Ask Angellous about his beliefs (Christianity)

In light of all the "ask me any question about X" threads, I'll open myself up too.

The purpose of this thread is so that you can ask me any question about Angellous's (my) interpretation of Christianity.

Disclaimer(s) -

1) I will attempt to answer any questions in the order in which they are received

2) I reserve the right not to answer any question that I deem inappropriate, unrelated to the OP, that I don't know, or that I just don't feel like answering. In case of #2, I will let you know why I refuse to answer. After all, I don't know much, but I do know a little.

Rules:

1) Remember that this is Angellous's interpretation of Christianity, and no one knows how Angellous interprets Christianity except for Angellous, so only Angellous can answer.

2) Please remember that this is a discussion thread and not a debate.

3) I will defer you to other threads if I have not changed my mind on a particular issue that I've addressed before.

If I don't get any "hits," I'll ask myself questions. :biglaugh:

Maize said:

Why does Angellous keep posting religious topics in the GENERAL discussion area?

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I plead the fifth. The question does not apply to Angellous's interpretation of Christianity. Feel free to move any of my threads if needed.

Next question.

Bump! :jam:

What are your thoughts on baptism? Is it a step in the plan of salvation, or is it just an outward showing of your commitment to God? Please give some scriptural evidence to back up your claim.

Thanks

I what way do you think your version of Christianity varies from the norm.?
Put another way what are your heretical beliefs?


Terry_______________________-
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God


Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God

If you died today, do you believe you would go to heaven? And, please state your reasons for your answer. (This is a question my Pastor asks of everyone he meets, when he is doing his calls, and I think it's very interesting to hear people's responses).

Here's a simple one!

Why aren't more people nice like you?

Linus said:

What are your thoughts on baptism? Is it a step in the plan of salvation, or is it just an outward showing of your commitment to God? Please give some scriptural evidence to back up your claim.

Thanks

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I haven't completely made up my mind on baptism. For me, there is more than one type of baptism. There is baptism of the Holy Spirit, which happens by the grace of God after or at the time of heartfelt confession that Jesus is God - it is the certification that one is truly a Christian. There is baptism into the church (two types here), which is in Baptist and some other Protestant churches the (1) outward sign of salvation - the church's witness to one's confession and conversion experience.

I like (2) infant baptism, which symbolizes the church's commitment to raise children to love the Lord, and the baptism is confirmed upon confession (1 Cor. 7).

Method matters not to me in the slightest (sprinkle, drip, pour, dunk). I think that the Baptist practice of not accepting baptisms from other denomenations is dreadfully sinful and anti-Christ (Eph 4.5).

I'l be glad to clarify this if needed.

Some texts:
Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Romans 6:3-5 (in Context) Romans 6 (Whole Chapter)
Ephesians 4:5
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Ephesians 4:4-6 (in Context) Ephesians 4 (Whole Chapter)

Colossians 2:12
having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:11-13 (in Context) Colossians 2 (Whole Chapter)

Terrywoodenpic said:

I what way do you think your version of Christianity varies from the norm.?
Put another way what are your heretical beliefs?


Terry_______________________-
Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God


Blessed are those who bring peace, they shall be children of God

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I confess the Nichene and Athanatian Creeds. For me, these creeds define normative Christianity. I will use the Eastern credo "We know where the Holy Spirit is but we do not know where he is not" to form my apparatus for interpreting of a few lines in the Athanatian creed concerning the fate of those who do not confess it.

EDIT: Terry, I really don't think that I can address this question honestly.

cturne said:

If you died today, do you believe you would go to heaven? And, please state your reasons for your answer. (This is a question my Pastor asks of everyone he meets, when he is doing his calls, and I think it's very interesting to hear people's responses).

Click to expand...

If I died today, I'd be just as shocked as everyone else who sees what's on the other side.

Reason: I've never died before.

FeathersinHair said:

Here's a simple one!

Why aren't more people nice like you?

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Thanks for the compliment. I genuinely appreciate it.

(I can't answer the question as it does not apply to Angellous's interpretation of Christianity. It seems rhetorical anyway. )

How much of the New Testament to view as embellishment/fabrication?

Jayhawker Soule said:

How much of the New Testament to view as embellishment/fabrication?

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I don't know exactly how much, and I don't think that anyone knows at this time. We're going to fall on opposite sides of the fence on this, but here's a summary of my approach to this question.

(I assume that you're primarily referring to embellishments and fabrications concerning the historical Jesus. If I'm incorrect on this assumption, I can write another post if needed)

1) There was a historical Jesus who was a teacher of the Hebrew Bible.

2) The church was established immedeately after his death, and pre-dates the writings of Paul by 15 years at least and the writings of the Gospels by up to 70 years (if we date John at 100 CE).

3) We can identify a Sitz im Leben for every miracle story and every theological reflection of the Hebrew Scriptures in the life, practices, and ministry of the church.

Therefore, I approach the writings of the NT as the product of the church, written by and for specific needs of the church. By faith I trust that the apostles truthfully fabricated and embellished the text, but I don't know how much is embellishment, and indeed I don't know of a flawless model by which we can extract the literal, historical truth out of the text.

Jayhawker Soule said:

How much of the New Testament to view as embellishment/fabrication?

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Thanks for the question. I'm sure that you'll want to hear more.
You must spread some Karma around before giving it to Jayhawker Soule again.

What is your view of the Ebionites? On what grounds do you assume that the "church ... established immedeately after his death" finds its continuity in Pauline Christianity rather than in something akin to the Ebionites?

A question I get constantly as a Christian is this: How can you believe in a body of works (The Bible) that has been translated and retranslated a million times. How can we assume any of them are the correct translation?

I am curious what your views are on the translation question?

Jayhawker Soule said:

What is your view of the Ebionites? On what grounds do you assume that the "church ... established immedeately after his death" finds its continuity in Pauline Christianity rather than in something akin to the Ebionites?

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I don't have an opinion on the Ebionites.

I should have said churches. I don't naively assume that all Christian house-churches believed in the same thing, but the various groups that came together to eventually form the orthodox church detected some continuity between the Pauline writings and the Gospels.

Are you aware of Walter Bauer's Orthodoxy and Heresy? I will most likely refer to this work at some time during our discussion. http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Resources/Bauer/bauer00.htm

This section of the book treats the Ebionites: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Resources/Bauer/bauer_a1.htm

Buttercup said:

A question I get constantly as a Christian is this: How can you believe in a body of works (The Bible) that has been translated and retranslated a million times. How can we assume any of them are the correct translation?

I am curious what your views are on the translation question?

Click to expand...

I prefer the English Standard Version.

We must have faith in the One that is beyond the Scriptures. We don't trust the Bible, we trust in God.

angellous_evangellous said:

I don't have an opinion on the Ebionites.

I should have said churches. I don't naively assume that all Christian house-churches believed in the same thing, but the various groups that came together to eventually form the orthodox church detected some continuity between the Pauline writings and the Gospels.

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I'm sorry. I was not challenging the continuity between Paul and the Synoptics but between the early Jerusalem church and Paul.

[I may be offline until late tonight or tomorroiw. Thanks for the dialogue.]