I'm a master's student in theology. AMA.
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Author Topic: I'm a master's student in theology. AMA.  (Read 10463 times)
CatoMinor
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« Reply #50 on: March 14, 2017, 02:05:55 PM »

What are your general thoughts regarding eschatology?
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Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon
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« Reply #51 on: March 16, 2017, 12:04:11 AM »

What led you to convert from Episcopalianism to Catholicism?
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Nathan
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« Reply #52 on: March 16, 2017, 09:53:12 AM »

What are your general thoughts regarding eschatology?

I'm really not sure. I have a conviction that a sound eschatology is really important to Christian belief and practice, but haven't yet developed one myself, in part because I have emotional difficulties believing in an afterlife even though I do assent to the idea.

What led you to convert from Episcopalianism to Catholicism?

Growing suspicions over how much the Episcopal Church flattered my political preconceptions, primarily (which should not necessarily be taken to constitute a change in those preconceptions).
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RFayette
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« Reply #53 on: March 16, 2017, 11:58:37 AM »

I know you have previously voiced your dislike of presuppositional apologetics (a sentiment I share, having once been sucked into it), but are there any apologists in particular that you find especially enlightening?
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Nathan
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« Reply #54 on: March 16, 2017, 12:04:30 PM »

I know you have previously voiced your dislike of presuppositional apologetics (a sentiment I share, having once been sucked into it), but are there any apologists in particular that you find especially enlightening?

I've mentioned Lewis a couple of times already. Frederick Copleston is the hidden treasure of modern Christian apologetics imo. A lot of my Catholic friends really like Scott Hahn but something about him rubs me the wrong way. I also have to put in a good word for The Questions of King Milinda, obviously not because I agree with its conclusions but because it's an enlightening read simply in the sense of teaching one way more about the relevant religion than one probably knew before.
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ilikeverin
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« Reply #55 on: March 16, 2017, 07:41:53 PM »

What proportion of your colleagues is non-cis and non-hetero?

I'm moving to Connecticut later this year (for UConn, so realistically probably eastern suburbs of Hartford).  As a Methodist-turned-Episcopalian, what should I be looking for?  I'm I fated to go to a UCC church?  (wtf is up with those weird individual pew thingies?  I'm scared I'd be stealing someone's pew.  help???)  Will I have any chance of finding a reasonably healthy liberal mainline church, or even one where there are any other adults my age?  (I have been so spoiled with my Maryland church!)
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Just Passion Through
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« Reply #56 on: March 16, 2017, 08:05:25 PM »

What proportion of your colleagues is non-cis and non-hetero?

I'm moving to Connecticut later this year (for UConn, so realistically probably eastern suburbs of Hartford).  As a Methodist-turned-Episcopalian, what should I be looking for?  I'm I fated to go to a UCC church?  (wtf is up with those weird individual pew thingies?  I'm scared I'd be stealing someone's pew.  help???)  Will I have any chance of finding a reasonably healthy liberal mainline church, or even one where there are any other adults my age?  (I have been so spoiled with my Maryland church!)

The UCC I attended in CT didn't have 'individual pews' really.  I didn't know that was a thing.
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ilikeverin
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« Reply #57 on: March 16, 2017, 08:47:30 PM »

What proportion of your colleagues is non-cis and non-hetero?

I'm moving to Connecticut later this year (for UConn, so realistically probably eastern suburbs of Hartford).  As a Methodist-turned-Episcopalian, what should I be looking for?  I'm I fated to go to a UCC church?  (wtf is up with those weird individual pew thingies?  I'm scared I'd be stealing someone's pew.  help???)  Will I have any chance of finding a reasonably healthy liberal mainline church, or even one where there are any other adults my age?  (I have been so spoiled with my Maryland church!)

The UCC I attended in CT didn't have 'individual pews' really.  I didn't know that was a thing.

I feel like I've seen multiple UCC churches with box pews when I've been searching around.
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Just Passion Through
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« Reply #58 on: March 16, 2017, 10:20:51 PM »

What proportion of your colleagues is non-cis and non-hetero?

I'm moving to Connecticut later this year (for UConn, so realistically probably eastern suburbs of Hartford).  As a Methodist-turned-Episcopalian, what should I be looking for?  I'm I fated to go to a UCC church?  (wtf is up with those weird individual pew thingies?  I'm scared I'd be stealing someone's pew.  help???)  Will I have any chance of finding a reasonably healthy liberal mainline church, or even one where there are any other adults my age?  (I have been so spoiled with my Maryland church!)

The UCC I attended in CT didn't have 'individual pews' really.  I didn't know that was a thing.

I feel like I've seen multiple UCC churches with box pews when I've been searching around.

Huh.  That might be common in old New England churches because I rarely saw those in newer ones, although the church I attended was 250 years old and didn't have any boxes.  That might be because they renovated it a bunch of times, though.
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #59 on: March 16, 2017, 10:37:04 PM »

Box pews were quite the rage once upon a time, and they were quite literally owned.  You also find then in some old Charleston churches.  I'm surprised you never encountered them at all in Maryland.  That said, Methodist churches aren't usually old enough to date back to the box pew era unless they were a church of another denomination that either converted en mass or was sold to the Methodists.
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Nathan
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« Reply #60 on: March 17, 2017, 07:57:40 AM »

What proportion of your colleagues is non-cis and non-hetero?

A lot, more so non-hetero than non-cis. I'd say maybe a fifth or so but I could be way off because I don't socialize with my cohort outside of class as much as I did last year (nothing against them, I just have other scenes now). There's an active LGBT student organization in the School of Theology. The default position of the faculty and administration is affirming as far as I can tell.

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You'll find plenty of liberal Episcopal churches in New England! It tends to be Broad-to-Low, if churchmanship is something that concerns you, because of the Puritan/Unitarian cultural heritage. I'm not too familiar with Connecticut but my impression is they're actually thicker on the ground there than in Massachusetts. Outside certain urban and college-town parishes it'll probably be mostly olds because the younger generation in suburban/rural New England is if anything even more unchurched than in the cities (much to my chagrin), but other than that I don't think you'll have any problems finding what you're looking for.
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DC Al Fine
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« Reply #61 on: March 27, 2017, 06:09:14 AM »

I briefly considered seminary at one point. My pastor counselled me not to go to a liberal school because, "they train social workers, not pastors" among other things. When I skimmed the curriculums of several liberal and conservative Presbyterian seminaries that certainly appeared to be the case.

Now I know you are taking an M.Th not an M.Div, but given that you have spent a fair amount of time researching Episcopal seminaries, do you believe this criticism of liberal seminaries M. Div programs is fair?
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Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon
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« Reply #62 on: March 27, 2017, 06:24:39 AM »

To what extent have your religious beliefs determined your political views?

In terms of how one "gets to heaven", do you have a saved-by-works viewpoint, a saved-by-faith viewpoint, or some combination of the two? Also, do you believe in the concept of purgatory?

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Nathan
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« Reply #63 on: March 27, 2017, 09:58:03 AM »
« Edited: March 27, 2017, 10:00:46 AM by modern maverick »

I briefly considered seminary at one point. My pastor counselled me not to go to a liberal school because, "they train social workers, not pastors" among other things. When I skimmed the curriculums of several liberal and conservative Presbyterian seminaries that certainly appeared to be the case.

Now I know you are taking an M.Th not an M.Div, but given that you have spent a fair amount of time researching Episcopal seminaries, do you believe this criticism of liberal seminaries M. Div programs is fair?

It's definitely true of some of these Episcopal or UCC seminaries. I wouldn't say it's true of BU, where there still is a genuine interest in making sure people know the Bible, Christian history, and worship practices, even if they're taught in a way that has a Schleiermacherian spin.

To what extent have your religious beliefs determined your political views?

On some issues very much, on others not so much. I'd describe myself as seeking a Christian politics, but not one that limits its applicability or acceptability to Christians, if that makes sense.

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I believe that we have the ability and duty to respond to God's grace (which is freely offered without any preexisting merit on our part) and show Him that we have faith in it by doing good works. Yes, I believe in Purgatory.
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DC Al Fine
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« Reply #64 on: March 30, 2017, 08:05:27 PM »

What do you think of Rachel Held Evans? Is her Biblical Womanhood books as big a strawman as the cover would suggest?
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Nathan
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« Reply #65 on: March 31, 2017, 05:23:20 PM »

What do you think of Rachel Held Evans?

I don't know enough about her to have an informed opinion.

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I have no idea, sorry.
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Mopsus
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« Reply #66 on: April 08, 2017, 07:31:05 PM »

I don't expect you to have an answer to this question, but it's worth asking anyway... do you know any good introductory books on haiku?

Also, do you have any thoughts on the Kyoto School? Keiji Nish**tani in particular?
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RFayette
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« Reply #67 on: April 09, 2017, 01:19:14 AM »

What is your stance on predestination and election - would you consider yourself a Molinist?  Also, do you believe that a Christian can lose their salvation by falling into mortal sin? 
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Nathan
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« Reply #68 on: April 10, 2017, 12:17:30 AM »
« Edited: April 11, 2017, 12:15:07 PM by modern maverick »

I don't expect you to have an answer to this question, but it's worth asking anyway... do you know any good introductory books on haiku?

A decent translation of Oku no hosomichi, preferably with the Japanese text of the poems included as well as the English, is probably a better place to start than most formalized introductory works.

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I'm a big fan of postwar Tanabe but other than that I think most of the Kyoto School philosophers were far too compromised by their behavior during the ultranationalist period. (Tanabe is appealing insofar as he's the one who admits this.)

What is your stance on predestination and election - would you consider yourself a Molinist?

I think so, although I'm not sure I understand all the implications of that stance well enough to take it definitively.

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Yes, but considering that God's strongest desire is to forgive, I don't think this is as harsh a teaching as it's sometimes made out to be.
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Nathan
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« Reply #69 on: April 16, 2017, 04:45:12 PM »
« Edited: April 16, 2017, 09:47:52 PM by modern maverick »

Strange how so many know the mind of a God who is said to be unknowable.

That sounds like wishful thinking and has nothing to do with Gods.

Only the most delusional minds will believe in a supernatural God that they understand.

Regards
DL



Do you have any actual questions for me?
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Blue3
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« Reply #70 on: April 16, 2017, 05:30:41 PM »

What do you see as the main differences between the 4 Gospels?

Also, are there any Apocrypha (old or new, but particularly new) that you either think should have been included, or are just really interesting and worth reading? Similarly, are there any books that, in your studies, feel like they don't really belong or aren't really necessary?
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Nathan
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« Reply #71 on: April 17, 2017, 06:42:14 PM »
« Edited: April 17, 2017, 06:44:46 PM by modern maverick »

What do you see as the main differences between the 4 Gospels?

If I were speaking about their weak points, I would echo Pasolini's opinion that John is too mystical, Luke is too sentimental, and Mark is too vulgar, and add that Matthew is too backward-looking. If I were speaking about their strong points, I'd say that Matthew is the most historically and prophetically grounded, Mark is the most uncompromising and starkest, Luke is the most compassionate and socially astute, and John is the most poetic and theologically definitive. In general I prefer the Synoptics to John narratively but I don't actually think that they tell incompatible stories, because I'm a big believer in taking the Biblical canon as we have received it rather than attempting to reconstruct what we think it should have been according to modern historiographical best practice.

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I think the Catholic Bible as it is is fine for Catholics and the Tanakh/Protestant Old Testament as it is is fine for Jews and Protestants. I do wish more people knew about Bel and the Dragon just because it's a delightful story, and the Book of Enoch and Protoevangelium of James are worth reading to understand where certain concepts in the tradition come from and for more stories about intriguing characters and situations from canon in general. I think Protestants in general should value stories that come down to us through the tradition more as stories, even if they don't treat them as theologically significant.

Why do you follow a God who is more Satanic-like than God-like?

I don't.

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I don't.
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DC Al Fine
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« Reply #72 on: April 17, 2017, 07:04:31 PM »

A few more questions:

1) From a Protestant point of view, Catholic/Orthodox apologists often have this annoying tendency to give the farm away when it comes to higher criticism of scripture, but turn into obstinate fundamentalists when it comes to the historical evidence for 'their' traditions.

It's puzzling, because from my (admittedly biased standpoint), it seems like there is much better evidence for say, an early date for John's Gospel, than for early use of icons or prayers to the Virgin. How do you as a Catholic reconcile this apparent discrepancy?

2) How would you say Pope Francis is doing on 'non-Western' issues?

3) You are head of the Catholic/Mainline/Evangelical movements in the USA and have total authority so long as you don't make changes that fundamentally alter their identity. What do you change in each movement's approach, praxis etc, and what do you keep the same?
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World politics is up Schmitt creek
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« Reply #73 on: April 18, 2017, 03:04:25 PM »
« Edited: April 18, 2017, 03:09:27 PM by modern maverick »

A few more questions:

1) From a Protestant point of view, Catholic/Orthodox apologists often have this annoying tendency to give the farm away when it comes to higher criticism of scripture, but turn into obstinate fundamentalists when it comes to the historical evidence for 'their' traditions.

It's puzzling, because from my (admittedly biased standpoint), it seems like there is much better evidence for say, an early date for John's Gospel, than for early use of icons or prayers to the Virgin. How do you as a Catholic reconcile this apparent discrepancy?

I don't see it as a discrepancy mostly because I believe that there's both good evidence for a high view of Scripture and good evidence for an early origin for many Catholic/Orthodox traditions, or at least early things that developed into those traditions. For example, there's at least one extant Marian prayer that's probably from the third century--not the Apostolic Age, but pre-Constantine, so I'd still consider it "early Church". But, yes, I totally agree that there isn't high enough a view of Scripture among some of these people.

How early is "early" for John's Gospel? The dates I tend to hear are within the last decade or two of the first century--after the other Gospels, but easily within a somewhat-longer-than-average lifespan assuming the Apostle John was in his late teens at the Crucifixion/Resurrection. The most annoying historical-critical argument about Gospel dating that I've heard was from my Intro to New Testament professor last year, who insisted on a post-Roman-Jewish War date for Mark because Jesus prophesies the destruction of the Temple in Mark. I pointed out that, entirely ignoring the fact that she, an ordained minister, was presupposing that Jesus wasn't supernatural, it's far from out of the ordinary for radical preachers to prophesy disaster, so it shouldn't be surprising even to a thoroughgoing naturalist that Jesus predicted something that did in fact happen. She refused to respond and acted affronted that I'd questioned her even though one of our readings for the class made the same point I had, and I left class that day with deeply mixed feelings about coming to BU for my theology degree.

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To be honest, I'm not quite sure, but I can speak to this anecdotally. Non-white/non-Western Catholics I know tend to be wary of some of what Francis is doing or trying to do on big sexy Western ~social issues~ but not as strongly critical of him otherwise as First World conservative Catholics tend to be. I have a Mexican Catholic acquaintance who explicitly identifies himself as "a trad" but strongly approves of the Pope on issues related to immigration/refugees, war, the environment, and so forth, despite being pretty alarmed by things like that one footnote in Amoris, and a Filipina Catholic acquaintance who seems to feel similarly, although I discuss Church politics with her less. Uncomplicated support of and uncomplicated opposition to Francis both seem to be "Western things".

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I didn't answer these questions until today because I wanted time to give some thought to this one. It's a good question, and frankly deserves still more thought than I've given it since yesterday evening.

Head of American Catholicism: I can think of things that I think the Church should have done differently in the recent past but am less sure about things that I think it could do differently now. A few things do come to mind, though:

1. Move away from trying to imitate Evangelicalism liturgically, stylistically, culturally, etc. If a young person wants that, she can easily just go to an emergent church and get it straight-up and with less problematic politics. The main genuine appeal that Catholicism qua Catholicism has at this point is to people with old-fashioned tastes and we need to own that. Lord knows there are plenty of Millennials who like vintage clothing and antiquing.
1a. This isn't to say that we need to completely abandon "hipster" appeal or jettison people like Audrey Assad, just that it shouldn't be the main focus/strategy of evangelization.
2. Get serious about vocational discernment for gay people and develop serious options to present in a committed, non-insulting way.
3. Form partnerships of some sort between healthier and less-healthy parishes to share people, resources, etc. rather than closing and merging parishes as a matter of first and only resort. Some positive steps in this direction are already being made, but not enough.

Head of mainline American Protestantism: The solutions here I think are simpler even though on paper mainline Protestantism is much further gone:

1. Stop ordaining ministers who can't get through the Apostles' Creed without crossing their fingers.
2. Rediscover a real sense of personal sin, not instead of social structures of sin but as complementing, contributing to, and being contributed to by them.
3. Get serious about redeveloping a significant media presence. The "image" of American Protestantism these days is almost exclusively Evangelical. It didn't used to be that way and it doesn't have to always be that way.

Head of American Evangelicalism: I don't know too much about Evangelicalism or issues within it, but these are the first issues that come to mind:

1. Move away from the "Republican Party at prayer" model of sociopolitical engagement, especially as it applies to manifestly morally stunted candidacies like Trump's and as it applies to prudential issues. Russell Moore has an anecdote about going through a period of doubt in his teens because he started reading ultra-hackish "Christian voter guides" and realized that in reality there was and should be no Defined Christian Position on issues like marginal tax rates, term limits, and gun control.
2. Discover some sort of appreciation for nice architecture, time-tested music, and so on, although not at the expense of current Evangelical aesthetics and styles.


Greatest I am, I'm not going to give you the kind of answers you want and you're not giving me the kind of questions I want. Why don't you give it a rest?
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Blue3
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« Reply #74 on: April 18, 2017, 03:07:39 PM »

Greatest I am... why are you ignoring the Gnosticism thread? Do you just have no idea how to defend Gnosticism from its critics without personal attacks and call others and their beliefs evil/delusional?
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