What's your favorite heresy?

[Adam]

The doctrine of apokatastasis, or "restitutio in pristinum statum", the restitution to the pristine state: presupposing that all created beings were originally equal in nature, but to various degrees fell from God to become angels, men, and demons, and supposing that the immutable holiness of the Trinity will draw all beings back into itself, restoring creation to it's original condition. Hell is therefore the refining fire of judgment, separating that which is evil from the image of God which dwells in all things, ultimately purifying all; it is sometimes regarded as equivalent to universal salvation but is more appropriately labelled final restoration, as it does not propose multiple means of grace only an infinite ammount of time to acheive it and an inability to forever resist it. Defended by Origen of Alexandria and Gregory of Nyssa, based in part on the following text:

1 Cor 25-28: For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For ‘God has put all things in subjection under his feet.’ But when it says, ‘All things are put in subjection,’ it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be ALL IN ALL.

I take delight in so many heresies, it was difficult to pick a favorite :)

Peace.
Adam

[Adam Linton]

[John Anthony]

Adam Linton said in response to Adam:

...my version of apokatastasis is somewhat different than the one you articulated, especially in regard to the fall. That is, diversity of natures in creation is not a matter of differing degrees of fall, but a part of the original intention of creation -- and hence, such diversity endures and is perfected in the ultimate recapitulation of all things.

Your sentence might be taken to mean that the human situation is perfect just as it is, or at least is moving toward perfection exactly as God intends it to do: We don’t need to be purged or cured of anything except perhaps of the mysterious delusion that something is wrong in us or with our situation. Is this how you see it?

Thanks to Adam and to you for bringing up this very interesting ‘heresy’.

John

BTW, I just read an interesting article about salvation that had much to say about the eschatology of Irenaeus. It left me with questions about his views which are similar to what I’ve asked about your views.

http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research/the ... /Casey.htm

[Adam Linton]

[jo]

Sorry Adam :). Maybe it would be better to start a new thread on the RC versus Protestantism thing if anyone is interested.

[Adam Linton]

A follow-up that occured to me after church today.

While, preaching ceratainly is mediated through the particular personality, experience, devotion, and study of the preacher, I'm very clear that a preacher's calling is not to set forth his or her "own stuff." Our message is not "our own," but Christ's.

Nevertheless, I have my own personal engagement with the texts of the day, around and beyond, as well as within, my preaching office.

The Gospel reading appointed in the Lectionary for this Sunday (Matthew 20:1-20) could well be understood to intersect with the idea of apokatastasis, especially, perhaps the second to last verse.

This verse is rendered very well, I think, in The Revised English Bible (my favorite English translation of the Scriptures, by the way):

"Why be jealous because I am generous?"

[Sven]

[AllanS]

[magpie]

[John Anthony]

[magpie]

[John Anthony]

[Adam Linton]

[magpie]

Alas, my brothers, will true agape ever prevail among the brethren. Although today the word has become "semantic filler" which some even among us are all too quick to use, it has in the past sent people to the stake or other wretchedly painful deaths, and if we are not vigilant could conceivably do so again.

[Carly]