Evangelicalism Outside the Box — A Roundtable Discussion
In early May, Steve traveled to Pennsylvania and decided to moderate a roundtable discussion with several friends of the podcast, including some former guests of the podcast and some new ones as well. The discussion, while a typical Beyond the Box exercise in rabbit trails, launches from the starting point of discussing the potential impact of current discussions within evangelicalism.
Sitting around a table with plenty of beverages kept flowing by Michael, and with no specific agenda in mind, the discussion unfolds to cover some great points about the current issues within evangelicalism, including the topic of inspiration/inerrancy of Scripture, and even touching at one point on Steve’s apparent need for therapy to fix his errors in theology and ecclesiology! 😉
Many thanks to Michael and Lorri Hardin for hosting this discussion at their house in Lancaster, PA! It was a delightful time with the Hardins, Pete Enns and John Oliff (who traveled to Lancaster from the Philadelphia area to join the discussion), and Jonathan Souder (friend of the Hardins).
Standing L-R: Peter Enns, John Oliff, Jonathan Souder, Lorri Harden; Seated L-R: Steve Sensenig, Michael Hardin (photo by Dylan Sensenig)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:01:27 — 111.2MB) | Embed
July 21st, 2013 at 8:37 pm
I have appreciated your discussion, but one thing that keeps coming to mind for me,is that I have not heard you discuss the fact that Jesus himself talks about “eternal punishment” Matthew 21: 25:46. In Revelation, he is portrayed as “..with justice he judges and makes war, his eyes are like blazing fire….he is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations…He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” Rev. 19:11-15. I don’t like this image, but there it is. How does this image of Christ reconcile with the statement he makes in Matt. 22: 37-40? Then there are also statements that he makes such as ” For many are invited, but few are chosen”. This is after the parable he tells about the kingdom of heaven being like a weeding feast. At the end of the parable, he also speaks of how one wedding crasher that didn’t have on wedding clothes, was going to be thrown “outside, into darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” I have struggled with the idea of hell, but if I don’t believe in hell, how can I believe in eternity with Christ? If Jesus’ stories are parables to make a point, to teach lessons and aren’t to be taken literally- then how can we say that Jesus death and resurrection and basically the other truths that the evangelicals teach (which, by the way, can be found in scripture)are true? I get that much of how we read scripture is done within our cultural context. I understand that poetry and analogies are used. I am also very aware of how the Bible has been used to justify horrible evils throughout history. But when I read how those are justified, it is more than evident that they skipped over the parts that spoke about how Jesus was a new covenant, that he was love and light. Are you doing the same thing in skipping over the parts that are difficult, because they are violent. I would really like to hear how you respond to those scriptures so that my mind and heart can be freed up to read the things that are difficult, perhaps beyond my understanding (after all, I’m not God- I don’t understand how Skype works, so I can’t know everything about God) Nevertheless those things are there. Thank you, Sheryl
September 30th, 2013 at 2:06 pm
One explanation could be that the results of the punishment last forever although I’m pretty sure that the Greek is Aionios Kolasis which means pruned for an age.
December 15th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
[…] via Beyond the Box […]
March 1st, 2014 at 4:41 am
First off Sheryl, the Word says “WE HAVE the mind of Christ (the Anointed) and we know ALL things!! (we are just waking up to IT as we grow in Grace and Knowledge). Second (as I believe Holy Spirit is teaching me presently) is what Jesus meant when He said, “unless you become LIKE one of these little children you can not SEE the KINGDOM”. I “see” the kingdom now (right here on earth)with eyes of faith. Second,.. To hopefully touch on your concern I believe we have to look at KINGDOM of GOD and (kind of) vs KINGDOM of Heaven!! Jesus brought Heaven to earth (ie the KINGDOM of God is within us *HOLY SPIRIT*)however there is a real “place” where our culture comes from the THIRD heaven. I believe that many things that Jesus talked about had to do with here and now and the things that will occur “later” (outside of this particular dispensation of time).This is why we are told to “rightly divide” the WORD of truth!! HE said “it is finished” and that is what HE meant,..the enemy of our souls HAS been defeated…..the RECONCILER HAS done HIS WORK!!! Papa was IN CHRIST reconciling the WORLD to HIMSELF!!! He who knew NO sin BECAME sin for US!!! There is no more penalty for “sin”!!! God will provide HIMSELF a sacrifice…and so HE did in Yeshua!!!