...and then I HAVE TO get to work! But I read this article on a pastor in Seattle who preaches a hyper-masculine, damnation-to-most-people gospel in Seattle, and I had to comment on it. Apparently, Calvinism is making a comeback. I'm not too familiar with Reformation-era theology, but my relationship with God, though not the strongest, still tells me that this idea of who He is and how salvation works just isn't right. God may be an angry, jealous god, but He isn't anger and he isn't jealousy. Quite the contrary, the Bible says God is not just loving, but that He is love itself. And that selfless love that took away the sin of the world doesn't arbitrarily divide humanity into the heaven- and hell-bound, but stands there with arms open waiting for us to come to Him of our own accord. Salvation lies in the choice we make, not in the fate we have no control over.
Of course liberal queer that I am that Pastor Driscoll anathemizes, I believe in a wide salvation. A God who is the divine epitomy of good, will not, I believe, condemn anyone but the truly evil to hell. The vast, vast majority of people who are just lost in their own lives have done nothing to deserve that kind of torment. They may not have accepted Jesus as their personal savior, but they live a life of love for their family and friends, and what is more Christ-like than that? In short, Pastor Driscoll, for the love of God, get the love of God.
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I read the article too, and it was intriguing. I don't really agree with the Calvinism, but I do agree with the church's premise - to get men back into the church. I just don't think that they're going about it the best way possible!
As I am procrastinating too, I want to make one or two comments:
Your view of theology is definitely liberal! I looked into the idea of "universal salvation" a while back because it intrigued me a lot too, and I don't know how to think about this just yet. There are a ton of verses that support this view, but at the same time, there is a lot of evidence that we have a free will to choose, etc. I'm sitting on the fence on this one.
I think one thing to note is that Christ left his family and friends to preach the good news - something that most people would not be able to do. Another thing to note would be that Jesus' disciples left their livelihoods (friends, family, etc.) to follow this crazy guy who preached salvation for all. Not exactly what most people would consider love! At the same time, I do acknowledge that one of Jesus' last words on the cross was for John to take care of his mother. Also, God didn't create the church first, but rather family, even if we were to take the Genesis story as a metaphor, through Adam and Eve.
Also, I don't know what you mean by "truly evil." I mean, I think I'm a "generally good guy," and that describes, I think, many people in the world. But at the same time, I can't say that I haven't been selfish (e.g., wanting the last piece of chocolate or something, to take something 'minor) or wronged people before!
Okay. back to thesis.
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