A year ago fall break we visited Disneyland, my wife begins to miss it if we do not return yearly. She loves it there and its just "Donald Ducky" OK with me.We both agreed not to go during the Halloween decoration time.
Just how wide is orthodox Christianity. If Presbyterians and Methodists who do not agree on freewill both go to heaven, if Pentacostals and Episcopals who do not agree on the amount of control and decorum to be practiced in public worship both go to heaven, if Baptists and Church of Christ people who disagree on the meaning of baptism both go to heaven, just how big a door do we have?
I am reading a paper on the etymology of a certain biblical word which has theological implications, and over the years I have reflected on scholarship in this area quite a bit. The paper is a treatise on why Augustine had it right, and I find it based on a number of reasons, no longer convincing. I am therefore post Augustinian in this area.
It has led me to a larger conclusion about the being and justice of God. Augustine believed God's ultimate justice was retributive. Lock them up and throw away the key. I believe now that the Bible has always taught a restorative justice, lets let them do the time and pay for the crime but lets return them eventually to society. I believe it to be more in line with God as He is revealed in Christ, and with the new Covenant, the primary truth being proven by God's promise to save unbelieving Jews and restore them in due time. Ultimate restoration of all as a hope for the power of God in the Gospel.
Do post Augustinian theologians go to heaven? Because, unless by reason and scripture I am convinced otherwise, here I stand, cautiously, testing the post Augustinian waters.
No comments:
Post a Comment