Clearly my mind is a "sive"...but at least I have the Tiddlywinks championship to console me!
This universalist debate is unfortunate. I especially hated the remark that one reviewer of your book made that if you were to take hell out of the equation, Christianity wouldn't have any attraction. That's not good news at all.
On debts: I wanted to say also I appreciated what you had to say about the Lord's Prayer some time ago and the idea (if I am not misconstruing your argument) that part of the prayer is about debtor's court and the predatory lending practices in the ancient world that kept people in poverty and worse. I now never say the Lord's Prayer anymore without that in mind.
You know, sometimes I just stop and try to imagine how Christian-identified folks would behave if they truly understood the unconditional love of Abba God. It's stunning to consider.
Thank you , David , for your "Addendum to my Addenda" which continues classical wit from both Al Kimel and D. W. Frauenfelder. We English-speaking and former Protestants and Roman Catholics were attracted to Eastern Orthodoxy like you were by the just deceased Met. Kallistos Ware. But yr.
essays and books have kept many of us from leaving because of the ignorant betrayers of Orthodoxy
and its best theologians from "St." Origen, St. Irenaeus, and St. Gregory of Nyssa to Sergius Bulgakov, John Behr, Aidan (or "Al"?) Kimel of "Eclectic Orthodoxy," and the always courageous and witty David Bentley Hart. Truly yours, Dr. David C. McAlpin
Many thanks, David, for your kind words for my good friend. And for us in the pastoral trenches, universalem is embraced at the worst of times as our greatest hope.
Thank you, David, for your recommendation of 'Destined for Joy' and thank you for the excellent Afterword that you wrote for the book. Thank you!
Clearly my mind is a "sive"...but at least I have the Tiddlywinks championship to console me!
This universalist debate is unfortunate. I especially hated the remark that one reviewer of your book made that if you were to take hell out of the equation, Christianity wouldn't have any attraction. That's not good news at all.
On debts: I wanted to say also I appreciated what you had to say about the Lord's Prayer some time ago and the idea (if I am not misconstruing your argument) that part of the prayer is about debtor's court and the predatory lending practices in the ancient world that kept people in poverty and worse. I now never say the Lord's Prayer anymore without that in mind.
You know, sometimes I just stop and try to imagine how Christian-identified folks would behave if they truly understood the unconditional love of Abba God. It's stunning to consider.
Isn’t the “all” vs “any” distinction exactly what the infernalist would invoke on each of the universalist “all” texts.
Thank you , David , for your "Addendum to my Addenda" which continues classical wit from both Al Kimel and D. W. Frauenfelder. We English-speaking and former Protestants and Roman Catholics were attracted to Eastern Orthodoxy like you were by the just deceased Met. Kallistos Ware. But yr.
essays and books have kept many of us from leaving because of the ignorant betrayers of Orthodoxy
and its best theologians from "St." Origen, St. Irenaeus, and St. Gregory of Nyssa to Sergius Bulgakov, John Behr, Aidan (or "Al"?) Kimel of "Eclectic Orthodoxy," and the always courageous and witty David Bentley Hart. Truly yours, Dr. David C. McAlpin
Thank you for calling our attention to the Kimel book; I've just ordered a copy and very much look forward to engaging it. Warm regards....
Many thanks, David, for your kind words for my good friend. And for us in the pastoral trenches, universalem is embraced at the worst of times as our greatest hope.