You are correct that liberal theology does not fear (or see the need to fear) human knowledge, regardless of the discipline. Whether it's science, history or philosophy, we understand that human knowledge is no threat to our faith. Many conservatives recognize this truth as well; unfortunately, there is also an undeniable anti-intellectual streak that runs through the entire history of conservatism, and gets expressed in statements like yours. It truly is a shame that your faith has so much to fear; I am thankful that mine does not. I am thankful that I can affirm truth wherever I find it, rather than automatically take a suspicious stance toward anything that comes from outside my own tradition.
I am afraid you don't know me very well about fear. Jesus released me from FEAR (John 10:1-8, 11-13). Faith in Jesus has replaced my temporal doubts and fears with eternal hope without any fear of eternal death. My anticipations will conform to the revealed Word of God and I have nothing to doubt or fear in my life or in my death. Knowing your true enemy is important and that enemy is Satan who can easily become the tool of Satan, who is called the accuser. One of his chief weapons is discouragement. Job is one of my favorite Old Testament books because I can relate to him and his trials. I have face my own trials and fear was never a problem for me. When disaster comes into a person's life, it reveals what's truly in their hearts. Trials come to test the strength of our faith because they assist us in the knowledge of our own faith. (Genesis 22:1-18, Malachi 3:3-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9). Trials come to us to reveal what we really love.
Martin Luther's Quote: The great difference between doctrine and life is obvious, even as the difference between heaven and earth. Life may be unclean, sinful, and inconsistent; but doctrine must be pure, holy, sound, unchanging ... not a tittle or letter may be omitted, however much life may fail to meet the requirements of doctrine. This is so because doctrine is God's Word, and God's truth alone, whereas life is partly our own doing.... God will have patience with man's moral failings and imperfections and forgive them. But He cannot, will not, and shall not tolerate a man's altering or abolishing doctrine itself. For doctrine involves His exalted, divine Majesty itself (WA, 30 111, 343 f.)
Compare Scripture with Scripture. False doctrines, like false witnesses, agree not among themselves. We have to remember that its not the scriptures that are corrupted. Its a man's heart that is corrupted. Intelligence, reason, and choice.
The Scriptures aim to affect our hearts and change the way we feel about God and his will. It is the will of God that his Word crush feelings of arrogance and self-reliance and that it give hope to the poor in spirit. Christianity will always be running against the prevailing movement of society with individualistic doctrinal beliefs. We are in the world of self-deceit that we are too focused on ourselves to see the eternal truth.
As you can see around the world, you see difference of opinions of Scriptures based on their own interpretations OR what they they have learned over the years through their denominational teachings. We all victimized because we grew up in a certain theological system and we became indoctrinated by what we have learned over the years that we have struggled by defending what we have learned and can't seem to let go of it.
You're right, I don't know you about fear. And by ascribing the motive of fear to your acceptance of the ideology that views human reason and "liberalism" with suspicion, I did exactly what I've found so utterly distasteful in LutheranMafia's posts: presumed to know something about what's going on in your heart. For that, I apologize.
I do believe that fear is the origin of belief systems that view all truth claims that come from outside the particular belief system's in-group as suspicious, but I'm perfectly willing to accept that not everybody who buys into such belief systems is likewise motivated by fear. I can't honestly back away from my contention that such belief systems are incredibly problematic, but I do acknowledge that more than just fear is at work in particular believers who align with them. Again, I apologize.
According to HistoryChannel.com, the Athanasian Creed has been part of the Russian Orthodox liturgy since the 17th century, but other Eastern churches do not generally consider it a standard of faith. A check of numerous Orthodox websites state that the only creed proclaimed by an Ecumenical Council is the Nicene Creed.
I've never heard of the Athanasian Creed or the Apostles' Creed being used in any Orthodox Church. I'm in an OCA parish, which is of the Russian tradition.
Mary
__________________ Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing Life!
...how many here personally believe in eternal punishment, as listed in the Anthanasian Creed?
The Athanasian Creed isn't something I had read before today. Now that I have, I can say that I am in agreement with it, with the possible exception of this...
"And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons."
This is because I believe that God the Father is the dominant person within the Trinity. The God-Son submits Himself to the Father, and the God-Spirit submits Himself to both Father and Son.
The Athanasian Creed isn't something I had read before today. Now that I have, I can say that I am in agreement with it, with the possible exception of this...
"And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons."
This is because I believe that God the Father is the dominant person within the Trinity. The God-Son submits Himself to the Father, and the God-Spirit submits Himself to both Father and Son.
The Athanasian Creed isn't something I had read before today. Now that I have, I can say that I am in agreement with it, with the possible exception of this...
"And in this Trinity, no one is before or after, greater or less than the other; but all three persons are in themselves, coeternal and coequal; and so we must worship the Trinity in unity and the one God in three persons."
This is because I believe that God the Father is the dominant person within the Trinity. The God-Son submits Himself to the Father, and the God-Spirit submits Himself to both Father and Son.
But He is still...ONE GOD. That is why the creed is correct.
Linear Mode
