tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8309996.post6800781435786340269..comments2023-09-24T06:17:35.266-04:00Comments on Ithilien: What I believe about the Church--a muddled manifestoContarinihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16602533442067190380noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8309996.post-54579388397902600192012-07-16T17:39:29.269-04:002012-07-16T17:39:29.269-04:00Jon, sorry for not responding to this sooner. In o...Jon, sorry for not responding to this sooner. In orthodox Trinitarian doctrine the claim that "God is love" has an eternal meaning--God is an eternal fellowship of love, into which we are invited. Any non-Trinitarian form of Christianity weakens this affirmation and radically impoverishes what it means for God to invite us into fellowship with Him. Biblically, the classic text for arguing against modalism is the story of Jesus in Gethsemane. Is he just talking to himself?Contarinihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16602533442067190380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8309996.post-50828500892405243602012-06-16T14:59:28.017-04:002012-06-16T14:59:28.017-04:00Tis interesting. I'm interested in your views...Tis interesting. I'm interested in your views on the possibility of Church Re-unification. I don't know the Catholic doctrine, and I do know that many Protestants and Orthodox would not accept the worship STYLE and TRADITIONS of Roman Catholicism, and neither will Roman Catholicism accept any other style or tradition, but might it be possible to arrive at a unified, core doctrine? The Nicene Creed perhaps? And if such a unified core doctrine could be developed, could the different branches, even Anglicans, be persuaded to say together "There is only one way to heaven, and only one God that rules there, but there are many ways of worshiping Him?"<br /><br />To me, just that much, a statement of doctrinal unity that ignores the petty details of minor interpretation, would bring us much closer to the Catholic Church as Christ intended than we are today, even if we all stay in our own church buildings, worshiping with our own cultural and historical traditions. What do you think pains the Lord more deeply, schism? or incorrect doctrine?<br /><br />But then, I shouldn't really talk. I don't do well accepting mysteries, so I reject strict Trinitarianism in favor of Modalism. I've never seen any particular reason God couldn't be a single being playing three roles (which, as an actor, I can readily understand), rather than three beings who are also one being, (which is, to me, illogical and needlessly complicated). So, I suppose I am one of your non-Trinitarian heretics. ;)<br /><br />I like discussion and I like theology. I've a few ideas on the nature of God, and the problem of justifying the ways of God to man. If you've an interest in being a sounding board, I'd be glad of an expert opinion.<br /><br />Jonathan M. HuffmanJonathan M. Huffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07289669922124821902noreply@blogger.com