Re: Fw: Comment on Ted's point

Quoting Ted Davis <tdavis@messiah.edu>:

> Burgy,
>
> As I've made clear in the past relative to this issue, I'm with Paul on
> this one. If Christ be not raised, then we are indeed to be pitied. As an
> historian, I've found NT Wright's "The Resurrection of the Son of God" the
> most spiritually helpful academic book I've ever read, bar none. I also
> agree with every single word in the very long concluding section.
> Historically, if there was no resurrection there would be no church; and
> intellectually, Christians need to understand that our faith *is* about the
> "death of God," but also about his subsequent literal resurrection, such
> that God is not "dead" except in the minds of certain theologians. Spong
> might fit into this category, but I think more of people like Bultmann. If
> my words seemed harsh, Burgy, it's b/c they express what I think is a basic
> truth. As in my earlier post, I grant the difficulty of the practical
> application, but I nevertheless stand by my comments: those who deny the
> bodily resurrection might be people of God (I think that God has to sort
> this out), but they do not think like Christians. Period.
>
> Ted
>
>

Is this the same Spong (J.S.) that wrote "Why Christianity must change or die"?
   He expressed much offense at the whole sacrificial atonement process (way too
bloody) and, if I remember his book correctly, he has no use for the cross as
any part of modern Christian imagry. Our own church is about to start a Sunday
school class studying D. Weaver's "Non-violent Atonement" I am feeling somewhat
apprehensive that it may turn out to be motivated by the same things I found so
objectionable in Spong's work. (I.e. imposing a distinctly "modern
sensibility" rejecting traditional atonement doctrines -- and seeming to fulfill
perfectly the warning that "the cross of Christ is foolishness to those
perishing but the power of God to those saved" --paraphrase of I Cor. 1:18)

Yet I don't know much about the Christus Victor theology or nonviolent atonement
(yet) -- so I guess I shouldn't be too hasty to judge. I'll have to look up
(N.T. Wright?) as well. Thanks, Dr. Davis. Your reflections have been helpful.

--merv
Received on Mon Mar 20 22:02:30 2006