Comments on: Patristic Carnival XXIX

By: Patristic Carnival XXIX is up, courtesy of Polycarp! « Political Jesus: Journeys In Nonresistant Love

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:50:09 +0000

[...] hosted Patristic Carnival 29 this month and there are some rather interesting articles. Go on ahead, and check it [...]

By: Polycarp

Polycarp — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:38:29 +0000

Thank you kindly, Esteban. I would greatly appreciate you finishing that series, as it has given me a great deal to think about.

By: Esteban Vázquez

Esteban Vázquez — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:28:26 +0000

Yea verily, it is truly meet that the Lord should speak a dignified “yea” rather a vulgar “yeah” or something.

Great job with this month’s carnival, Joel! You’ve inspired me to get back to Amos and the Resurrection, er, one of these days.

By: Polycarp

Polycarp — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:55:51 +0000

I would agree!

By: Robert Chapman

Robert Chapman — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:51:58 +0000

Well, anyone claiming personal salvation without caring one iota for the community of the faithful may have some explaining to do.

I can hear Jesus asking, “Did you offer me a cup of cold water? Did you forsake the assembling of the saints? Did you offer your gift to the building up of the community?”

“But, Lord, I said the Sinner’s Prayer.”

“Yea, right. Did it mean anything to you?”

By: Polycarp

Polycarp — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:45:11 +0000

Robert, I agree, I believe, with you. This carnival is really designed to showcase the continue use of the Church Fathers, which for me, is exciting to see, and much preferable to the modern theologians.

Do you agree with what the the presiding EC Bishop said about the heresy of the West and corporate salvation?

By: Robert Chapman

Robert Chapman — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:03:27 +0000

I’m not so sure it is as useful to proof text (regularly) with the Fathers as it is with Scripture. Context is everything.

Yes, there are the exceptional statements that stand on its own. But, even then we leave out the richness that the context provides.

More importantly, do we understand the terms and words today as the person writing. For example, “salvation” was not an “individual” thing in the earlier days. You were “saved” with the community, without separation. When you see a “sola fide” type statement in a Father, you must remember it is as much “faith of the church” as it is “individual faith.”

We can use the Fathers to reaffirm our current beliefs as much as sacred Scripture.