Everything Must Change by Brian McLaren – Part C.
The third question builds off of and answers the first and the second.
Third question . . .
Jesus’ Message: How did Jesus respond to the crisis?
Conventional View: Jesus says, in essence, “If you want to be among those specifically qualified to escape being forever punished for your sins in hell, you must repent of your individual sins and believe that my Father punished me on the cross so he won’t have to punish you in hell. Only if you believe this will you go to heaven when the earth is destroyed and everyone else is banished to hell.” This is the good news.
Emerging View: Jesus says, in essence, “I have been sent by God with this good news – that God loves humanity, even in its lostness and sin. God graciously invites everyone and anyone to turn from his or her current path and follow a new way. Trust me and become my disciple, and you will be transformed, and you will participate in the transformation of the world, which is possible beginning right now. This is the good news.
Thoughts? Feedback? Pushback? Too stereotypical? Do the differentiations go far enough for you? Too far?
Listening: Versatile Heart by Linda Thompson
Phil J
Friday, 16. November 2007 um 3:16 pm Uhr
An important distinction that frankly I hadn’t thought about much until a few weeks ago, as it came up in yet another petty theological argument threatens to destroy a wonderful & thriving ministry. Sigh. The “conventional” way doesn’t sound so much like the loving God that I was taught about. And it bothers me. By the way, the “emerging” view is hardly new – no less than John Calvin talked in these terms.