It is a form of knowing often described as contemplative. It was first proposed by the unorthodox church Father, Origen (ca. I think about that question a lot. Of course, it helps that I have absolutely no expectations of him whatsoever. http://edward-t-babinski.blogspot.com/2015/03/on-recovering-from-alcoholism-drug.html, See also my paper the critiques the claim that the Christian experience is unique But you can deny that my experience reflects actual motion in reality. Read article the other day that said they refused to accept myth as fact. But one alternative is to have a church, mosque, and a Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu temple, close together on every corner with no ones sign larger or higher than the rest, to remind ourselves we can indeed all truly get along. And it seems that these books coming out by Evangelicals who are now more tentative or moderate or courageously admitting they have doubts are a bit disingenuous, since they all seem to rely on being certain that the God of the Christian Bible exists regardless of ones doubts. Anyhow, as I have stated before I respect your thoughts and journey, but I do not think it has to be every doubters Journey. I would encourage you to ask God to show you His truth from His book. Instead, he needs to go the edge of the realm and scratch against the edges. And if you dont fit into the system? He affirms that Israel's laws were not new in content but were uniquely in that they were connected to a monotheistic community-Israel (57). No different than if we observed sight to function so unreliably that 10 different people looking at the same event saw 10 substantially different things and this happened again and again and again and was in fact the norm. Universalism is the belief that everyone eventually will be saved. Let us have both a precision of mind and openness of heart in dialoging on these matters. For, everything is under the one and the same law-the law of transformation and decline. Read Dr. Enns onThe Bible for Normal People I realize that there is a long and rich history of discussion over difficult philosophical issues concerning the existence of God. Basis for my response: 2 Peter 1:15 to 2 Peter 2:2. M In regards to ones intelligence, I am reading St Teresa of Avilas Interior Castle right now and in the first parts of it she refers to herself as stupid and if they (the nuns she is writing to) understand what she is saying, it is not herself that is speaking but it is God through her. Or Osama bin Ladin or Warren Jeffs for that matter. Youve concisely and clearly explained the way I understand my faith and conviction in the existence of God. The good news is that those who humble themselves and say yes when He calls do experience Him in an undeniable complete way. There is an even less certain, less dogmatic, less religious, kind of trust. Peter is 61 years old. But I also get that Christianity isnt really transforming the world through compassion essentially better than anything or anyone else. Read Nondiscrimination Policy. Many dont understand that the contentions among faiths are fought (and will be won in the end) not on the grounds of being right, but on the grounds of making the world right. And this is the connection to mysticism. http://edward-t-babinski.blogspot.com/2016/01/gods-mixed-messages-youth-pastor-killed.html Its not utopia but Ill take it. But if you are after people of all religions, denominations, sects and cults saying, We dont really know, but why change because this seems to be working alright? Fine. Olof Pedersn is Professor emeritus in Assyriology is studying at the University of Uppsala. It is in this context, that Christianity, for me, is a profound disappointment. But may I pose this: But let us then continue this comparison to Buddhism. Now, whether this evidence is good evidence or not. Perhaps even the characteristics on the other-way-of-knowing list are not beyond study. What does is look like to seek God? But it takes the work of the Spirit of God in ones life to actually believe and rely upon these evidences. What I have noticed especially in connection with your point about knowing God outside of our default rationalism, Pete, is that both as a church and as individual Christians in the West, we find it difficult knowing how to spend time in silence, or in solitude, away from our faith projects or church systems. Proud men who reject His call are incredibly stupid and foolish beyond measure. Scientists tend to understand everything through the lens of our basic five senses which reside in our body and soul. In asking does God exist?, Ive heard it said that two very large questions are revealed or not. Enns seeks to grow us in maturity so that we might take up wisdom. Does God exist? prof at Westminster Seminary for his progressive evangelicalism, and has not identified himself as a universalist. Open your eyes to what there is to see, or let Jesus open them for you (Mark 8, by daubing mud) and I theres not that much problem. Peter Enns (Ph.D., Harvard University) is Abram S. Clemens professor of biblical studies at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. even if our lack of understanding gives us a sense that our existence is meaningless and that, if one could, one would not choose existence. Can I find a certain kind of longing and hope to possibly be filled even on the Trump Train? And I also can grok the paradoxical Essence of a Triune God, the kind of God allowing himself to be humbled and broken in kenotic sacrifice as an example of a new Way of Being, in hope of bringing forth a Kingdom. Sorry for the aimless rambling and thanks again for your post! That instead, my friend needed to see realia like a man in a soviet prison who goes to the very cell wall and taps a message in morse. Certainly, too many Islamists (by no means all) are tragically attempting to force their beliefs on others, and the result is ISIS, AQ, Boko Haram, and too many other groups. There can be various degrees of certainty, of course. Acts of Interpretation features essays by biblical scholars and theologians offering broad reflections on key interpretive issues, rich readings of challenging biblical texts, and interaction with the Christian exegetical tradition from Melito of Sardis to Dietrich Bonhoeffer.The contributors to this volume are leading figures in the theological interpretation of Scripture. You just need to go a little further, Peter. I mean, I continue to wonder about such questions after leaving Evangelicalism. I presume you are referring to Islam in your final sentence? If there is still to be a link to truth there at all. He argues that the Bible should not be used as a literal "instruction manual but as a model for our spiritual journey," a very liberal take on Christianity. So 2 Peter was written by Peter.how sure are you on that? It is based on direct and personal encounter. If we raise it all today (or tomorrow or Wednesday tbh) we're going to make. I am committed to encouraging young Christian men and women to explore their faith by engaging Scripture, and in so doing make their faith their own and mature as followers of Christ. including the high rate of depression and dropping out among pastors (sure theres always plenty to take their place but look at the turnover! One of the hallmarks of progressive Christianity is a rejection of biblical sexuality, and an affirmation of same-sex marriage and premarital sex. I would like you to rethink your own perspective a bit more, perhaps move a bit more toward universalism and religious pluralism like John Hick, but even that would not be nearly as far away from your present point of view as the distance you have already come from fundamentalism to your present point of view. Introduction: This article will be on the subject of God's wrath and retribution. Like someone is running for political office. Peter Enns is an American theologian, author, professor, and Biblical scholar. To dig down a little deeper theologically, I can deeply understand the paradox of the Incarnation of not only a God-as-man, but in the form of a baby in a manager in Galilee in first-century Palestine. Contemplation is apprehension uncluttered by thoughtparticularly preconception and analysis. So thats where I am at this stage of my journey on the whole God thing. But It comes at a high costthat of calories to feed the brain. What are your thoughts on passages like 1 John 5:13, which indicate explicitly that it is possible for a person to know with rational certainty whether or not there is a God and whether or not they can truly believe in Jesus being the Messiah. He has written numerous books, including The Bible Tells Me So, The Sin of Certainty, and How the Bible Actually Works. Try the works of John Hick, former Evangelical who became a fascinating philosopher of religion and sought a common transcendental basis for them all. not be confused with experience. I think there are multiple reality tunnels and people make many different claims concerning their personal experiences. God, our creator cannot be perceivable by the five senses for, He is not a thing-which is compound elements etc or created. Previously he was a Senior Fellow of . Im still working on itof course. This happens not in our mind, but in our spirit. Messiah College Or read my own my testimony where I mention the effect that finding and fully acknowledging goodness in people of all beliefs or none had on me. depth With this, I think wed not only find less conflict but more hope realized. Magic is not real therefore magical deities are impossible. None the less, I believe in Democracy and think Iron Man is awesome. Now as to whether what the historical eyewitness claims he experienced is a real supernatural phenomenon well that is where faith comes in. Id suggest if participation, longing, , and immediacy are ways of knowing God, that they would more need to be means of recursively traversing an infinite regress of fractal complexity than means of simply and linearly knowing a static being. I suggest you read Richard Rohr. Left the Ministry. Intelligence, understanding and attainment cannot attain the depth of knowledge to study or scrutinise the Godhead. If I have the experience of perceiving spiraling motion when looking upon a static optical illusion, you cannot deny that I have the experience of perceiving motion. . The question Is God real? is equal to the question Is magic real?. Enns-FR.jpg. Why? Regardless of Paul's (faulty, through no fault of his own) view of human origins, three very important elements remain in his theology, despite the acceptance of evolution: 1. Youre still rooting your argument in the same notion of the proper locus of religious conviction. Failures in relationships abound, and there is no need to belabour this with current examples. Probably a different version of God I would presume. I do not think the gospel stands on whether we can read Paul's Adam in the . 4 And there is none **like** unto Him. Id suggest there are other qualitative characteristics too. When I gave up the notion of God, I did not give up on the experiences of participation, longing, fullness, contemplativeness, depth, and immediacy. An Atheist Evolutionist Asks a Good Question of Dr. Peter Enns October 22, 2012 It seems that Young Earth Creationists are not the only ones who find BioLogos' attempt to "reconcile science and faith" lacking. Which faith offers the greatest fulfillment of the cosmos longings? But, that we ourselves interact, relate, care, love is even more important. The Bible (NT and OT) both contain stories of humans having doubt while also trusting God (Elijah, Peter, Thomas, hell, all of them for that matter). One big reason is that I am convinced I would already be dead many times over without Gods guidance. In other words, I dont believe in God because I see no evidence for God or I believe in God because the evidence proves it are both nonsensical claims for me. 1 Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; With the exact same merit. In this episode of The Tentative Apologist Podcast we sit down with Dr. Peter Enns to explore a range of questions relating to the Bible, science and faith. Without discounting all those wonderful things, I do not think that the God question is settled this way. Proceeding ahead and remixing words just a bit, Thinking one can prove or disprove the existence of *any* God through rational analysis is to apply to *any* God a wrong way of knowing.. Which then opens up the question of what reality it what knowing we are engaged in. . You presume too much Ed. These "ancient, ambiguous, and. Thanks for posting this. As long as the genes replicate, its worked. ? While others can ask the question and seem to do so with little reason to give thought to which God. I'm an author and biblical scholar. Peter Enns. I am Peter EnnsI am a biblical scholar. Your explanation, though a bit slippery to grab with my hands, is similar to some of my conclusions, though none have given me their answer. The universe is a really big place. Interesting title. I like the fruit of this way of knowingeverything from electricity and medicine to electron-microscopesand radio telescopes. Dr. Peter Enns (PhD, Harvard University) is Abram S. Clemens professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, St. Davids, PA. If He was visible to the eye, and perceivable to the senses, He would have resembled the things that are visible and perceivable to the senses on account of their being compound and created and in that case He would no longer have remained a creator. For the Tibettan Buddhidist, they may experience a vision of the peaceful and wrathful deities. He is the Robert S. Harrison Director of the Cornell Center for Social Sciences and Executive Director of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. Tweets at @peteenns. . (Isnt this another example of a way of knowing?). When you know something by means of such encounter, you may not be able to express it verbally, at least not in a compelling, coherent, or exhaustive manner. As we come to the end of this year, we begin a new theme for the Daily Meditations. Meaning external, physical evidence. There are multiple (a lot!) Posts about pete enns written by Jesse Winn. On the contrary, I have never been disappointed by God. Which may be revealed when two people have mutually incompatible direct perceptions in these experiences. Legitttttttt. Too much struggle is maladaptive. Indeed, it is a way of knowing that has been championed as part of the development of culture in the Western tradition, but to pigeon hole the method as somehow distinctively Western is to lose something about its universality in a universe that significantly appears to exhibit fundamental uniformity. He has taught courses at several other institutions including Harvard University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. You made some very good points. None can fully understand or explain His Being however hard he my try. James KA Smiths Desiring the Kingdom. I think that if the objective is to free people from reifying and trusting their own beliefs rather than trusting the living God, invoking the word sin frequently, which is an evangelical habit, is counterproductive. I didnt say anything about your knowledge of other religions. Show Notes This episode was . Im trying to think through/explore this. Yet how is this testimony for more than such kind of belief being an adaptive trait? Then here you go! It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. IMHO knowing God is as relevant as your next breath, I mean, who gave you that breath? It may be a way of knowing, but not necessarily yielding as many as true things as possible and as few as false things as possible. Hi, Reddit! In The Sin of Certainty: Why God Desires Our Trust More than our "Correct" Beliefs, Enns argues that certainty (especially the theological variety) is inappropriate, dangerous and unbiblical. Abstrak Permasalahan dalam tulisan ini terletak pada isu doktrin eskatologi tentang kerajaan seribu tahun, khususnya dalam pandangan dispensasionalisme dengan covenant theology. I would never ever suggest this is a unique property of Xty. . And now my 800 words are up. I love this observation, especially about projects and their being emphatically contrasted to silence and solitude. Slow chuckle. God is just another word for magic. The way we organize socially as spiritual communities reflects how we organize the project of faith internally. Only if he means it in the wooden empiricist sense. Havent found much written on it. Interesting article. Therefore, that which is felt or known by the senses, having shape and colour, cannot be God. The Christian scriptures are clear that we can indeed experience God if we respond to Him when He calls us. Many people arrive at different conclusions (that is fine) and see things differently doubt is a complex subject that will not fully be flushed out in this conversation. When a faith fights the fight of certainty of an understanding the world as-is putting iron age as-is foundations against present-day as-is understandings, the battle is already conceded. Methinks, if I loved him more, I should keep himI should keep myself, ratherat a more respectful distance. Thanks for this post. Many say, Lord, Lord. Small is the gate and narrow is the road. This way of knowing, too, is a pluralistic way of knowing and can be reflected upon both with and without special pleading. I get that I cant prove or disprove God or any God or really anything non-material thats at least logically consistent. Maybe dramatically more so? He has taught courses at several other institutions including Harvard University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Peter Eric Enns (born January 2, 1961) is an American Biblical scholar and theologian. I get asked now and then, Pete, youre a reasonably intelligent guy, with a Ph.D. and everything. There are great books written by the likes of Brennan Manning on trusting God and there are great books written on eschatology (Jurgen Moltmann, N. T. Wright, etc) about Gods salvation extending from the ends of the earth. Robert Anton Wilson pointed out how many people cling tightly to a single reality tunnel and dont dare to seek all the ways their tunnel overlaps with that of others. But as for the title, in the publishing world, titles are meant to be succinct and attract attention (which obviously worked).The book explains what I mean. I'm attaching my 6 page summary of Peter Enns' new book, Genesis for Normal People: Enns on Genesis.doc (55.5 KB) Dr. Enns attempts to simply explain for average Christians how many scholars read Genesis. If yes, then how are we to treat the writings from the same period by men such as Josephus or Pliny. In this context, for practical reasons, some times its time to stop thinking and to take action based upon the best information and limited brains computational power and time available. Also, be sure to read the book rather than a blurb to see what I am after. The universal and self-evident problem of death. He has taught courses at several other institutions including Harvard University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. D. Modl, Archologie zwischen Mur und . Here might be some: Healing, forgiveness, graciousness, redemption, justice, protection, universality. You never know, He might answer you in a marvelous and loving way. Good point. There are also cases of people who were converted to Christianity after suffering drug or alcohol addiction, but later they realized Christianity was their new drug and gave that up too, and felt BETTER for having done so: Theologian Peter Enns refuses to shy away from asking the larger questions about Christian faith. After writing "Analysis of Rachel Held Evan's Book "Inspired" Part 1: Introduction" yesterday I noticed that Rachel Held Evans sees Peter Enns as a mentor. Specifically on love as a way of knowing. Here's the heart of it: 'Westminster Theological Seminary's board voted to suspend tenured professor Peter Enns last week after a two-year theological debate over his 2005 book, Inspiration and Incarnation. There is no difference between His Person and His Attributes, and His Attributes should not be differentiated or distinguished from His Person. People who can conceive N concepts of God seem more adapt at considering the one concept of God of the person who can conceive one concept of God than people who can conceive one concept of God making sense of the N concepts of God of the others schema. I think the fruit are the realities that a religion has caused to create. He has written widely on hermeneutics, Christianity and science, historicity of the Bible, and Old Testament interpretation. But I see no reason to believe that Jesus of Nazareth has been, is, or will be the means of grace or hope of glory. He is also co-founder and chief data scientist at Verasight. And there are also periods of painful disillusionment and depression that look like withdrawal symptoms that even Christians suffer after at least partially self-Inducing and sustaining a high on Jesus for years. And what religion, denomination, sect or cult doesnt seek to inculcate a sense of trust and intimacy toward its depictions of God, holy prophets or holy writings? Im all for that. Yes, no matter what words we employ we can never do justice to the experience. Something that transcends your petty thoughts as to self, or day to day concerns, and fills you with so much love and gratitude and beauty that if feels your heart will burst. If the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ does exist, watch out. Its not that we dont know, its that our knowing is ultimately so relative. Evidence: The heavens declare the glory of God. 298 . Over the next twelve months our focus will be "Old and New: An . So I would never presume to tell someone like Pete or the Dali Lama that their experiences are not in their subjective sense real. Only that any confidence they glean from those experiences to then conclude what they believe they encountered they actually in fact have, well, that I would claim is highly suspect and demonstrably so. I think the sooner the Church heals the Great Schism and returns to the even the faith of Jesus certainly before Constantine and possibly before Paul, the better she will be on a cosmic mission. Thanks Pete, I expressed my full view in a direct response above. Peter Enns is the last person that I will analyze simply because he probably best typifies what can happen once one begins the downward spiral on adopting an evolutionary view to Scripture. And we can also look at those experiences, and see if there is an element of illusion about them. Call it a transcendental trust like Thoreau had, or like John Hick in our own day. To dig down a little deeper theologically, I can deeply understand the paradox of the Incarnation of not only a God-as-man, but in the form of a baby in a manager in Galilee in first century Palestine. It does though offer means to consider qualitative differences. You will know whom I mean, Atheism may be comparatively popular with God himself, When a pious visitor inquired sweetly, Henry, have you made your peace with God? he replied, We have never quarreled., Henry David Thoreau as quoted in Henry David Thoreau: What Manner of Man? As for your books title, The Sin of Certainty, you seem pretty certain that sin exists, though I suspect humans dont really need thatll added theological term since it seems more like a metaphor for any selfish behavior people of all religions or none already view in a negative fashion. Joyfully I can say that as a conservative Presbyterian, some of my closest friends are devout Roman Catholics. He is the podcast host of The Bible for Normal People. Read Dr. Enns full CV, B.S. All three books seek to better understand political representation, inequality, and social outcomes in the United States. He speaks actively in academic and ecclesiastical venues on topics pertaining the Bible and Christian faith. Not if hes using evidence in the sense Ive advocated for in this thread Pete. As is knowledge of the Theotokos. I love nothing more than learning about peoples stories and would love to learn more about yours. Forced love . To me there is a sacred goodness in characteristics of the way and Christianitys wins over the centuries are attributable to this. that Christians suffer like everyone else. Most people who are not believers are not believers because this side has so much certainty over things that we should not be saying we have so much certainty over. Hey Ed; I can definitely understand what youre saying and thats why many people go thru many religions while on this path of truth. One final question. As is our collaborative aspects of the scientific method. Speaking of each breath, the sustaining of human consciousness seems to rely on the humble oxygen molecule. So true. Im familiar with various concepts of God. It is vitally important that we respond with a yes when He calls, and this is why humility is sooo important. Roman Catholics and conservative Protestants have much in common and face common enemies in terms of secular humanism and all of the other anti-Christian hate groups and religions of the world. . Some people really hate what I say--and I've lost a couple of jobs because of my views. As we give exercise to examples, we often discover these characteristics are more descriptive than prescriptive in their nature. @peteenns. http://edward-t-babinski.blogspot.com/2015/01/leaving-ministry-left-ministry-polls.html. Im more so now in my life in the former group of people. Dave Burbank This wont be solved in a blog post, but heres basically where I am with all this believing in God businessin under 800 words. I find much of the tradition of Christianity over the last 2,000 yearsand most acutely in the generations of my life in Americato have failed what I consider to be the best centerings of the apocalyptic hope of Jesus of Nazareth. Evidence used that way is a foundationalist dead end, but thats not the only way of interpreting Experience, of which scientific experiments are one kind. One, what does God mean? Pseudo-Solomon and His Scripture: Biblical Interpretation in the Wisdom of Solomon,, The Contribution of Ecclesiastes to Biblical Theology,. I think the proper locus of religious conviction can help one find meaning in a religion better than help one find a religion. 2) Do their beliefs about God or Gods or whatever bring us to harming the other or the world, or bring us to healing and redeeming? Instead only their book features inspired writingsthe truth and stories necessary to believe, and of course conservatives, moderates and liberals differ concerning what that book really means or what the most essential and necessary lessons are.

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