The final is over and my hand still feels cramped. We had to write freehand on notebook paper, double-spaced, and one-sided our responses the questions, which I posted previously. The questions I ended up writing about were:
What really matters is the soul. The body is a trap, a burden, to be laid aside in the resurrection. So let's concentrate on saving souls.
Jesus was a wise teacher and an exemplary human being. Christianity has built him up into a god, even though he never claimed to be one.
Salvation is fundamentally about forgiveness of sins, and that's what Jesus won for us on the cross.
I ended up with 24 pages by the end. It was pretty draining, too because there was just so much information to get out of my head and onto paper. A summary of each:
1. This view of creation is incomplete and inaccurate, causing one to hold to a low view of God's creative capacity. We are made in the image of God with both a body and a soul, therefore both are valuable dimensions worthy of redemption. Also, Jesus himself had a resurrected body recognizable by his disciples, though not at first. He didn't lay aside his body, so we won't either, since Jesus showed us what it means to be truly human.
2. Jesus was more than just a wise sage or a model human being - He was fully human and fully God, true God of true God. I went through the seven stages of Jesus' career showing how each contributes to his divinity. (Incarnation, Inauguration, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, Intercession, and Return)
3. Salvation is more than just forgiving our sins (I had to differentiate between sin and sins). We are saved to shalom - that fulfillment of who we are in God. Jesus was our representative on the cross, absorbing our sin onto himself; he was not simply a substitute like you have in a basketball game where someone comes in for you. Jesus represented all of humanity as he died on the cross, overcoming sin and evil.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Men in Church
Ever since I went to a birthday party for a friend of mine - at which there were many guys my age - I have been burdened by the question - "what would it take for these guys to come to church?" I have since been struggling with this answer...
When I checked out Mark Driscoll's blog (pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle), I found this article that he wrote. Maybe we need to have kickboxing in our services... or blow stuff up...
When I checked out Mark Driscoll's blog (pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle), I found this article that he wrote. Maybe we need to have kickboxing in our services... or blow stuff up...
Friday, April 07, 2006
Systematic Theology B
I want to give you a look at what our final will be for this class. The final will consist of three of the following seven propositions. The test will have five that we will choose three from.
Respond to the following propositions in the following way:
1. Rephrase them to make sure you understand them. (i.e. make sure the prof knows I understand them!)
2. Indicate what about them you can affirm: what is at least partly accurate, well-phrased, comprehensive, significant and helpful.
3. Indicate what about them you cannot affirm: what is at least partly inaccurate, badly-phrased, truncated, trivial and unhelpful.
4. Conclude briefly with your overall evaluation of them.
Here are the propositions:
What really matters is the soul. The body is a trap, a burden, to be laid aside int he resurrection. So let's concentrate on saving souls.
All of earth's creatures are holy, and none are more important than any others. So we human beings shouldn't hunt or fish or eat meat.
Jesus was truly a holy man and the Son of God. But other religions have their founders, too, and Christians shouldn't insist that Jesus is better than the founders of other faiths.
Jesus was a wise teacher and an exemplary human being. Christianity has built him up into a god, even though he never claimed to be one.
Christianity has offered "pie in the sky by and by." But what really matters is the here and now, and Christianity isn't very helpful in solving immediate human problems.
If God has chosen me for salvation, then I'm in. And if he hasn't, then I'm not. So it doesn't really matter how I live, since it's God's decision, not mine.
Salvation is fundamentally about forgiveness of sins, and that's what Jesus won for us on the cross.
---
My study group has divided these up and I have the last one about salvation. I will probably address the two phrases separately - asking what is salvation really all about and then asking what did Jesus really achieve on the cross?
Want to join my class?
Respond to the following propositions in the following way:
1. Rephrase them to make sure you understand them. (i.e. make sure the prof knows I understand them!)
2. Indicate what about them you can affirm: what is at least partly accurate, well-phrased, comprehensive, significant and helpful.
3. Indicate what about them you cannot affirm: what is at least partly inaccurate, badly-phrased, truncated, trivial and unhelpful.
4. Conclude briefly with your overall evaluation of them.
Here are the propositions:
What really matters is the soul. The body is a trap, a burden, to be laid aside int he resurrection. So let's concentrate on saving souls.
All of earth's creatures are holy, and none are more important than any others. So we human beings shouldn't hunt or fish or eat meat.
Jesus was truly a holy man and the Son of God. But other religions have their founders, too, and Christians shouldn't insist that Jesus is better than the founders of other faiths.
Jesus was a wise teacher and an exemplary human being. Christianity has built him up into a god, even though he never claimed to be one.
Christianity has offered "pie in the sky by and by." But what really matters is the here and now, and Christianity isn't very helpful in solving immediate human problems.
If God has chosen me for salvation, then I'm in. And if he hasn't, then I'm not. So it doesn't really matter how I live, since it's God's decision, not mine.
Salvation is fundamentally about forgiveness of sins, and that's what Jesus won for us on the cross.
---
My study group has divided these up and I have the last one about salvation. I will probably address the two phrases separately - asking what is salvation really all about and then asking what did Jesus really achieve on the cross?
Want to join my class?
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
The Weekend
Friday night we went down to Bellevue for dinner with our friends Jamie and Matt. Downtown Bellevue reminded me of the upscale Plano - people dressed up real nice and looking rich. We ate at Maggiano's Italian restaurant at about 9:30pm that night and stayed until 11:30 - I don't think I've ever eaten that much that late! That night we stayed with Matt and Jamie on their air mattress, which slowly deflated during the night. So, in the morning I can't get out to go to the bathroom because I am sunk in the middle with Bethany on top of me. To get out, I had to pull up on the dresser next to me.
Saturday we came back and Bethany went to work on our church's float that we are making for Bellingham's Ski-to-Sea Parade on Memorial Day. They are making it out of PVC, plywood, and big styrofoam balls. We'll have our FBC logo (standy-man cross), a soccer ball, a strip of film, a music note - it should look pretty good.
I went to work on a book review of Hans Boersma's Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross. It is a fresh look at the three main atonement theories of the Church - moral-influence, penal substitution, and Christus Victor. It was a brilliant book...
Saturday night we went to the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra concert at Mount Baker Theater. It was hot. They were good. Though with the time change, it made for a really late night - two in a row.
Sunday morning was a fun day at church. I had our sax guy take a ride on "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power" while I did the soulful 6/8 feel on my guitar. He wailed and it was fun. A friend of mine from BAylor - Tracie Gray - was up in the Northwest on vacation running in the Oak Harbor marathon. She did the half. Anyway, we had dinner with her at Jay's house and then she came over to our house for the 24 watching party. It was really good seeing her again.
Yesterday I had Regent, Quartet Practice, College Home Group, and I am glad to just chill tonight. Whoever reads this is awesome.
Saturday we came back and Bethany went to work on our church's float that we are making for Bellingham's Ski-to-Sea Parade on Memorial Day. They are making it out of PVC, plywood, and big styrofoam balls. We'll have our FBC logo (standy-man cross), a soccer ball, a strip of film, a music note - it should look pretty good.
I went to work on a book review of Hans Boersma's Violence, Hospitality, and the Cross. It is a fresh look at the three main atonement theories of the Church - moral-influence, penal substitution, and Christus Victor. It was a brilliant book...
Saturday night we went to the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra concert at Mount Baker Theater. It was hot. They were good. Though with the time change, it made for a really late night - two in a row.
Sunday morning was a fun day at church. I had our sax guy take a ride on "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power" while I did the soulful 6/8 feel on my guitar. He wailed and it was fun. A friend of mine from BAylor - Tracie Gray - was up in the Northwest on vacation running in the Oak Harbor marathon. She did the half. Anyway, we had dinner with her at Jay's house and then she came over to our house for the 24 watching party. It was really good seeing her again.
Yesterday I had Regent, Quartet Practice, College Home Group, and I am glad to just chill tonight. Whoever reads this is awesome.
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