Religious superiority?

Burnaby BC (photo from trekearth.com)

Jurgen Moltmann writes that the resurrection message of the early Christian community was the anticipation of what was to come. Moltmann (1993: 177). The resurrection of Christ created the hope for the eventual world of a new righteousness. Moltmann (1993: 177). Robert Mounce explains that in the new heaven and new earth the life of the believer will be transformed in completion. Mounce (1990: 388). Believers will share the likeness of God, and this will be a life of moral perfection. John Calvin explains that God would begin anew in humanity by abolishing the fallen will, leaving the human will in its original state. Calvin (1539)(1998: Book II, Chapter 3, 6). God would turn evil to good, according to Calvin, thus bringing a new humanity, which was a new creation. Calvin (1539)(1998: Book II, Chapter 3, 6). This human restoration and rebirth would lead to the culmination of the Kingdom of God, and the ultimate blessing of immortality. Calvin (1552)(1995: 13).

Christians of all theological groups that trust in the Biblical God and Christ for salvation can reason that they shall be part of the finalized Kingdom of God. Salvation is a work of God as Christ completed the atoning work and resurrection and believers simply receive the gospel in grace through divine guided faith. Believers are saved by grace through faith, and not through self, as it is a gift from God, as Ephesians 2:8 explains. Ephesians 2:9 notes persons are not saved by works and that no one should boast. Verse 10 reasons that followers as the workmanship of God, should produce good works. Christians are sinners (Romans 1, 2, 3:23, 6:23) that by nature and choice cannot please God by their own power. Salvation since believers are not as of yet resurrected, is a process, although persons in Christ are saved. Christians are at this point therefore imperfect, and even while guided by God this imperfection certainly would be reflected in life, including theology.

Do I ask the Lord that my theology be always correct? Yes. Is it? Well, I think usually the Lord guides me to the truth the first time, but sometimes within God’s will it takes some time and thought to have a better understanding of theology, in particular secondary issues outside of salvific and nature of God doctrines. The need for theological development within a Christian life, and overall spiritual progress to me demonstrates that Christians, even if adhering to Biblical essentials should take a humble approach in theological interaction with others, both Christian and non-Christian.

I have been within the Christian community since 1988 as an adult. I must first state that most of my interaction with Christians both on and off-line has been positive, and so I am not broad-brushing the Christian community here. Without attempting to judge any hearts and motives, I am concerned by the possible attitudes of religious superiority or spiritual superiority, if you prefer, which, I have come across over the last twenty years. I have had pastors who are focused on evangelism and missions work that negate me as a theology student, and now theologian, as some seem to view academic theology as too abstract an unimportant. They somewhat fail to realize that academics and theologians deal with theological issues in order that this information filters down to evangelism and missions work. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 notes that there are different types of members within the community of Christ in regard to duties, and I see teachers are on the list. Certainly it can be reasoned that some of those teachers should be able to teach and reason at an academic level in order to assist the Christian community.

At a Christian University, I had an advisor who seemingly did not like the fact that I pushed for top grades and desired to be a philosophical theologian and not a pastor, and he appeared to lose interest in advising me properly with my dissertation project. He would strongly criticize many other Christian academics and told me that I listened too much to the previous theologian that he had replaced. My advisor left the University for another job and provided a negative note concerning my work for the review board. Having followed all his instructions, the project did not go as well as I hoped, but I did manage to have the note removed from my record. The University informed me that my former advisor has no experience as an advisor. His actions and attitude demontsrated a possible aura of religious/spiritual superiority over me as if should give up academics and pursue something else. He told the review board I could not do the work. Thankfully, by advancing to a higher level degree and completing a distance learning MPhil dissertation on the problem of evil as a moderate conservative in a liberal institution, with no revisions after making, and no local advisor, I have proven him wrong. God willing, when I pass my PhD dissertation with similar circumstances he shall be proved wrong again, and all my chapters have been accepted by my advisor so far. I am not bragging here, and I would not succeed without God’s guidance and the help of good advisors, but my point is that this Christian advisor would not properly assist me and it very well could be because of an attitude of religious/spiritual superiority. Although we agreed on primary issues and I was an A grade student, he for whatever reasons through his actions and lack of proper assistance caused my career aspirations to come under attack. With my first PhD appointment in England, my advisor was away for a year and the professors there who are religious, but not likely mainly Biblical Christians, forced me out of the department because I would not give up on the idea that God created the world, and the problem of evil existed. They too stated I could not do the work, and they too have been proven wrong…thank God.

Through blogging, I have been disturbed by the dogmatism of a small minority of Reformed blogs that have few links and portray an attitude of religious superiority as if Reformed doctrine is basically equal to Biblical doctrine authority wise. I am a Reformed theologian with some Baptist leanings that is pleased to be a member of a Presbyterian Church, but there is room for debate on secondary issues. On my blogs I take strong Reformed stances on theodicy, free will and sovereignty, but I try to write and interact in a loving and respectful way in order to promote dialogue with those with differing perspectives. I will always be a student first and a teacher second, and so there is room to humbly consider other perspectives, even if I know I will likely not change my mind on certain issues. Lately, I have also been troubled by the minority of Christian blogs I have visited that join BlogRush and then will not even publish my comments on their blog. I am looking for new readers, commenters, and links and one should at least respectfully publish my comment even if my theology is not his/her cup of tea. I do not expect everyone to desire to link with me.

All Christians are to share in the eventual culminated Kingdom and so let us interact respectfully and with an open-mind concerning secondary issues with our brothers and sisters of different Christian camps. Those with very dogmatic largely non-interactive approaches and blogs miss opportunities to share their perspectives and possibly influence others in thought, due to their closed-minded approach.

CALVIN, JOHN (1539)(1998) The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book II, Grand Rapids, Wheaton College.
http://www.smartlink.net/~douglas/calvin/

CALVIN, JOHN (1552)(1995) Acts, Translated by Watermark, Nottingham, Crossway Books.

MOLTMANN, JURGEN (1993) The Crucified God, Minneapolis, Fortress Press.

MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990) The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.


Burnaby BC (photo from trekearth.com)

http://satireandtheology.blogspot.com/2008/02/space-real-and-phony.html