I was just catching up on some blogs and stumbled across some good dialogue on BTaylor's blog.
The topic was interesting to me because I had just listened to someone the other day talk about the percentage of people on the planet which he thought would end up in heaven. The guess-timate was 10% or less. As this person went on to express a fairly narrow (fundamental, dogmatic, etc) evangelical Christian perspective...it really roused some passionate feeling within me...namely, anger. Now I'm not wanting to espouse some kind of universalist's theory of atonement...but can we leave some room for God to be gracious here? When Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." could it be that there are some ways to come at Christ and Truth apart from traditional Christian processes?
I even had the startling notion or impression that I might not want to identify with a God who would just condemn someone to eternal separation from God because they were born in a muslim nation in Africa rather than in the Bible belt of America?! Which leads into the other topic at BT's blog. And on that one (politics of war etc) I've just got to say...our understanding of the Kingdom and Christianity has gotten WAY too enmeshed in our patriotism.
2 comments:
mclaren's thoughts about this are provocative, what if the God's last word on the matter is grace? would that be out of character? i wonder if we would react like Jonah when Ninevah repented?
Chris-
Glad to know you're reading and interested. I couldn't agree more about us (American Christians) having our Kingdom-thinking too wrapped up in patriotism.
Bill--Thanks, too. I'm a huge fan of McLaren, though relatively new. I actually proofread one of his books for him not long ago. Where did you read these thoughts from him on this particular topic?
Thanks!
BT
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