A Theology of Consent with Brad Jersak
Jan.11, 2012 in
Guest Appearances, Podcast Episodes
In this episode Ray talks with Brad Jersak about an idea that Brad is calling “A Theology of Consent”. Consent holds a lot of promise in helping us understand such questions as why do we pray? why is there evil in the world? how do we partner with God in manifesting His kingdom? This conversation is sure to get you thinking and will probably raise as many questions as answers. We would love to hear your thoughts and dialog with you either here or on the Facebook page! Make sure to visit Brad’s website: www.bradjersak.com and tell him how much you appreciate him sharing his heart!
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January 14th, 2012 at 11:12 pm
Hi guys, good podcast! I liked that Brad was so open to learning from the discussion, that was the best bit by far. Very enjoyable listening, thank you!
April 11th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Interesting discussion. I however did find that your comments on violence opened some questions. Is it possible that violence could be confused with discipline and justice, which depending on what side you are on it could be misconstrued as such?
How do you interpret passages such as Gen 15: 12-15 where God tells Abraham that he will punish the Egyptians (see also Ex 4:21-26) and then hints towards the Canaanite genocide of which there are many references to taking possession of the land (i.e. Deut 31:1-8). Other passages God tells people to stone one another (Lev 20:1) or kill outsiders (Num 25:16-17)
Then there is the city of Jericho in which the people could not take credit for its destruction and those that would have been killed during the walls collapse and the sin of Achan and his demise.
Jesus is the one who made 1-2 disturbances in the temple with a whip. And Jesus is described as the one with a sword in his mouth who will fight against the church Rev 2:16, and kill those who oppose him in the end Rev 19:11-21.
I agree with your statement that Jesus is God, however, I do not believe that it is fair to say God is not directly involved or that he does not command people to it.
So once again is it possible that violence could be confused with discipline and justice, which depending on what side you are on it could be misconstrued as such?
May 19th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Guys, great podcast. I love it all. I sense problems with the theology of consent because ultimately, like all theologies, it seeks to relieve God of all responsibility for anything. The analogy is made of this being like a lease. Well, when exactly are we, as human, made aware of the conditions and terms of the lease? Also, I think you get the idea of sin and violence backwards. Violence is the result of sin, I think. Noah and his world are mentioned. What people seem to ignore that there was something wrong in the sons of god – the nephilim – and the daughters of men breeding and creating monstrosities which are not really explained. Whatever or whoever these things were they were responsible for how bad things got. Again, God doesn’t seem too concerned until things get bad. What was his consent here? The theology of consent doesn’t deal with the problem of evil at all. It implies that God is a CEO of a corporation who knows that his traders are doing illegal things. Sort of like a divine Enron. Why should we let God off the hook? We are thrown into a war behind enemy lines and are given dispatches saying that reinforcements are coming, but they never come. If God consents to something happening then people are no more than collateral damage. I say all this as someone who is a believer and tries to follow Jesus outside of the institutional church. It seems in this podcast that even though there is the claim that you are going against a form of evangelism,. you still retain some things learned while in that setting. That is why I find people like Bart Ehrman, Richard E. Price and Dan Barker interesting. They are all evangelists even in their agnosticism and atheism! It’s as if they really never shed all that skin while being indocrinated growing up. This is not so much a criticism as much as an observation. I admit that my skepticism growing up as a Roman Catholic has never left me, though in my heart I think I was always a liberal evangelical before I was conscious of it. Anyway, my point really is that all theologies ultimately fall short of understand God who is NOT personal. God is ONLY personal through Jesus, whose character is revealed in the gospels. Why do we bother with trying to understand God at all when we don’t even take Jesus’ advice on how to do it? I love you guys and am only sorry I discovered your podcast so late. I’ve been listening to all your past shows non stop for the past three weeks.
November 20th, 2013 at 10:26 am
I am enjoying this podcast right now. The thread on the FB group page got into this same issue and this podcast is very pertinent. Thanks
russ
January 13th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
I’m composing this message 1/2 way through listening to this podcast. I find the topics discussed so far and the manner in which they are treated to be so incredibly refreshing, raw, and real! We tend to be so impatient with God in our insatiable desire to know Him. I think that more often than we realize, this desire is rooted in a deeper desire to use or control Him to meet our desires or demands.
Any thoughts on that?