“Christian Theology” as an Insecurity
The thought occurred to me last night that much of the theological developments over the last many centuries, particularly during and post-mediaeval times stem from personal insecurities. Ludwig Feuerbach famously made the observation that ‘theology is anthropology,’ that it is the self’s projection of its self-perceived notion of virtuousness and greatness. Here’s an anonymous description taken from an anonymous source: “Feuerbach claimed that our conceptions of “god” are always just projections of our own values. God fulfills our need to objectify our virtues, and embodies our values. Thus the essence of religion is human nature, and our Gods tell us about ourselves…”theology…
A Riposte to Craig Carter: Seeking to Be Richard Muller Redivivus with Reference to Repristinating the “Golden Age” of 16th and 17th C. Scholastic Protestantism
The following from, Craig Carter, epitomizes what I have been writing against ever since I started my online blogging life in 2005. For me, my work against this sort of trope, started in 2001-02 when I started seminary. As I’ve told many a time, my professor, Ron Frost (who would go on to become a mentor and someone I did teaching fellowships for in Historical Theology and Ethics), introduced me to this world. Frost had his own go arounds with the father of this movement, Richard Muller; they had an exchange in Trinity Journal back in 96—97. What Carter is…
Knowledge of God: Irruptive Rather Than Domestic
I think sometimes folks aren’t appreciating the rub between what Barth (Torrance et al.) are doing when they offer an alternative—to classical theism—theory knowledge of God. It orbits around a question; a question Keith Johnson articulates with great clarity: Romans I Barth began concentrated study on Paul’s Epistle to the Romans a few months after delivering ‘The Righteousness of God’. The experience was slow-going, at least by the standards of his later output. The extra time spent on the manuscript, however, meant that Barth’s understanding of the distinctions and categories that had been working subtly throughout ‘The Righteousness of God’ had time…
Erich Przywara’s antiChrist, the Hydra-Headed analogia entis
Keith Johnson continues to develop both Karl Barth’s and Erich Przywara’s theories of knowledge of God, respectively. Currently, he is treating Przywara’s existentialist side towards a knowledge of God, as that is juxtaposed with what he identifies as the essence side (which we will not get into at this juncture). The essence side has to do with the immanent, or the horizontal frame of reference in regard to knowledge vis à vis God; whereas the existentialist side has to do with the order of how vertical knowledge of God obtains vis à vis a God-human relation. Is this order from below to above…
Does Theology Perfect Philosophy? Barth’s Nein / Przywara’s Ja
Kenneth Oakes’ book Karl Barth on Philosophy and Theology, which I reviewed a few years ago for the blog, presses the same point that Keith Johnson does in his book Karl Barth and the Analogia Entis. The point is the way Barth sees the relationship between philosophy and theology; he doesn’t, not in the way that post-mediaeval classical theism does in its effort to synthesize so-called faith-and-reason. This is one of the primary factors that has drawn me to Barth over the years. His prolegomenon is conditioned solely by what he considers to be both the formal and material principle…
Prompts for Prayers of Intercession – January 16, 2022
These prompts are provided for worship leaders as they prepare the prayers of intercession for weekly worship. The prompts are prepared by several leaders in the ELCA and reflect current world and national events. You are encouraged to adapt and add other concerns for your local context, including staying informed of events and concerns in your synod. Intercession prompts: For advocates, activists, and allies working for racial justice… In thanksgiving for the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr… For those rebuilding, recovering, and grieving after recent natural disasters, especially flooding in South Africa, snowstorms in…
January 23, 2022–Home Crisis
Jen Krausz, Bethlehem, PA Warm-up Question Have you or anyone in your family ever donated blood? What was the reasoning behind this act? Home Crisis The American Red Cross announced on January 11 that because U.S. blood supplies are at extremely low levels the country is facing an unprecedented blood crisis. “If the nation’s blood supply does not stabilize soon, life-saving blood may not be available for some patients when it is needed,” warned in a joint statement with America’s Blood Centers and the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies. The agency said that the current surge in COVID-19…
Prompts for Prayers of Intercession – January 23, 2022
These prompts are provided for worship leaders as they prepare the prayers of intercession for weekly worship. The prompts are prepared by several leaders in the ELCA and reflect current world and national events. You are encouraged to adapt and add other concerns for your local context, including staying informed of events and concerns in your synod. Intercession prompts: For residents of Tongo, following devastating volcanic eruption, and for all areas feeling effects of the event… For members of the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, following last week’s hostage crisis… For Asian American communities grieving acts of racial violence……
Faith Communities Support Equitable COVID-19 Testing Distribution
Faiths4Vaccines are asking its partners to get the word out about federally distributed COVID-19 tests, which began distribution this week. The following message comes from the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers: On January 19th home COVID-19 tests became available through the federal government, we need to ensure that stakeholders, especially the most vulnerable, have access to the testing resources they need in order ensure equitable testing distribution. Help spread the word! We need the support of the faith community to share this critical information at a local level. Please share this information across your networks to ensure proliferation of…
January 30, 2022–What I Got vs. What I Ordered
Angie Larson, Alexandria, MN Warm-up Question Have you ever ordered something online and received something you didn’t expect? What was it? What I Got vs. What I Ordered On the internet there’s a meme out there called “what I got vs. what I ordered.” There are hundreds of stories of people getting something very different than they asked for. One man ordered a rug for his room but didn’t check the dimensions. He ended up with a rug that was no larger than a napkin. For her daughter’s birthday, a mom ordered a cake featuring Elsa from Frozen; what came…