Peter Rollins

[Iosias]

Have you heard of him?

The Idolatry of God by Peter Rollins - YouTube

 

[acousticsaint]

Yep, he recently recommended people give up God for lent??!!?? Not sure how that is supposed to work. He's not a christian but wants to use the name and make his god sound like the christian God.

 

[Iosias]

He was being deliberately provocative; the idea was to read and engage with atheistic philosophy during Lent echoing the cry of Jesus on the cross:

Atheism for Lent - YouTube

 

[acousticsaint]

Right so he wants people to change the way they think about christianity, remove the centrality of belief (doctrine) and replace it with life (experience).

His analogy of the belonging to the family before beliefs are formed is nonsensical unless you agree with the reformed view of election then yes ultimately we are in the family of God before we believe. But doctrine should be determined by the bible not life so the analogy falls apart rather quickly.

I have nothing against examining our faith though, that is something we should be doing on a regular basis - always reforming!

 

[gord44]

Yep, he recently recommended people give up God for lent??!!?? Not sure how that is supposed to work. He's not a christian but wants to use the name and make his god sound like the christian God.

Interesting theory. Could it be possible that we get so wrapped up in our idea of God that we lose sight of God? Maybe putting it all aside for 40 days could refresh the soul and allow us to hear God again. I always think of 'be still, and know that I am God'. Problem is, we are never really still usually, at least our minds aren't. They are filled with our egocentric ideas. I have just been meditating the last little bit, trying not to ponder my faith much, but just meditating. The 'gunk' that has come out of my mind is crazy. It feels like cleaning out a clogged pipe allowing the water of God to flow again. I think....hehe.

 

[Iosias]

Right so he wants people to change the way they think about christianity, remove the centrality of belief (doctrine) and replace it with life (experience).

No, that is not what he is saying. He wants us to engage with our Christian belief by grappling with the best critiques of our beliefs. He is not against beliefs, he just wants us to recognise how they are to function within the Christian life.

 

[Iosias]

Interesting theory. Could it be possible that we get so wrapped up in our idea of God that we lose sight of God? Maybe putting it all aside for 40 days could refresh the soul and allow us to hear God again. I always think of 'be still, and know that I am God'. Problem is, we are never really still usually, at least our minds aren't. They are filled with our egocentric ideas. I have just been meditating the last little bit, trying not to ponder my faith much, but just meditating. The 'gunk' that has come out of my mind is crazy. It feels like cleaning out a clogged pipe allowing the water of God to flow again. I think....hehe.

Yep, that's how it works