An interview with Dr. David W. Congdon on his new book, "Who is a True Christian?: Contesting Religious Identity in American Culture." - amzn.to/3URMFwB.
You are absolutely correct, most theologians say (some more explicitly than others) that unlike yesterday's theology, my theology is really just a renewal (or reconstruction) of early Christian theology. They of course do this while presenting new theologies.
18:00 Christians have to manifest their Christianity by persecuting others. This raises questions for me. What does it mean to be persecuted? Does defining and establishing boundaries, e.g., theological, ethical/moral, etc. equate itself with persecution? More specifically, if the Church teaches that a certain belief or lifestyle, e.g., that of gays, since it was mentioned here, is sinful, is that persecution? Who determines what is right belief and behavior? The Church? The government? Educational institutions? The family? Scripture? Secular scholars? The scientific community? The individual? Can the Church (or any other organization, community, society or nation) function properly apart from establishing distinctive beliefs and boundaries in relation to the world around it?
20:15 Orthodoxy certainly has it's weaknesses, but what of the alternative? Taken too far it turns into anarchy. And is the choice for the Church really between pluralism and fascism? I do not agree.
Many thanks for this interview. Dr Congdon is an exceptionally lucid thinker!
Great interview… helped me think through and find a way to articulate some issues.
You are absolutely correct, most theologians say (some more explicitly than others) that unlike yesterday's theology, my theology is really just a renewal (or reconstruction) of early Christian theology. They of course do this while presenting new theologies.
I love books which detect order within apparent chaos, which identify the signal within the noise.
18:00 Christians have to manifest their Christianity by persecuting others.
This raises questions for me.
What does it mean to be persecuted?
Does defining and establishing boundaries, e.g., theological, ethical/moral, etc. equate itself with persecution?
More specifically, if the Church teaches that a certain belief or lifestyle, e.g., that of gays, since it was mentioned here, is sinful, is that persecution?
Who determines what is right belief and behavior?
The Church? The government? Educational institutions? The family? Scripture? Secular scholars? The scientific community? The individual?
Can the Church (or any other organization, community, society or nation) function properly apart from establishing distinctive beliefs and boundaries in relation to the world around it?
Thousands of popes!!!loved that one,
20:15 Orthodoxy certainly has it's weaknesses, but what of the alternative? Taken too far it turns into anarchy.
And is the choice for the Church really between pluralism and fascism?
I do not agree.