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Blood Washed Heretic
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2003
Total Posts : 167
| Posted 7/16/2003 2:37 PM (GMT -6) |   | Hey all. I’m new here and I thought I’d introduce myself before asking a very practical (read non-technical) question.
I am currently finishing a B. A. in Preaching Ministry from a small Midwestern Bible college operated by Restoration (Stone-Campbell) Movement churches, particularly the Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (phew, I knew that Restoration History class would come in handy). The theology prof at my school is a staunch classical theist, and after taking his Essentials of Theology class, I was fairly convinced that OV was a dangerous challenge to the doctrine of God. However, being notoriously free-spited and open-minded, I am in no way surprised by the changes happening in my head and heart.
In late spring of this year, a group of us “free thinker” students went on a school-sponsored trip, spending a week in Chicago with our renegade philosophy prof. Being a mentor and close friend of mine, I was surprised to learn early in the week that this highly respected and beloved prof was in fact an open theist. However, after a private discussion with him in which I heard OV explained for the first time on its own merits, I began to see that it was actually a theologically acceptable and philosophically tenable position to hold. Since then, I have begun to read “Letters”, but have yet to tackle anything else Doc Boyd has written.
While I am not yet firmly in the OV camp, I certainly appear to be well on my way to that conclusion. Openness reconciles so many paradoxes in my mind, and Doc’s heart for Biblical accuracy has me just about sold. My dilemma is this:
I am about to enter into professional ministry, believing that God has gifted me to preach while stirring a passion inside me for practical disability ministry (I am a wheelchair user) in the local church. The rub is that if my OV beliefs (it IS basically a matter of time at this point) become known widely, it could “blacklist” me from several churches in our brotherhood. The Restoration Movement ideally allows for freedom of conscience in non-essential matters of faith (see slogan in my signature), but this principle is rarely put into practice. Even if it is, the classical view of God is becoming considered as essential belief in many of our churches thanks to the dissemination of polemics by people like my theology prof.
I would like to hear everyone’s input on this, but especially yours, Doc Boyd.
In essentials, unity; In matters of opinion, liberty; In all things, love. | | Back to Top | | |
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Laika
Registered Member
Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 2433
| Posted 7/16/2003 4:11 PM (GMT -6) | | Welcome Blood Washed Believer.
quote:
Openness reconciles so many paradoxes in my mind, and Doc's heart for Biblical accuracy has me just about sold.
You should hear him preach.
I heard Roger Forster and Mike Saia back in the mid 1980s and have been on this path since.
I have an extra copy of Dr. Boyd's "God of the Possible", if you want it, FREE, e-mail me your address. Click on my profile and you'll see my e-mail address.
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honorman
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2002
Total Posts : 1137
| Posted 7/16/2003 7:45 PM (GMT -6) | | BWH: I'm glad you're setting your sails with us. I would recommend John Sander's The God Who Risks, which helped me much. Also his new book (with Christopher Hall) Does God Have A Future, is excellant because it shows how well the open view stands up in a debate.
I would also recommend reading some of the opposition, just to exercise the mind. Ware's The God Of Lesser Glory is, in my opinion, the best of the lot.
I would only add to keep an open mind, a loving heart and your head down. These are dangerous times...
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GregBoyd
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 1818
| Posted 7/16/2003 8:14 PM (GMT -6) | | Hello fellow heretic. I did a conference for pastors in the Restoration Movement (mostly Independent Christian Churches) and was very warmly received. Indeed, a significant number of pastors told, and two profs who taught in their colleges, were open about their open view convictions. Now, churches will of course make up their own minds on this (this is the heart of the Restoration Movement, is it not?), but I don't suspect you'll find too much trouble.
I'd encourage you to not let practicalities dictate your convictions. Even if it WERE the case that you were blacklisted by some, there are others who will be open (excuse the pun). I just did a conference for the charismatic wing of the American Baptist Church, and many iin attendance were open theists. Its really growing.
Blessings as you continue to grow
Greg
"The responsibility is with the chooser -- God is blameless." Plato, Republic, 10. | | Back to Top | | |
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Starkman
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 1747
| Posted 7/17/2003 4:14 AM (GMT -6) | | Hey Blood Washed,
Well, welcome to the board! Dude, what's awesome about your post--and far more valuable than Open Theism--is your heart to learn and that you're open to truth. Man, that's right on! (Well, of course growing fonder of the OV is, of course, icing on the cake!!!)
Hey, don't loose that spirit of "openness" and willingness to learn!
Starkman
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Blood Washed Heretic
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2003
Total Posts : 167
| Posted 7/17/2003 4:17 AM (GMT -6) | | Thanks for the input, everyone. I'm honestly starting to feel better. Sometimes paranoia blindsides me (the Enemy at work, no doubt) and I panic. I know that as long as I keep this issue before God's Throne in prayer, He will protect me, even through uncertainty.
I am definitely young and idealistic, but I strongly believe that a mighty move of God in His church is near, and it is a move that will be characterized by dramatic shifts in existing (read modernity-bound) theological paradigms. That's why I'm excited by things like OV, and the revolutionary writings of people like Dr. Boyd and Brian McLaren.
These are dangerous, yet exciting, times indeed.
In essentials, unity; In matters of opinion, liberty; In all things, love. | | Back to Top | | |
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Chris Grant
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2003
Total Posts : 151
| Posted 7/17/2003 5:09 AM (GMT -6) | | quote:
Even if it WERE the case that you were blacklisted by some, there are others who will be open (excuse the pun).
Speaking of openness puns, I was amused to have an email from Mormon philosopher David Paulsen forwarded to me recently in which he spoke of a "(mostly-private)LDS-Openness Consultation to be held at BYU next spring." (Emphasis added.) 
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DLW
Registered Member
Date Joined Apr 2003
Total Posts : 2457
| Posted 7/17/2003 5:32 AM (GMT -6) | | Blood-washed,
the problem is of course that we don't have unity on what things are essential and we tend to downplay the essentialness of inessentials for how we serve as God's hands on this earth.
Hope you can check out some of the links in the "solving the problem of evil" forum and participate on the page...
dlw
I-uh-scream-uh,
You-uh-scream-uh,
We-all-uh-sceam-uh for
Ice-uh-cream-uh!!!
Roberto Bernigni in
Down by Law.
ahehmAmericanzituhsen! This,varrrrrybaadfuryur
Cuntry! Varrrrrrrybaadfuryur
Cuntry!
Roberto Benigni in
Johnny Stecchenino. | | Back to Top | | |
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honorman
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2002
Total Posts : 1137
| Posted 7/17/2003 5:50 AM (GMT -6) | | | | |
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Laika
Registered Member
Date Joined Mar 2003
Total Posts : 2433
| Posted 7/17/2003 5:57 AM (GMT -6) | | Hey DLW, how do we solve the problem of evil?
<ducks and runs>
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DLW
Registered Member
Date Joined Apr 2003
Total Posts : 2457
| Posted 7/17/2003 6:24 AM (GMT -6) | | We don't God does or have you not beeen reading the playing God link?
or
with much prayer and fasting...and taking a course or two in algebraic structures doesn't hurt too much either!
dlw
I-uh-scream-uh,
You-uh-scream-uh,
We-all-uh-sceam-uh for
Ice-uh-cream-uh!!!
Roberto Bernigni in
Down by Law.
ahehmAmericanzituhsen! This,varrrrrybaadfuryur
Cuntry! Varrrrrrrybaadfuryur
Cuntry!
Roberto Benigni in
Johnny Stecchenino. | | Back to Top | | |
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