{"id":6162,"date":"2015-10-22T15:41:55","date_gmt":"2015-10-22T22:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=6162"},"modified":"2015-10-22T15:45:39","modified_gmt":"2015-10-22T22:45:39","slug":"original-sin-and-optional-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/original-sin-and-optional-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"Original Sin and Optional Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"quote<\/a><\/p>\n

Are we simply pawns in God\u2019s hand \u2013 waiting to be placed \u2013 waiting to be positioned on the checkered board? We look down and grip onto His grasp \u2013 praying that His desire will match our desire. His hands release and we\u2019re scattered across the chess board \u2013 without reason, without cause and without thought. Is this God\u2019s plan? Is His sovereignty something that is swayed by whim?<\/p>\n

As I delved into the pages of Christian Theology, I couldn\u2019t help but grapple with the McGrath\u2019s view of God and humanity. Early on in the text, McGrath highlights Patristic Theologians and centers on the Augustine vs. Pelagian controversy. The author summarizes the debate of grace and states, \u201cAccording to Augustine, it follows human beings are now contaminated by sin from the moment of their birth. In contrast to those twentieth-century existentialist philosophers which affirm that \u201cfallenness\u201d is an option which we choose (rather than something which is chosen for us).\u201d[1]<\/a> Did all the Patristic Theologians hold to the view of predestination and original sin? Certainly not. However, in hopes of creating a contrast with Pelagian philosophy, McGrath has formed a biased perception of Christianity and its early foundation.<\/p>\n

Millard Erickson, penned a great argument to Augustine\u2019s view of original sin when he wrote, \u201cSin is the choice of the person who commits it. The desire to do what is done may be present naturally, and there may be external inducement as well. But the individual is ultimately responsible. Adam and Eve chose to act upon an impulse and suggestion; Jesus chose not to.\u201d[2]<\/a> Whether we inherited a sinful nature or we inherited the propensity to sin, the real separation of God and humanity rests on choice \u2013 choice of sin and choice of salvation. In McGrath\u2019s attempt to compare and contrast Augustine to Pelagius, He made the assertion that predestination must be correlated with Christian thought. What about those who lean more towards the Arminian stance? Are they to be categorized as heretics, or at least sympathetic to Pelagianism?<\/p>\n

Martin Luther fought against Pelagian theology and he fought from an Armenian standpoint. \u201cThe first period of the Reformation is dominated by the personal agenda of Martin Luther. Convinced that the church had lapsed into an unwitting Pelagianism, Luther developed his distinctive doctrine of justification by faith alone.\u201d[3]<\/a> Luther and Wesley both sought to eradicate heresy that decorated the churches during that time period. They both differed in many ways from Calvin and Augustine, but they all stood on the same team.<\/p>\n

The Enlightenment sought to bring an element of rationalism within theological study; however, the discussion expanded from original sin to the identity of Christ, the problem of evil, the trinity and the question of miracles. Pelagianism was revived, but wore a different mask. \u00a0Voltaire and Rousseau criticized the doctrine of original sin by stating, \u201cThe doctrine is encouraging pessimism with regard to human abilities, thus impeding human social and political development, and encouraging laissez-faire attitudes.\u201d[4]<\/a> Were they right? Was it impeding on humanity\u2019s understanding of self-actualization? If one believes that we are all born with original sin, then one must also surmise that we are all without choice. \u201cFor Augustine, humanity has no control over its sinfulness. It is something which contaminates life from birth, and dominates life thereafter.\u201d[5]<\/a> If there is not control for sin, then how can one be responsible for actions that are not under their own control? Would this belief not force God\u2019s hand into manipulation? However, the same is true with Pelagianism. The strict belief that man is the only one who has choice, removes the need for one to choose God. Therefore, man becomes higher than God\u2019s sovereignty. God becomes unnecessary.<\/p>\n

As I read through the text, I realized that one\u2019s theological opinions are dictated by one\u2019s theological foundation. Karl Barth adheres to the theology of universal salvation. His view of predestination is painted by his perspective of inclusivity of humanity. He asserts that the only one who experiences God\u2019s wrath and separation is Jesus; therefore, humanity has full access and full attainment to God without fear of hell. \u201cBarth\u2019s doctrine of predestination points to the universal restoration and salvation of humanity \u2013 a position which has occurred a degree of criticism from others who would otherwise be sympathetic to his general position.\u201d[6]<\/a> All of our theological viewpoints are tainted by our own personal bias. Augustine\u2019s stance of predestination stemmed from his perspective of original sin. Pelagius\u2019 stance of original sin stemmed from his perspective of earned merited favor with God. Karl Barth\u2019s stance of universal restoration, stemmed from his perspective of God\u2019s wrath towards Christ. All of these foundations color theological conclusions. As I read through this week\u2019s assignment, I delved into the pages searching for answers; however, I found myself with more questions than answers. Perhaps, theology is not only a quest for truth, but an exercise that strips away the fallacies of our own belief in light of truth.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction<\/em> (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) 19.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Millard J, Erikson, Christian Theology: <\/em>(Baker Academic, 1998,) 616.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction<\/em> (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) 60.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction<\/em> (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) 69.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction<\/em> (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) 352.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Alister McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction<\/em> (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011) 370.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are we simply pawns in God\u2019s hand \u2013 waiting to be placed \u2013 waiting to be positioned on the checkered board? We look down and grip onto His grasp \u2013 praying that His desire will match our desire. His hands release and we\u2019re scattered across the chess board \u2013 without reason, without cause and without […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[199],"class_list":["post-6162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-mcgrath","cohort-lgp6"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6162"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6167,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6162\/revisions\/6167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}