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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | response | Rom 1:18 | userdoe220 | 20563 | ||
Thanks for your perspective on Geisler's book. I, too, felt that Geisler was trying to shape reforemed theology in the image of armenian. Why? I think we might disagree on this, I think Geisler (who is an intellectual) like myself (up for extreme debate on weather I am one) have seen the lack of evidence and the proof text offered by Calvanist to justify their belief in sovereignty and free will debate. I don't pretend to have all the answers on this subject in my back pocket, but was pleased to see Geisler was admitting that he too felt the same way! He pointed out and made an attempt to reconcile some major contradictions in reformed thought. (which I feel was heavily influenced by platonic philosophy not the scriptures.) I will def. check out the book you have recommended after I finally read a book published by an Armenianist author on this issue. I feel 5-0 is pretty lopsided affair and if I am not convinced yet I am not sure I will ever swing over to a reformed approach on this issue. Second comment about scholarship: When you have authors writing about the "lack of scholarship" in the Christian community I have to wonder what their motives are. Are they considering someone to not be a scholar because they don't agree with them on certain issues? Another words the , "If you were a real scholar, you would naturally come to the same conclusions I have concerning God" type books. If so they are just arrogant and not scholars. If not, I might be interested in looking at their books. I too see a lot of nonsense preached from the T.V and pulpits, but don't even attempt to lump them in as people who are even trying to be "scholars" of the Christian faith. In fact they would probably be the first to admit that they are not scholars. In some sense I think the church has too many "scholars" and not enough people actually "doing" the work of the ministry. It seems like all people want to do is debate about what Christianiy is and never practice it ( I don't mind the debate part as long as the other half is equally in place). I asked my pastor recently why he spent 8 years in college to study the scriptures and how to effectively do ministry and he hides in the church 7 days a week and never does what Paul and the other apostles did--witness in the public arenas...interact and challenge the presuppositions of the world today? What are they teaching in those seminaries about ministry? I just don't see the bang for the buck from people I know who have attended. Enough ranting. If you have been to seminary, I would love to know why people that leave are so ineffective in ministry (That might be too general of a statment). They wax eloqount in philosophy and Theology but never seem to get out in the public arena and challenge others. Most of them hide in the churches and preach where it is safe--another words they "Preach to the choir". Why are our best trained servants in the church never put into action? Why do I, someone who has no seminary training, placed on the front lines of evangelism when there is someone in the church that is much better able to answer the criticism that people have to Christianity--the seminary trained pastor? |
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2 | response | Rom 1:18 | Reformer Joe | 20640 | ||
Just a quick note: The books and authors I mentioned were not talking about being scholars in theology. They were addressing the near-complete absence of a scholarly, Christian perspective in schools and universities regarding the art and humanities and sciences and other academic disciplines. The other books in that short list criticize how the church of today bears no huge difference between the world, and how that many of the techniques of churches today actually promote the abandonment of the salt and light which sets us apart from it. All of the books deal with why the Christian worldview has been marginalized and diluted in the larger culture, and why Christians are largely responsible for letting this happen. None of them deal directly with the supriority of one evangelical school of thought over another. Sorry if I wasn't clear there! Even though I have not been to seminary (yet), I would disagree that all who go end up being ineffective. Most missionaries have a significant amount of seminary training, and I know of amny ministers who are "on the front lines" as well. For example, D. James Kennedy is the chancellor of Knox Theological Seminary in Florida, but is the creator of Evangelism Explosion, one of the most well-known training programs. Every seminary student there must take classes in the program along with their theology courses to avoid the "ivory tower" mentality that any type of in-depth academic education can bring about. Incidentally, I do think that trained seminarians do not do enough to share their training with others who have not been. Theology is for everyone, not just the seminarian. That used to be a commonplace idea in Protestant churches, you know. I myself am blessed to be part of a church where the teaching elders do indeed take their teaching roles seriously (we currently have one of them teaching a weekly course in systematic theology to small groups, for example). Some of the criticism of the seminary-trained pastor is not merely because many of them do not "get out there," but also because there is quite a huge anti-intellectual bias in American evangelicalism today. Theology must always be put into practice, but one must have a good understanding of who God is and what he requires of us in order to be effectively sharing it with others. Working with teenage missionaries during the summer, I can tell you numerous instances of eagerness in evangelism but really WRONG things coming out of those kids' mouths sometimes. The bottom line is that we must study ourselves to be approved to God, and then act openly and purposefully on what we know to be true. --Joe! |
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3 | response | Rom 1:18 | Morant61 | 20659 | ||
Support.................................. Well said Joe! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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