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MD's theology

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MD's theology

Postby rusmeister » July 1st, 2007, 12:51 pm

"Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one."
Bill "The Blizzard" Hingest - That Hideous Strength
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Re: MD's theology

Postby Stanley Anderson » July 1st, 2007, 3:01 pm

…on a night of rain Frodo smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Bombadil, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld white shores and beyond them a fair green country under a swift sunrise.
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Postby David Jack » July 1st, 2007, 7:27 pm

"This is and has been the Father’s work from the beginning-to bring us into the home of His heart.” George MacDonald.
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Postby rusmeister » July 2nd, 2007, 4:30 pm

"Eh? Two views? There are a dozen views about everything until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one."
Bill "The Blizzard" Hingest - That Hideous Strength
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Postby David Jack » July 2nd, 2007, 11:00 pm

the 'unorthodox' comment almost certainly refers to macdonald's universalism which lewis of course did not share (nor chesterton, i would imagine.) as to that, however, some would consider lewis and chesterton unorthodox, and as far as i know universalism wasn't the taboo subject in the first few centuries of the christian church as it is now (i even heard that some of the church fathers held to it, but i forget where.)

in any case, anyone is free to believe macdonald was barking up the wrong tree with universalism. what is not in doubt however is the profound debt owed by lewis, chesterton and tolkien to his fantasy writings (and, in lewis' case at least, to his unspoken sermons) and the undeniably christlike character of the man himself. chesterton's endorsement could hardly be more glowing-and i'm sure it had as much to do with macdonald's spirituality as with his literary prowess-and lewis once remarked that he "had never read anyone who was closer, or more continually close, to the spirit of christ." even from the small portion of macedonald's works i've read thus far, i don't think that's an overstatement.
"This is and has been the Father’s work from the beginning-to bring us into the home of His heart.” George MacDonald.
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Postby rusmeister » July 3rd, 2007, 6:16 am

Thank you!

Had to get a quick education on universalism. I can see that it will take some reading.
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Postby David Jack » July 3rd, 2007, 4:13 pm

you're welcome, rusmeister. interesting piece of trivia on macdonald's universalism...

i first found out that he held this stance when reading A N Wilson, of all people (he mentions macdonald in his book 'the victorians' which looks fascinating.) as i mentioned, george macdonald studied greek, and apparently one of his justifications for universalism is that the greek word for 'hell' describes the quality, and not the duration of the suffering.
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Postby Dale Nelson » July 17th, 2007, 4:52 pm

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Postby David Jack » July 17th, 2007, 6:07 pm

"This is and has been the Father’s work from the beginning-to bring us into the home of His heart.” George MacDonald.
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Postby Dale Nelson » July 17th, 2007, 7:16 pm

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Postby David Jack » July 19th, 2007, 1:32 pm

"This is and has been the Father’s work from the beginning-to bring us into the home of His heart.” George MacDonald.
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Postby Dale Nelson » July 19th, 2007, 1:54 pm

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Postby David Jack » January 6th, 2008, 12:44 pm

"This is and has been the Father’s work from the beginning-to bring us into the home of His heart.” George MacDonald.
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Postby Dale Nelson » January 6th, 2008, 3:51 pm

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Postby David Jack » January 7th, 2008, 9:37 am

i'm sure that catholics would say we are 'bound' to believe in the instituation of the papacy, that certain protestant denominations would say we are 'bound' to hold to believer's baptism only, others that we are 'bound' to believe (or disbelieve) in the continuance of spiritual gifts such as tongues, healing etc. after the first few centuries of the church, yet there is wide divergance of opinion on these matters. like i said, my calvinist friend seems to think that calvinistic predestination is a 'must', and all of the above would claim to be able to justify their positions from scripture-and from the teachings of those you mention.

universalists too have used scripture to back up their argument, as do those on the other side. from my own study of scripture, i can see arguments for both points of view (as one can for predestination etc.) but based on my interpretation of said texts, and on what i believe god's character to be like i lean more towards either universal salvation, or at least the net being spread wider than most evangelicals seem to believe.
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