He claims:
And the Gospel certainly does not teach me that God is up there, at a distance, guiding the production of a diverse and rich biblical canon that nevertheless contains a single finely-tuned system of theology that he expects his people to be obsessed with “getting right” (and lash out at those who don’t agree).But my God declares, by the mouth of Jude: "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3)
I don't adopts Enns' caricature of our position, but even his caricature highlights the difference between us. Enns does not think that the history of Genesis 1 is true history. He does not believe that God created the world in six days. If he does not believe what is plainly stated, should we be surprised that he doesn't appreciate debate over fine points of theology?
-TurretinFan
From a comment by Enns to a poster at his blog:
ReplyDeleteMy deep concern is with the rhetoric of various public leaders who assert that to believe that Adam is a mythic, metaphorical, symbolic, nonliteral (whatever) figure is to deny Paul and the gospel. My point is that reading Genesis and Paul in their cultural contexts puts to rest that kind of destructive rhetoric.
His 'deep concern' should be our 'concern', shouldn't it? It's hard being that lone soul voicing dissent; a north-bound traveler in the south-bound lanes of a freeway turnpike. That he fails to see the connection is something he should prayerfully consider; 'Why Lord, am I one of the few fighting against the orthodox tradition and belief held for millennia in your Church?' 'Why don't I see the connection between an historical Adam and a denial of the gospel?' 'Am I missing something?'
Alas, if being removed from WTS isn't the knock on the head it should have been, then Paul's warning concerning Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1 Tim. 1:20 and again Hymenaeus and Philetus in 2 Tim. 2:17-18 won't either.
Sadly, when they removed him from WTS, they did not word the matter strongly enough (in fairness to them, they may not have been aware of the true depth of his error at that time).
ReplyDelete-TurretinFan
Before you agree with Mr. Enns, perhaps the two of you will need to establish how many Gods there are to begin with.
ReplyDeleteDozie:
ReplyDelete1 Corinthians 8:5
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
Dozie:
ReplyDelete1 Corinthians 8:6, although I'm sure you looked up TF's reference below and followed it the next verse.
'yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we exist through Him.'
"yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we exist through Him"
ReplyDeleteThe point I is that it is bombastic and foolish to suggest that TFan and Mr. Enns could be worshipping different Gods since there is only one God that can be worshipped. Likewise, when someone says he does not believe in God, he has no choice about which God to not believe in since there is only one God that can be believed. Individuals and systems have different understandings of God and therefore worship differently, often defectively, but all those who intend to worship God intend to worship the only God that can be worshipped, even if they worship wrongly or in ignorance. This is why Catholicism invites Protestants to come to their senses ; stop wandering in the wilderness in pursuit of gods of their many imaginations and to return home to the one true Church in worship of the One True God who alone is worthy of worship.
"This is why Catholicism invites Protestants to come to their senses ; stop wandering in the wilderness in pursuit of gods of their many imaginations and to return home to the one true Church in worship of the One True God who alone is worthy of worship".
ReplyDeleteAlthough Protestants intend to worhip the true God, they worship wrongly. But, they have greater condemnation than the pagan for while the pagan is ignorant, the Protestant remains obstinate in his deviation from the true and revealed religion - the Catholic faith.
The root of the problem with Enns is that he has the wrong authority.
ReplyDeleteYour ultra-sectarianism is showing, Dozie.
ReplyDelete