theology – Martin's Mercurial Musings

‘Complex’ Theology – Is It Imaginary?

I recently spoke with someone espousing an Open Theistic perspective. I’m likely more inclined to accept Open Theism. But that’s a different discussion. As we spoke, I indicated how my “faith-disconnects” and subsequent deconstruction from Christian faith are in part due to so many different conclusions being derived from the same source material – aka the Bible. I asked, ‘How can learned and well-meaning people reading the same source material (the Bible) not coalesce around a common faith and set of beliefs?’

A Sovereign Bullet, A Traffic Accident, Respiratory Failure

Is the End Result Always God’s Doing?

What difference does it make whether one is an ardent Calvinist or, like me, has deconstructed and otherwise walked away from Christian faith? Within the last week I have lost two good friends – one to a car accident and the other to respiratory failure. One death was sudden and totally unexpected. The other was the result of a long and slow decline in health over time.

Discordant Conclusions Drawn from the Bible

The truth is, I’m troubled by the discordant conclusions from well-meaning people in books, sermons and Bible studies. Everyone reads the same source material – the Bible. I’ve come to realize that my “faith-disconnects” aren’t, per se, with Calvin, Piper, MacArthur, Spurgeon, Sproul et al. Rather, these folks and countless others over thousands of years have wrestled with many questions and dilemmas that I’ve experienced. Many conclude and coalesce around Reformed Theology as being best able to explain and provide a framework to understand the nature and character of God and the world we live in. Others come to different conclusions.

To Argue an Unwinnable Perspective

I have been a long time ‘lurker’ of the FB group, Soteriology 101 in which there is much discussion of “theological issues having to do with soteriology, the doctrine of salvation…specifically as it relates to Calvinism, Arminianism, Traditionalism or more specifically: Election, Predestination, Reprobation, Depravity, Atonement, Calling, Perseverance and the like.”

I’ve posted on this site and periodically have also responded to other’s posts. For the most part, my interactions support of non-Calvinistic perspectives with respect to the Doctrines of Grace. But it has recently dawned on me – there is no clear winner with respect to various posts, arguments and counter-arguments which has, to a degree, made me ask: “What’s the point?” Given the amount of variance that I perceive within Christian doctrines, I don’t know that it’s possible to, in essence, win an argument solely based on one’s understanding of the Bible. To which, I posted the below: