From: Don Winterstein (dfwinterstein@msn.com)
Date: Wed Oct 08 2003 - 06:42:47 EDT
George Murphy wrote in part:
'The approach you suggest seems to suggest Christ primarily as an example of
God's love - an idea often associated with Abelard & "moral influence" theories & liked
by liberal protestants. I think it's a viable option if one is careful with it. But
there can be some problems. First, if the death of Christ is simply a demonstration of
God's acceptance of us that already existed _before_ the cross then in a basic sense the
cross was not _necessary_. Second, the cross should not be presented simply as a
passive example. It must be an _active_ one, an example that actually does something to
us. "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.'
Well, I believe that God has goals to accomplish with his creation, goals that absent the actual demonstration (i.e., Christ's sacrifice) would be thwarted. The cross was necessary to bring about concrete effects (e.g., rise of Christianity) that would not have taken place without it. The cross was practical, a means by which God has been able to further his goals. This way of looking at it, I think, also satisfies your second objection.
'...It would be nice if everybody - not just you, Don - would forego
the pop psychologizing of Luther.'
You're right, I'm taking cheap, shallow shots. Luther probably doesn't deserve them. In criticizing his psyche I'm really thinking of some of his spiritual descendants who sometimes seem to get perverse satisfaction from wallowing in their "wretched sinfulness" that to outsiders looks nothing at all like real sin. Why aren't they bolder, like David or the author of Psalm 119?! We have every reason to be bolder. And Luther himself was bold in many ways.
(Incidentally, Bach's version of Christ lag in Todesbanden (BWV 4) is one of my all-time favorites. Merely reading the stanza you quoted and mentally hearing Bach's treatment gives me chills.)
Don
It was a strange and dreadful strife
When life and death contended;
The victory remained with life,
The reign of death was ended.
Holy Scripture plainly says
That death is swallowed up by death,
Its sting is lost forever.
Hallelujah!
My more or less literal (and unpoetic) translation from maybe 40 years ago:
It was a strange war
When Death and Life wrestled
Life gained the victory
He has devoured Death
Scripture has proclaimed that--
How one death ate the other.
A laughingstock was made of Death.
Hallelujah!
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