A Crisis of Vocabulary

Among other things, the Reformation was a crisis of Christian vocabulary, a movement away from mere scholasticism seen in the Roman Catholic Church. As today, the deep inter-relation of human ideas, speech, behavior. These things are bound together in the bundle of life, acting and reacting upon each other.

This is true of all intellectual disciplines. But in the Judeo-Christian faith it is especially true, but always still different. As for us, we must return to the historical texts themselves. In the historical events, which are remembered, represented and proclaimed in the proclamation of the Word, and in those sacraments which are “visible words” themselves, we have the vocabulary of Faith. In our postmodern time, we can and must return to our Judeo-Christian vocabulary, and the Textual Revelation of God. And finally again to the historical reality of the “Word made (became) flesh” (St. John 1:14), the Incarnation Itself! Which is the reality in time of the Triune God Himself, pressing into history: Bethlehem, Calvary, Resurrection, Ascension…the full “sessions” of Christ above, at the Right hand, and Throne of God in glory! Also from here Christ will Come, and bring the great consummation, and eternal day once again! “Amen, come Lord Jesus

The Blog

I have been thinking and observing for some time about the blog, for Christian use, etc. Often it is just a bully pulpit, rather than a tool to express truth and dialogue. This is very sad! Not much else can be said here. We can and do meet good people, but this is the exception again sadly!

I make this statement based - as I have sought to maintain constantly - that the culture today is both postmodern, and often too postchristian!

Theodicty

Recently, in reading some posts and reply on the blogs to the idea of theodicty and also the biblical reality of God’s wrath in the Atonement. I came into confrontation with the author of the blog, who would not moderate my reply and posts, at least fully. I guess fine, since it was his Orthodox or theology of Orthodoxy.  However, the idea that God’s wrath is just some metaphor, and both His wrath and justice don’t really apply, are simply false. While the mystery of the full understanding of the Atonement is always real, we do have some understanding from Scripture about the nature of the Death and Atonement of Christ. It is vicarious, and as I have maintained the authentic Anselmian theology of the atonement is ultimately continuous with the Gospels (Evangelists) interpretation of the details they record. Indeed God the Father’s holiness and righteousness  is without qualification! And The Justification of God is always part of the judicial aspect of the Cross & Death of Christ!  Indeed God is both the reconciler and the Reconciled!  (Heb. 1:3 / 9:24 / 1 Tim. 2:5 / Eph. 2:18)

Fr. Robert