Re: [asa] Physicalism and Incarnation

And that is the typical interpretation.

But really where in the Bible does it say that all of creation is in need of
redemption? In Genesis the only direct effects on creation of Adam's sin,
is that women would have pain in childbirth, the snake would slither on its
belly, and the soil would have to be worked for it to yield fruit. Creation
is really not much different now than it was before the fall. It is not in
need of redemption or restoration, it is still "very good".

The story of the entire bible, is about the fall, redemption and restoration
of Man. As I see it: the new heavens and earth, is the new covenant; the
new Jerusalem is the church; the elements destroyed by fire in 2 Peter, is
the law, etc.

I agree with you that spirit=good, and material=bad, is not the way we
should be thinking, that as I understand is a characteristic of Gnosticism.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Miller" <kbmill@ksu.edu>
To: "American Scientific Affiliation" <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: [asa] Physicalism and Incarnation

> Jack wrote:
>
>> I wish you would explain more about how your understanding of how a new
>> heavens and a new Earth, and the holy city, are related to your ideas of
>> personal eschatology.
>>
>> Which comes first, do you interpret resurrection as physical, but more
>> so, because you are expecting a entirely new creation, or is it the
>> other way around? It seems to me that may be interpreting one unclear
>> portion of scripture with another unclear portion.
>
> I really don't have much more to explain. My point is merely that I
> think that throughout scripture the portrayal of God's plan is one of
> redemption and restoration. That restoration includes all of Creation,
> not just us. Creation rejoices with God's people in the Psalms and
> yearns for our redemption in Romans. I also think that it is critical
> that the "spiritual" not be seen as good and the "material" as bad. God
> declared the Creation "very good" and took upon himself that creation in
> the incarnation. We are material beings - we are part of the good
> Creation. Our humanity rests in that as much as it does our
> apprehension of the divine. Our redemption must include the physical if
> it is really redemption -- that seems to be the point of Paul's emphasis
> on the bodily resurrection.
>
> To place the resurrection in purely spiritual terms would seem to reflect
> Greek ideas that the material is bad, and only pure spirit is good.
>
> Keith
>
>
>
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Received on Sat Mar 3 13:56:08 2007