Did's some Blogging on Marcionism a few years back. Post 1
Marcion of Sinope (AD 85- 160) was one of Christianity’s greatest heretics. He had a lot in common with the group of heretics that we know as “the Gnostics”, that you can probably classify him as one, even though there are fine differences between what he taught and what his predecessors taught and believed. Unlike, many of his forerunners Marcion was much less syncretistic. Many of his predecessors were very happy taking a few doses of the New Testament and combining them with pagan myths, astrology, Zoroastrianism and many of the other faiths and occult practices of the day. While Marcion was only really concerned with the contents of what we know as the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. In many ways, he was also “a Reformer” and popularizer of basic Gnostic ideas into the Christian world of his day. Like the Gnostics before him, Marcion claimed that Yahew of the Old Testament that created the World and authored “The Old Testament” was a different God than “The Father” of the New Testament that sent his only Begotten Son into the World to redeem the Lost. Marcion heretical theology naturally led him to negate the importance of the Old Testament to the Gospel and Christian life in general.
While formal literal Marcionism may be long dead in many ways a soft figurative defacto version of that heresy still remains. This is to say, that people no longer literally teach that Yahew and God the Father are different entities, but in many ways, there is a great disregard for the Old Testament by many Charismatics and other Evangelicals that is very much Marcionite in its attitude. Which is to say, except for acknowledging that the Old Testament sets up the context of the NT and has some inspiring stories in it, many people really have little use for when it comes most of Christian life and doctrine. It’s importance is often diminished when it comes to questions of interpreting the New Testament and when considering problems of Christian life.
For example, if I have a disagreement with another Christian over some aspect of Christian doctrine and praxis and I want to quote old testament passages in addition to ones of the NT to support my position, too often I find such passages without much though hand waved away and the point of view dismissed as being “From the Old Covenant”. And I’m so put off by the disregard for the Old Testament that I wonder why some folks haven’t gone the literal way of Marcion by actually jettisoning it altogether! You Know, the Gideon’s have a nice pocket New Testament with the Psalms that is very light and fits easily in your back pocket! Needless to say, this my friends should not be!
2 Timothy 3:16 ►
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
When saint Paul wrote these words, he was talking about THE OLD TESTAMENT! (Because at this time, the New Testament was in the process of being written and was a few more centuries away from being formally canonized!)
I’m really put off by the low view many “Christians” have of the Old Testament. Yes, we are living under and newer and better covenant and the old ritual law has been fulfilled in Christ. But there are many Christian issues that are complex and the Old Testament provides context for the New Testament “Full Counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
Marcion of Sinope - Wikipedia
Marcion of Sinope (AD 85- 160) was one of Christianity’s greatest heretics. He had a lot in common with the group of heretics that we know as “the Gnostics”, that you can probably classify him as one, even though there are fine differences between what he taught and what his predecessors taught and believed. Unlike, many of his forerunners Marcion was much less syncretistic. Many of his predecessors were very happy taking a few doses of the New Testament and combining them with pagan myths, astrology, Zoroastrianism and many of the other faiths and occult practices of the day. While Marcion was only really concerned with the contents of what we know as the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. In many ways, he was also “a Reformer” and popularizer of basic Gnostic ideas into the Christian world of his day. Like the Gnostics before him, Marcion claimed that Yahew of the Old Testament that created the World and authored “The Old Testament” was a different God than “The Father” of the New Testament that sent his only Begotten Son into the World to redeem the Lost. Marcion heretical theology naturally led him to negate the importance of the Old Testament to the Gospel and Christian life in general.
While formal literal Marcionism may be long dead in many ways a soft figurative defacto version of that heresy still remains. This is to say, that people no longer literally teach that Yahew and God the Father are different entities, but in many ways, there is a great disregard for the Old Testament by many Charismatics and other Evangelicals that is very much Marcionite in its attitude. Which is to say, except for acknowledging that the Old Testament sets up the context of the NT and has some inspiring stories in it, many people really have little use for when it comes most of Christian life and doctrine. It’s importance is often diminished when it comes to questions of interpreting the New Testament and when considering problems of Christian life.
For example, if I have a disagreement with another Christian over some aspect of Christian doctrine and praxis and I want to quote old testament passages in addition to ones of the NT to support my position, too often I find such passages without much though hand waved away and the point of view dismissed as being “From the Old Covenant”. And I’m so put off by the disregard for the Old Testament that I wonder why some folks haven’t gone the literal way of Marcion by actually jettisoning it altogether! You Know, the Gideon’s have a nice pocket New Testament with the Psalms that is very light and fits easily in your back pocket! Needless to say, this my friends should not be!
2 Timothy 3:16 ►
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
When saint Paul wrote these words, he was talking about THE OLD TESTAMENT! (Because at this time, the New Testament was in the process of being written and was a few more centuries away from being formally canonized!)
I’m really put off by the low view many “Christians” have of the Old Testament. Yes, we are living under and newer and better covenant and the old ritual law has been fulfilled in Christ. But there are many Christian issues that are complex and the Old Testament provides context for the New Testament “Full Counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
Marcion of Sinope - Wikipedia
