August 20, 2008 Christianity’s Dangerous Idea p.99
Democracy was (arguably) first truly applied to public government through the application of Calvin’s ideas of church government to the secular politics by John Knox.
[1/19/08]
Posted in Faith
Tagged as: calvin, democracy, john knox.
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August 19, 2008 As I read and learn more and more about the history of the basic branches of the Protestant church I find that the pattern of too-hard - too-soft - just-right in almost every run down of their distinctives and doctrines. There are issues of the “real presence” in communion, baptism (both child and believer’s), church political structure and its interaction with the secular politics, defense of the doctrines (or dogmas), the interpretation of the Bible, the nature of God, the nature of salvation and election… I find truth and different kinds of “missing it” in all of them.
Am I Goldilocks with my theology? Will I find the
highPapa Church always too big, and hot but with the right firmness? Will the Mama church always be too soft and cold, but the right size? And the infantile church “just right”? And will I find myself thrown out of the house altogether?Maybe the metaphor of the story breaks down around here - finding the extremes too much but comfort somewhere in the middle. It’s as if I’m looking for the medium sized, hard and cold… and not all of them go with the same system (Papa, Mama, Baby)…
Is it that I just find myself uncomfortable in every house but still welcomed… as if the bears welcomed Miss Locks into their home to stay.
[1/19/08]
Posted in Faith
Tagged as: biblical interpretation, church, distinctives, doctrine, dogma, election, god, Politics, protestant reformation, theology.
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August 18, 2008 From Christianity’s Dangerous Idea p. 94
Calvin’s greatest contribution to the Protestant church is the ability he demonstrated to be able to be build a solid basis of theology on the Bible…
It’s crazy to me that it was any other way at other post-canonical period of time! This just betrays the success of Calvin’s main and foundational idea.
I need to read Calvin’s Institutes.
[1/11/08]
Posted in Faith
Tagged as: biblical interpretation, calvin, christianity's dangerous idea, protestant reformation.
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August 17, 2008 This question and prayer came after reading a portion of the history of the Protestant Reformation where Luther actually had someone executed for preaching a differing understanding of baptism than himself…
Is there an example of anyone in the scriptures who died because of bad doctrine on par with a bad understanding of baptism (or less)? I know not of even one! For pride; for lack of pursuit of God; for disobedience and dishonor of God; for a sin in action or condition that is not confessed? Yes, yes, yes, yes. For ignoring God’s Word - yes. For blasphemy - yes. For heretical action - yes. For heretical words - none that I know of. Killing for worldview, for belief or for understandings does not fall in line with any definition of biblical - then, how can any judgment be leveled against a heretic or theological opponent?! For, all righteous judgment is a judgment that can (at some degree) be taken to judgment unto death… and indeed it will on that great and terrible day.
[1/10/08]
Posted in Faith, Meta Blogging
Tagged as: baptism, blasphemy, doctrine, heresy, history, journal, judgement, luther, protestant reformation, sin, theology.
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August 16, 2008 So, as Carrie and I were listening to the NPR game show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” they talked about a chemical that was found on Mars’ surface that they are saying would hinder the chances of finding life there. I don’t know what the chemical is and it doesn’t matter when it comes to my question. I’ve read a couple of articles stating that it would indeed be dangerous for life there and would hinder it’s survival; so here’s my question that I think is rooted relatively well in evolutionary theory:
Wouldn’t life on Mars have evolved in such a way that the substance would either end up being beneficial (at best), guarded against or a non issue (worse)? There are plenty of chemicals and compounds here that can be harmful, but life here uses or just ignores (oxygen, carbon dioxide, etc.) would that not also happen with this specific chemical if life were to occur on Mars?
I think the issue lies in the fact that people who hear these things don’t understand how the evolutionary theory is supposed to work - things evolve to adapt to their environment. Life adapted to Earth’s environment would not be able to hand the compound well, but then again life from Mars might find some other substance that we don’t even think about deadly.
There seems to be one article that I’ve found that at least questions these evaluations as well.
Posted in Tech
Tagged as: evolution, life, mars, news, science.
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