Comments on: Clicking the Ruby Slippers

By: Huw

Huw — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:07:22 +0000

As I said, taking the arguments as writen: the point of this post wasn’t to justify or contest the other writers.

However, since you raised it: the author of “John” is not necessarily a Jew, nor even “john”. We’ve no way to be assured a document written possibly as late as 110 AD to have been written by a Jew from the first half of the first century. Assertions either way are based on assumptions covering huge gaps of knowledge and bias.

We only see in Paul’s letters what we put there from a 2000 year distance. Dix’ assertion was that it was Gentiles acting from within their culture and reading Paul who saw “God” rather than “God’s power” acting in Jesus.

By: Gregory Orloff

Gregory Orloff — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:25:30 +0000

The assertion that belief in Jesus Christ’s divinity arises out of a Gentile, but not Jewish, reading of the Old Testament doesn’t seem to hold water. Both John and Paul were Jews, and their gospel and epistles are quite plain in stating Jesus Christ is God who became a human being.

By: Huw

Huw — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:18:32 +0000

I’m with you on the whole Gnostic thing. I’ve shared with you in these pages (and in other conversations) how I feel about even some things in Orthodoxy that seem to me too Gnostic.

You write, “An organization with no boundaries does not really exist”. And I agree with you. But I would ask is “organisation” the appropriate image? I’m looking for a quote from St Gregory… and I’m not going to find it (and get to work on time!) I’ll be back later to edit this comment into a real conversation :-)

By: Fr. Ernesto

Fr. Ernesto — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:52:36 +0000

An organization with no boundaries does not really exist, anymore than an amoeba with no cell wall exists. Nevertheless, your point is well made. Some of the re-evaluation that is going on with the Eastern Orthodox viz a viz the Oriental Orthodox and the non-Chalcedonian Orthodox has to do with possible cultural misunderstandings that led to a couple of possibly unnecessary schisms.

At the same time, one only needs to think of the Gnostic writings and some other odd writings to think of what would have happened had Christianity not set some boundaries. Even now, think of how many claims there are to special knowledge that makes one a truly “spiritual” Christian.

Boundaries are needed, as much as they are in any family (as every parent knows). However, your point is quite well made. Not every current boundary is necessarily that which has been received from the Fathers.