Marginal Christianity

Fr. Stephen Freeman 1 Comment But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Co 3:18) Among the many losses within modern Christianity has been the place of transformation. Nineteenth-century revival movements and theology emphasized a single experience that was associated with salvation. Those who concerned themselves with what came later, described growth in the Christian life as “sanctification,” and tended to imply that it was optional. Contemporary Christians have settled for a spiritual life in a plain brown wrapper ever since. Read more at http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/glory2godforallthings/2016/02/25/the-change-we-should-believe-in/  

1.     What are we going to do through all eternity?  (Theological term:  glorification) Play harps?  Sing Hallelujah?  I hope not.  I’m not musical and I don’t think a one word praise chorus would sustain me forever!  I’m being facetious, of course, but my question is a serious one.  Do we have any idea from scripture what you and I will do throughout the ages of the ages? We do indeed!  In the last verse of the visions of the book of Revelation and the first two chapters of Genesis.  In these chapters, the only ones untouched by sin, we see God’s eternal planned fulfilled (Rev.21-22) and in their light that plan in embryo in the creation stories (Gen.1-2).  In Rev.22:5, the last verse of Revelation’s visions, the people of God are said to “reign” throughout the eternal ages.  When we look back to the creation stories in Genesis we can see that being made in God’s image to have dominion over creation as Go...

Few elements of theology have suffered more from abstraction than has “sanctification”?  Becoming “holy” or “set apart” or “growth” or whatever other terms are usually used in this regard, beg the question of “to what” are such terms directed.  And I am convinced that this failure lies behind much of the all too evident lack of maturity in so much of North American Christianity. A sculptor can already “see” his sculpture in the block of stone set before him.  Similarly painters already envision the painting they want to produce.  Neither simply starts chipping or painting away hoping something suitable to their purposes and vision emerges.  But that’s just what happens to Christians.  We’re supposed to “grow,” usually meaning some sort of emotional adjustment, becoming “nicer” people and, of course, good citizens.  Or we adapt ourselves to already formed commitments (political, social, economic) and run our desire to be better Christians through...