Tripp (and Justin in the comments box) rightly keep us grounded in the simplicity of the faith. Justin rather modestly asserts that the discussion we've been engaged in on the Church and salvation is a bit beyond him. I thought I'd comment, since this is germane to my words on dogma yesterday.
Tripp writes:
My contribution to Cliff's theological dialogues today is short and sweet. John: 3:16. God so loved the world...ya gotta believe, but the message is for the world, not the church. Our happy gnostic Johanine community is exclusive, but knows the message is inclusive of all of creation. All is transformed by the Life, Death and Resurrection. In our conversations on dogma, that has to be included. So far, Catholic and Protestant alike (can't speak for Orthodox) are guilty of lording salvation over the "have-not's." Salvation is not our's to give. It belongs to God. So, how is the church salvific again?
I'm not sure whether or not Catholics, Protestants, and--perhaps--Orthodox are guilty of "lording salvation" but our Lord himself gave to Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. While that doesn't mean Peter literally stands and checks off names at the "Pearly Gates" it minimally means Peter and the other apostles, and through their ministry the Church, do get to clarify the Gospel. Would that we could have stayed so simple as Tripp suggests. But those darn Gnostics, Arians, Sabellians, and the lot, screwed things up for us all. The Church had to rise to meet their challenge and clarify, further explain, just what the Gospel meant. Thus the Councils were mostly about the person of Christ, who he was and what he did. (Yes, clarification on the Spirit and Mary were thrown in as well.)
I hear Justin's frustration. Although my educational training makes these sorts of discussions like a pharmaceutical high, there are points at which I sure wish you could just boil things down to those proverbial four spiritual laws. But life won't let us do that.
This is why these attempts to summarize things by way of a single verse is finally impossible. John 3:16 is indeed a divine summary. But to exclude the witness of 1 John is to fail to uphold the whole truth. The Resurrection of our Lord does indeed transform all reality, especially, for us, human reality. But that transformation, by our Lord's own words, will involve, as a human reality, a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Gnostic or no, the Johannine community was exhorted to exclude and not give hospitality to those who denied the faith (2 John). We humans frequently do a nice job of screwing up the balance. But we do not serve God or the truth when we emphasize either damnation or salvation to the exclusion of the other.
Tripp's humility is something we need--excuse me, I need--to continuously choose to enact. Salvation is, ultimately for us humans, a mystery, and in the very capable hands of God. However things turn out, we need have no fear that God will not be both merciful and just. He is good and loves us.
Posted by Clifton at December 19, 2002 12:54 PM | TrackBack