Grace: Two Misunderstandings Reframed
Two problems: reducing it by making it too many things, reducing it by focusing on the negative. Each is the short story version; we want the full story.
Sadly, the full story of grace is often reduced to a short story. Frederick Buechner tilts in this direction when he says that “a good sleep is grace and so are good dreams.” “The smell of rain is grace.” I like dreamy sleep and the pitter-patter of rain, but we do the word “grace” a disservice when we reduce it to pleasant life experiences.
The second misunderstanding is a sad face — that is, when grace is what God does for bad people in such a way they are reminded how bad they are. Here’s the short story it tells: “God was against us, but God was gracious and now we’re just flat-out lucky to be on his good side.”
The 5 Happiest Countries And What Makes Them So Happy
Switzerland is the world’s happiest country, according to the 2015 World Happiness Report. The next four spots are taken by Iceland, Denmark, Norway and Canada. The United States came in 15th spot, while the UK is at 21 and Australia at 10.
The spirits of Gallipoli inspire a stronger, better Australia
This time, the Anzacs came as an army of honour not invasion.
The dawn light just after 6am on Saturday revealed the largest Australian influx to this shore since April 25, 1915, spilling over the reaches of North Beach and around the natural amphitheatre.
The originals of 1915, Anzacs and Turks alike, would have been astounded by this pilgrimage, part homage, part battlefield tourism, part Gallipoli-inspired national ethos.
At this time and place 100 years before the scene was whistling bullets, confusion, blood and bravado. This time, the visiting Australians, young and old, rugged up tight against the cold and fortified during a long night, were patient, happy, united and, above all, dedicated to honouring their ancestors of four generations earlier.
What Did Jesus Really Look Like? A Look at the Bible Facts
Does Jesus look like what most pictures of Him reveal? Did Jesus have long hair and wear a white robe as the pictures and movies portray? Did He look different from the rest of the Jews or was He no different from those of His day?
More From Iain Provan on “Dangerous” Religion
We recently finished a long series on Iain Provan’s new book Seriously Dangerous Religion. The final post (Dangerous or Not? … We Can’t Ignore Joshua) touched on an issue that concerns many in discussions of the Old Testament. I outlined Provan’s approach as I saw it in the book and offered some thoughts of my own. Today I have a response from Iain Provan on this topic. Although he offered this response to be posted, he won’t be available to participate in comments.
‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ is a Bumpy, But Successful Ride
There’s a scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron in which all our old pals are sitting around Tony Stark’s giant skyscraper-turned Avengers hangout, taking turns trying to lift Thor’s hammer, which can only be wielded by those who are “worthy.” Thor chuckles as each of them fall before his hammer’s magical bylaws, and the Black Widow is slyly dismissive of the boys’ bemusement. They trade barbs with each other. They flirt a little. They swap save-the-day stories.
Moving Beyond the Problems
Kyle Roberts, a former professor at Bethel who has since left and is now teaching in other venues, has a post up on the Progressive Christians portal at Patheos about the problems with inerrancy. At one time this was called “deconstruction” though technically speaking this is not deconstruction.
If you read the whole or Kyle’s post you will discover a tension — between his clear affirmation of Scripture of God’s Word and his critique of the term “inerrancy” as a good descriptor for what Scripture is.
I will post Kyle’s serious and clear set of problems for inerrancy below, but before that I want to offer my approach to such matters. Christians read the Bible as God’s Word, and he affirms such admirably in his conclusion. Reading the Bible as God’s inspired (another word he affirms here) Word requires a positive hermeneutical approach to Bible reading.
