Catholics Join Emerging Church Conversation

knightopia »

Sat Mar 14, 2009 11:53 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

Thanks for covering this event and for sharing this story with your readers. I especially appreciated the interview with Brian McLaren.

Gay Bishop Out of Anglican Summit

knightopia »

Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:31 pm Agree: 2   Disagree: 8

in response to the question by "february17th":

The issue here isn't one of using Scripture to "justify" homosexuality. There are no Scriptures which explicitly say "Homosexuality is OK." The issue here is instead a disagreement on the interpretation of Scriptures that refer to homosexual practice. There are many who feel that Scripture clearly condemns homosexuality.

For example, in a recent interview, J.I. Packer cited 1 Corinthians 6:9, saying (in essence) "This Scripture clearly teaches that homosexuals will not 'inherit the kingdom of God'" (i.e., go to heaven/be saved/etc.). So if homosexuals aren't "saved," then they aren't "Christians," right? Well, so goes the reasoning.

But there is an increasingly vocal number of Bible-loving Christ-loving Christians who are looking seriously at the passages of Scripture which refer to homosexual practice and determining that the Bible isn't as clear as it appears. References to "homosexuality" most likely referred to temple prostitution (homosexual acts conducted by prostitutes in worship of false gods), etc. How does that relate to homosexuals living today who affirm the deity of Christ, love God, and want to join in worship (and lead in worship) with other Christians? If you keep reading in 1 Corinthians 6, you'll see that other people that "will not inherit the kingdom of God" include those who are greedy, adulterers (divorced and remarried people?), idolaters (everything can be an idol, right?), the sexually immoral (anyone who commits sexual sin?), thieves (ever stolen anything? paper clips from your office maybe?), drunkards (ever get drunk?), slanderers (ever gossipped about someone behind their back?), and swindlers (ever sold someone a piece of junk?). By Packer's interpretation of 1 Corinthians 6, it seems none of us are bound to "inherit the kingdom of God." You can't apply that reasoning to homosexuals and give everyone else a free pass.

Those are just some thoughts on the issue here. It's not as black-and-white as some Christians might like to think it is.

Probe Puts Prosperity Teachings Under Critical Eye

knightopia »

Sun Dec 30, 2007 9:19 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 0

takeheed,

I think you are misrepresenting Brian McLaren and his position on those theological topics, and I would encourage you to look into it further for yourself before judging him and slandering him to others in the comments on this article. I'm sorry but that is not "preaching the truth in love." Far from it.

BTW - Do you disagree with what he says about the prosperity gospel? And if so, how? or why?