I love the takeaway that power/authority (and dare I add, tradition) is not a defense. I see so many arguments that rest on that majority/history/dominance argument and it's just so weak but remains convincing for so many.
YES. I’m very susceptible to arguments from authority, so this is a new (risky!) brain adventure for me! Funny that evangelicals are often at the forefront of this battle, when arguably a lot of the theology of the Reformation they claim as their own story is a dismantling of authority for its own sake and an emphasis on how “just anyone” can read the Bible for ourselves. But if we read the Bible and think it’s ok to be queer and that hell does not exist, that is the wrong reading - because scratch the surface of Biblical innerancy and it’s just authority underneath (the people who REALLY get to decide what the Bible says)
I also very much love David Bentley Hart, but preface my recommendations by saying something like, “The thing is, he’s VERY confident about his positions, and sees no reason to pretend otherwise, AND has anticipated the inevitable ‘citation needed’ attacks.”
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but your piece on hell from a few years ago was what pushed me to begin reconsidering my views on it, and ceasing to believe in hell has been so freeing! It’s been the aspect of deconstruction that has most strongly impacted how I interact with others, and has put me in a place where I’m much better able to just be with people because I’m not trying to “save” them.
I love the takeaway that power/authority (and dare I add, tradition) is not a defense. I see so many arguments that rest on that majority/history/dominance argument and it's just so weak but remains convincing for so many.
YES. I’m very susceptible to arguments from authority, so this is a new (risky!) brain adventure for me! Funny that evangelicals are often at the forefront of this battle, when arguably a lot of the theology of the Reformation they claim as their own story is a dismantling of authority for its own sake and an emphasis on how “just anyone” can read the Bible for ourselves. But if we read the Bible and think it’s ok to be queer and that hell does not exist, that is the wrong reading - because scratch the surface of Biblical innerancy and it’s just authority underneath (the people who REALLY get to decide what the Bible says)
Yes, exactly!
I also very much love David Bentley Hart, but preface my recommendations by saying something like, “The thing is, he’s VERY confident about his positions, and sees no reason to pretend otherwise, AND has anticipated the inevitable ‘citation needed’ attacks.”
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but your piece on hell from a few years ago was what pushed me to begin reconsidering my views on it, and ceasing to believe in hell has been so freeing! It’s been the aspect of deconstruction that has most strongly impacted how I interact with others, and has put me in a place where I’m much better able to just be with people because I’m not trying to “save” them.
Ooooo I’m so glad to hear this! Universalism had this impact on me and my ability to love people, too, it is such a practically helpful theology!
You had me at “sarcastic theo bro energy...”