of birth control, even if it will help prevent the spread of an epidemic that might kill millions, then I'd disagree with him, but at least he would be honest. But, from the standpoint of being "pro-life," how ironic it is that the prevention of pregnancy is worse than preventing an illness that could k…

Friday, March 20, 2009
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

A Time to Rejoice

“Rejoice always!” That is a difficult command to obey. There are indeed times to rejoice: The birth of a child, the graduation of that same child. A Wedding Day, surely that is a day to rejoice. But can we rejoice always? Even as he presents this request, which seems so unrealistic, Paul goes on to suggest that we pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances. Surely, these are difficult commands to hear and to abide.

The life of faith is not always easy. It can be full of challenges, as Paul himself knew. Even as he wrote these words, he would have had in the recesses of his mind memories of beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonmen…

As a Protestant, especially as one who is ordained and ministers in a denomination long known for its rationalism, articles about Vatican difficulties dealing with claims of the miraculous can stir up a bit of a chuckle. But, then again, I must remember from whence I've come. I was once a Pentecostal -- member of the church founded by none other than Aimee Semple McPherson. Aimee was a healing evangelist, whose fame centered not just upon her stirring preaching, but also on the basis of her healing ministry.

We Progressive Christians struggle with the biblical miracle stories -- we try to find rational answers, though sometimes we just have to stop and say -- not sure how that happened. As a Progressive, with an Evangelical streak I give some credence to the unexplained, believing that God can act, even in ways I can't explain. Anyway, in today's edition of Sightings, Dr. Heather Hartel explores the Vatican's attempt to control reports of the miraculous in the age…

Could science and theology have a mutually beneficial conversation? That's the question we have long been pondering, since too often we hear only that science and religion are at war. From the religious side we often hear about alternative views of science, from Creationism to Intelligent Design. My review of Karl Giberson's Saving Darwin deals with some of that discussion.

Philip Clayton, a theology professor at Claremont School of Theology, is deeply engaged in a conversation with science as a theologian. I'm reading, as I've pointed out earlier, his Adventures in the Spirit (Fortress 2008), as part of the Transforming Theology project. Clayton speaks of emergence -- a term that is similar in nature to that used by Tony Jones, Doug Pagitt, and others. In some ways they mean something different, but in others, they are closing in on similar understandings.

The clip below introduces the content of the second section of Adventures in the Spirit. I'll be posting…

I opened up a volume of sermons written and preached by the founder of this congregation that I'm privileged to serve as pastor. Dr. Edgar Dewitt Jones was a man of his day, and likely very different from me (so say those who knew him). He retired decades ago and yet his shadow continues to rest upon the congregation -- though it has receded some in recent years. Still, as his successor, I'm cognizant of the tradition he set forth. I expect that on many points we would agree theologically and politically, and differ at others. The sermon I opened up was his "Personal Confession of Faith," and in it he sets out what he personally believed. I'd like to put out her his first paragraph and then comment on it.


I believe in Christ! You would expect me to say this, Christ is the center of the Christian faith, and it would indeed be strange and sad if a teacher of the Christian religion disbelieved in the Founder of the faith. I cannot recall a time when I did not think o…

Posted below is a reflection for today as published in Central Woodward Christian Church's 2009 Lenten Devotional

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Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Isaiah 43:1-7

1 But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 W hen you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life. 5 Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; 6 I will say to the north, "Give them up," …