Durham Cathedral, England
http://thekingpin68.blogspot.com/2008/08/objections-to-christ.html
Recently I joined a brand new on-line Christian group for persons that have walked away from church, although I have not left church, and have no intention of leaving church. I joined this group at the request of the blogger that is a link. This group has an associated blog. On the blog an article was written suggesting that in the United States there is a tendency to obscure the simple teachings of Jesus with doctrines and theological systems.
From:
http://humanitas.typepad.com/sojourn/2008/07/the-simplicity.html
I noted in comments:
I am a member of a Presbyterian Church of the Reformed tradition. I have not walked away from church, but do reason that in many ways an understanding of Biblical theology has led me to accept that Reformed theology usually provides greater understanding than does evangelical, for example. I would prefer not to call myself evangelical, although there is overlap between Reformed and evangelical views.
The link and blogger answered by noting that theology was a human construct and therefore was prone to error.
I then commented:
There is theological error because there is sin and God has not yet purged us of all sin. We are close to Christ as our theology concerning Christ is correct and as we are guided by the Holy Spirit. We cannot properly focus on Christ without a proper theological understanding. Now this theology may be more practical than systematic in the beginning but a proper understanding of Biblical theology is important or else we risk having an understanding of Christ which is heavily influenced by the ideologies of persons which will be subject to error.
Theology is not just a human construct, but was revealed through the teaching of Old Testament writers, Christ and his New Testament writers.
The blogger stated his disagreement with my view. He deduces that I do not think theology is a human construct
What I had stated was:
Theology is not just a human construct, but was revealed through the teaching of Old Testament writers, Christ and his New Testament writers.
I then added:
Biblical theology is God working through human means, and so the theology is both divine and human.
I also noted in regard to the idea that theology is not simply the study of God:
No, theology is also studying the philosophy of God. This can be seen in the disciplines of Biblical theology, systematic and philosophical theology, and philosophy of religion. The theology/ philosophy of God, was revealed by the prophets, Christ and the apostles. Therefore theology is certainly not just a human construct without understanding that theology is revealed by God to persons in Scripture, and understanding this theology being led by God, the view of Christ can largely be a human construct. This is a reason why there are so many religious groups that claim to know Christ (Eastern Religion, LDS, and others) and yet do not understand or know who the Biblical Jesus is.
The blogger then mentioned that the disciples were not educated in contrast to the Pharisees that were theologians:
I noted:
And then there was Paul too, regenerated and educated, the scholar.:)
The blogger then comments that Paul left the things of the law behind for Christ.
I noted:
Agreed, good point. And the Lord used Paul and his abilities to teach corrective theology in contrast to the teaching of the Jewish leaders.
Romans for example, is a cornerstone of Christian theology.
End
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Thanks to Jim and Vicki for the photos.
