I love this site http://www.opentheism.info/. I will readily admit that I have not read any of the books listed here, and have only skimmed some of the articles and questions, but I'm intrigued and comforted by what I read. I find that the longer I work among Calvinists the more free-willish I become.
We recently had a devotion focused on the verse "Knock and the door shall be opened" etc. I really don't understand why Calvinists bother with petitionary prayer at all. They tie themselves in pretzels with explanations about how prayer isn't about God but about us and so forth. Well, I thought it was supposed to be about communion and communication, not just God filing away our ridiculous desires to have something be other than it is, since whatever it is, is God's will, and nothing surprises God (a favorite saying around here) and God is in control of everything. I think that latter phrase is as close to a chant as We come, since it comes up over and over, prefacing any request and dished out during any tragedy. No matter what crap lands on my plate, Thank you God for being Sovereign--I am greatly comforted, and as I partake of this crap, I can rest in the knowledge that is is Your will.
Okay, so I'm getting snarky and reducing a complex theological stance to caricature. Won't be the first time in my life.
I can testify of the last statement being your husband. Here are my thoughts:
ReplyDeleteIn the end does it really matter? In the book I read I think Jesus is looking for a proclaimation of one thing, "Do you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might. Also, do you love your neighbor as well". In this we have neither Jew or goyim that can add how they believe or why? It is a simple "Yes" or "No".
In prayer, we focus our attention on God's intervention in our lives and the lives of others. By His Spirit, we come to understand ourselves as a wretched man (neutral) I am and the need of dependence on God.
Hi, Bad Alice. Thanks for your comments on my blog. Please visit often.
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