tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post7625977792244618971..comments2023-10-31T09:33:01.781-04:00Comments on McilWeb: What unites us?Keith H. McIlwainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14661248415435540954noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-27675759503052001032008-07-26T21:47:00.000-04:002008-07-26T21:47:00.000-04:00We have been discussing with our college students ...We have been discussing with our college students who they think Jesus is and who Jesus says he is. Jesus holds is all in a tension and at the same time the Godhead fully. I am, on a personal level, still struggling with "Christ in me the hope of glory". I plan to share that with the students tomorrow and see what their comments are. As Paul says, "wretched (wo)manthat I am" Most of us forget our wretchedness and forget that we are the arems that are to reach out to it as well. We are neither hot nor cold.....right nor...left.smkyqtzxtlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05462387054057449137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-25755526974098988882008-07-23T10:28:00.000-04:002008-07-23T10:28:00.000-04:00What I meant about "Right" is that I have often ex...What I meant about "Right" is that I have often experienced an emphasis on Christ as savior to the detriment of all other forms (i.e. the Christ who leads us in social justice). While the "Left" does just the opposite. Make sense?weshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11486723531293279727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-90108712596523960642008-07-22T11:37:00.000-04:002008-07-22T11:37:00.000-04:00I remember reading about a General Assembly of the...I remember reading about a General Assembly of the PC(USA) a few years back, when one of the guest speakers said during a speech: "If we truly believe that God is at work everywhere in the world, then what's the big deal about Jesus?" What was so disheartening was that the comment provoked merely positive or negative emotional reactions from those listening, rather than a serious conversation about the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, as you rightly call for.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for reminding us that "unity" is not an end to be sought in itself...but rather, that we must seek Christ and trust that He will lead us into unity.Jeff Kahlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13016581430364691310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-40128356013228285972008-07-22T09:11:00.000-04:002008-07-22T09:11:00.000-04:00Wes, you make some good points, but I'm not sure I...Wes, you make some good points, but I'm not sure I understand your complaint about the "Right". I tend to resist labeling myself, but I would certainly agree with a soteriological ecclesiology, which I believe to be entirely Wesleyan.Keith H. McIlwainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661248415435540954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-18686690030185229282008-07-22T09:09:00.000-04:002008-07-22T09:09:00.000-04:00Joe, I agree with you, but I would want to differe...Joe, I agree with you, but I would want to differentiate between "diversity", which is a good thing, and "pluralism", which is divisive. Current denominational leadership largely equates these two concepts (inappropriately), and that inexactitude causes problems.Keith H. McIlwainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661248415435540954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-29869805719763017372008-07-17T15:37:00.000-04:002008-07-17T15:37:00.000-04:00Good observations and summary of how we let so man...Good observations and summary of how we let so many differences divide. I think your point about unity in the Holy Spirit is right though. Yes, we often work against it, BUT it is the source of unity.<BR/><BR/>A couple references if you don't mind. <BR/><BR/>First, we must teach our people to embrace "<A HREF="http://promiseofthefather.blogspot.com/2008/06/gift-of-unity-gift-of-spirit.html" REL="nofollow">The Gift of Unity: The Gift of the Spirit</A>"<BR/><BR/>Second, In sustaining the reality of our common salvation, I think we undersell the importance of <A HREF="http://www.morethancake.org/2008/02/divine-identity-part-2.html" REL="nofollow">diversity as a cohesive agent</A>.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00772168718321735432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22297646.post-40072829905742782792008-07-17T09:29:00.000-04:002008-07-17T09:29:00.000-04:00Keith I agree with pretty much everything you said...Keith I agree with pretty much everything you said. However I think with our issue of Christology there may be no common ground, and I really hate to say that. The problem is we have (for lack of a better way to put it) the "Left" side wanting to make an entire Christiology around the social gospel. And the reality for that is that you don't need a divine savior to change the world, you just need a man with great moral teachings. The "Right" side wants a savior, and unless we operate by that our entire ecclesial system will basically be damned. <BR/>My opinion is we need both, we need the Christ who cares about the physical well being of the people in the world, and the Christ who saves a sinner just like me. Personally I think that is our Methodist heritage, at least that's what I see in Wesley. Unfortunately I have met to many people in our conferences that would rather capitalize on just one aspect of Christ and not try to hold Wesley's own view of Christ in balance. Personally I blame our seminary education and its emphasis on Historical Criticism rather than on theology, and practical application (which is the perfect union in Methodism IMHO).weshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11486723531293279727noreply@blogger.com