Parker > Recent Status Updates

One of my biggest issues with Heiser is his poor theological reasoning. In one chapter, he argues from texts in Job that angels are not sinless because they don't share God's inherently holy nature. They're called holy because they serve in close proximity to God.

But how can anything unholy serve in God's presence? It's obvious from Scripture that's impossible without atonement. Who atoned for the angels' sins?

Roughly halfway through the book now. I find it somewhat interesting that Kelly offered some gentle criticism of Baker's preaching, but not of Thornwell's.

I can only hope that if and when I ever have difficulty with my congregation, that Jesus will do for me as he did for Symeon: Grant me a vision in which he warns, point-blank, that anybody who won't obey my words (to the death, even!) is essentially forfeiting their salvation.

The longer I read these poems, the more convinced I am Symeon's visions were mere dreams or hallucinations at best.

Multiple of the chapters in the miscellaneous section of the book are actually quite helpful summaries of complex topic (e.g., the date of the Canaanite Conquest and the destruction of Jericho).

But then again, most chapters still have at least one characteristically Heiserian sloppy line, like in the chapter where he argued salvation was by faith in the OT -- just a different object of faith!

"And if you reject my commands and you are vexed by them,
and you consider it a shame and a dishonor
to suffer and to lay down your soul for my commands,
then why do you ask to learn how you must be saved,
and by what practices you may befriend Me?
And why do you call Me your God?
And why do you stupidly think you believe in Me?
For I willingly suffered these things for your sake."

Reading with a group of seminary friends. Surprisingly, it was the most egregiously Yankee member of the group that chose the book.

I think the introduction surveying the history and character of the Old South has set the tone for the book: Kelly is open about the South's extreme flaws, though careful to nuance the picture with often-neglected factors. Still, I think he comes across a tad defensive of his heritage.

Gotta say Symeon's theological reasoning is nowhere near as strong as his eastern forefathers like Gregory of Nazianzus or Athanasius.

In hymn 34 he claims that our present union with God must be perceptible with the senses. That has to be the case because either we're united with the immortal (which we would obviously see/feel) or else God must become mortal through union with us.

Man, when I read some of the things Heiser wrote here, I can only be thankful that he was a believer, and he's conscious of being forgiven for the hermeneutics he taught.

Reading for a research project. Heiser has, unfortunately, afforded me some absolutely perfect quotes to pull.

Fell behind during a busy season. Still early enough to catch up without much difficulty.

At times, Symeon's prayers sounds to me like the bits and pieces I've encountered from other mystical traditions (primarily Islamic and Buddhist). I get that I'm very much a post-enlightenment Westerner, but I really don't see the appeal. Anyway, the similarities (especially with the excerpts of Islamic mysticism I've read) make me think the whole endeavor is more fleshly than its practitioners would like to admit.

Next stop: Origen