Comments on: Guilty of Pastoral Malpractice http://henrysthreads.com/2008/05/guilty-of-pastoral-malpractice/ Thoughts on Religion in the World from a passionate, moderate, liberal charismatic Christian Tue, 15 May 2012 14:29:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Threads from Henry’s Web » Malpractice or Malpraxis? http://henrysthreads.com/2008/05/guilty-of-pastoral-malpractice/comment-page-1/#comment-106731 Threads from Henry’s Web » Malpractice or Malpraxis? Tue, 13 May 2008 22:31:58 +0000 http://www.energionpubs.com/wordpress/?p=1324#comment-106731 [...] is another interesting view on the pastoral malpractice post relating to [...] [...] is another interesting view on the pastoral malpractice post relating to [...]

]]> By: PamBG http://henrysthreads.com/2008/05/guilty-of-pastoral-malpractice/comment-page-1/#comment-106709 PamBG Tue, 13 May 2008 16:08:13 +0000 http://www.energionpubs.com/wordpress/?p=1324#comment-106709 “What I’m wondering is this: Why is it OK to water down God’s love, but it’s somehow “treasonous” to water down his wrath? I wonder which is more important.”

I’ve done a lot of reading over the first part of the year on the current debates surrounding Penal Substitutionary Atonement. It was only in reading John Piper’s latest book (the one where he stops just short of calling NT Wright’s salvation into question) that I understood that a key difference between Arminianism and hard-form Calvinism is whether we read God’s wrath through the filter of his love (Arminiansim) or whether we read God’s love through the filter of his holiness (Calvinism). Unfortunately, for a lot of Calvinists ‘God’s holiness’ seems to translate into ‘God’s determination to obliterate his enemies’.

No Methodist worth their salt would give primacy to God’s wrath over his love. Count me in as a so-called heretic and hurrah for all other Methodist (and other) ‘heretics’ who proclaim the primacy of the Love of God.

(By the way, I also learned that there isn’t even agreement about the definition of ‘Penal Substitution’ – but that’s a whole different can of worms!)

]]> By: Kathy http://henrysthreads.com/2008/05/guilty-of-pastoral-malpractice/comment-page-1/#comment-106687 Kathy Tue, 13 May 2008 02:10:58 +0000 http://www.energionpubs.com/wordpress/?p=1324#comment-106687 Funny you should use the "watered down" metaphor today. Earlier I was spot cleaning my carpet with ammonia--works great usually, but in my haste, I failed to dilute it according to the instructions. Seeing my poor results, I took the time to add the proper amount of water, and voila--spots came out like magic. Water has certain properties that strengthen rather than weaken some substances. That doesn't answer your question, however. Theory: Focusing on sin and punishment help us maintain purity markers. Love can't be so easily contained. It asks us to mix with unclean things. Funny you should use the “watered down” metaphor today. Earlier I was spot cleaning my carpet with ammonia–works great usually, but in my haste, I failed to dilute it according to the instructions. Seeing my poor results, I took the time to add the proper amount of water, and voila–spots came out like magic. Water has certain properties that strengthen rather than weaken some substances.

That doesn’t answer your question, however. Theory: Focusing on sin and punishment help us maintain purity markers. Love can’t be so easily contained. It asks us to mix with unclean things.

]]> By: Will http://henrysthreads.com/2008/05/guilty-of-pastoral-malpractice/comment-page-1/#comment-106679 Will Mon, 12 May 2008 22:42:38 +0000 http://www.energionpubs.com/wordpress/?p=1324#comment-106679 A very good question. Btw, thanks for the link : ) A very good question. Btw, thanks for the link : )

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