Thursday, June 10, 2010

Dissension Amongst Protestant Theologians :- New Perspective on Paul

Two years ago, in my post titled Protestant Theologians Re-Examining St. Paul and Justification, I commented on what is now being commonly referred to as the New Perspective on Paul.  I have recently come to learn that this New Perspective on Paul is causing much more controversy in Protestant circles than I could have anticipated.

Every month, me and some Protestant and Catholic friends get together to discuss theology.  The last time we met, we spent a little bit of time discussing the New Perspective on Paul, which is currently being promoted by many renowned Protestant theologians (Angilcan Bishop of Durham N.T. Wright, James G. Dunn, E.P. Sanders, Krister Stendahl).  I had recently read about the conversion of Dr. A. David Anders, to the Catholic Church in the May 2010 issue of the Coming Home Network Newsletter, and he mentioned that the New Perspective on Paul played a role in his conversion.

He writes,

According to Stendhal and others, justification by faith is primarily about Jew and Gentile relations, not about the role of morality as a condition of eternal life...My discovery of this “New Perspective” was a watershed in my understanding of Scripture. I saw, to begin with, that the “New Perspective” was the “Old Perspective” of the earliest Church Fathers. I began testing it against my own reading of Paul and found that it made sense. It also resolved the long-standing tension that I had always felt between Paul and the rest of the Bible. Even Luther had had difficulty in reconciling his reading of Paul with the Sermon on the Mount, the Epistle of St. James, and the Old Testament. Once I tried on the “New Perspective” this difficulty vanished. Reluctantly, I had to accept that the Reformers were wrong about justification. [1]


During the meeting with my friends, I asked them if they have ever heard about the New Perspective on Paul and what do they think about it.  One of my Protestant friends, who is a chaplain, had heard of it, and mentioned that it is causing a stir in the Evangelical Protestant community as a whole.  This, of course furthered my curiosity in the matter.  I decided to see what exactly my Evangelical Protestant brothers and sisters were having a hard time with, in regard to this New Perspective.

I happened upon a letter written by Dr. Bryan Chappell, who is the President and Professor of Practical Theology at Covenant Theological Seminary, titled An Explanation of the New Perspective on Paul.  In it, he has many positive things to say about the New Perspective including [2]:

  • We are not saved alone
  • Saving faith is not alone
  • The sacraments are not signs alone
  • The Bible is not propositions alone
However, as a Christian in the Presbyterian tradition, he does have some concerns about this New Perspective.  Namely [2]:
  • An unnecessary and dangerous ambiguity regarding the nature of justification
  • An unnecessary and dangerous lack of clarity regarding what the sacraments accomplish
  • An unnecessary and dangerous eagerness to critique historic understanding rather than enrich it
There are so many reactions that I am having to this subject that unfortunately, I do not have the time now to get into all of them.   Instead, I am going to save those reactions for different posts.

Overall, I find this ground swell occurring in Protestant circles very interesting and the impact will hopefully be felt by many.  Think about it.  The New Perspective is causing Protestants to consider the possibility that the Reformers were not right in how they were interpreting Paul.  Can you imagine the impact that may have one someone's faith?  If not, just ask Dr. A. David Anders....

God bless...


[1] - Coming Home Network May 2010 Newsletter - Dr. A David Anders
[2] - An Explanation of the New Perspective on Paul - Dr. Bryan Chapell

6 comments:

Hayley said...

Hi,
I have been flicking through some blogs and have past a few religious ones much like yours.

First off I am not religious at all but have been bapsitsed christian but I never go to church and do not believe and in religion.

I am not commenting on your blog to tell you what you believe is wrong at all, because even though I do not believe I still strongly feel everyone should live and believe how they want.

I am commenting simply to try and understand something I have been struggling with and thought being religious you may have some insight to help me understand religious people.

So after an essay of explaining :) here it is, I am curious how people can believe and live by a religion that they have no solid proof that it is real and is how it all went down and how you and most of the world can believe in something so passionatly when there are thousands of others in the world who believe in so many other religions? How do you know what you believe is right?

I am hoping you can give me your thoughts on this.

Carlus Henry said...

Haley,

Thanks for visiting....

Your first question:
I am curious how people can believe and live by a religion that they have no solid proof that it is real and is how it all went down and how you and most of the world can believe in something so passionatly when there are thousands of others in the world who believe in so many other religions?

The simple answer is faith. I am sure that you hear that term tossed around a lot, but I am hoping to explain it as how I see it. If you have absolute 100% undeniable proof in something, then you don't need to have faith in it. It is completely evident and obvious. If something cannot be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, and yet you still believe it, then it must be faith.

So let's say you are dating someone and it is getting pretty serious. How do you know that they will not cheat on you? Is there anything preventing that person from cheating? What if you decide to marry that person. How do you know that they will not commit adultry? Honestly, you don't. Instead you have to have faith in the commitment that you made with the other person. Many people get married today, even people that don't believe in God, because they have faith (something that you cannot prove beyond the shadow of a doubt), that the other person will not cheat on them.

Second question:
How do you know what you believe is right?

There was a great argument made for the Divinity of Christ made in the early first couple of centuries called Aut Deus Aut Homo Malus, which roughly translates to Either God or Bad Man. Many people from different religions that do not recognize Jesus Christ as God say that He was a Good Guy. That is not rational. The Man, claimed to be God in the Flesh. Either He is God and we should recognize Him as such, or He is a very evil man. Yet so many non-Christian religions believe him to be a good teacher / philosopher.

I find it amazing. I mean think about it, people in modern times who have claimed to be God (David Koresh for example) have been demonized, and rightfully so. But Christ, people who don't believe that He was God say He was a good teacher / philosopher?

So I hope I answered your questions. Now, hopefully you will return the favor and answer mine:

1.) Do you believe in God?
2.) What do you mean by me being "religious"? :)

God bless....

Carlus Henry said...

Haley,

Thanks for visiting....

Your first question:
I am curious how people can believe and live by a religion that they have no solid proof that it is real and is how it all went down and how you and most of the world can believe in something so passionatly when there are thousands of others in the world who believe in so many other religions?

The simple answer is faith. I am sure that you hear that term tossed around a lot, but I am hoping to explain it as how I see it. If you have absolute 100% undeniable proof in something, then you don't need to have faith in it. It is completely evident and obvious. If something cannot be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, and yet you still believe it, then it must be faith.

So let's say you are dating someone and it is getting pretty serious. How do you know that they will not cheat on you? Is there anything preventing that person from cheating? What if you decide to marry that person. How do you know that they will not commit adultry? Honestly, you don't. Instead you have to have faith in the commitment that you made with the other person. Many people get married today, even people that don't believe in God, because they have faith (something that you cannot prove beyond the shadow of a doubt), that the other person will not cheat on them.

Second question:
How do you know what you believe is right?

There was a great argument made for the Divinity of Christ made in the early first couple of centuries called Aut Deus Aut Homo Malus, which roughly translates to Either God or Bad Man. Many people from different religions that do not recognize Jesus Christ as God say that He was a Good Guy. That is not rational. The Man, claimed to be God in the Flesh. Either He is God and we should recognize Him as such, or He is a very evil man. Yet so many non-Christian religions believe him to be a good teacher / philosopher.

I find it amazing. I mean think about it, people in modern times who have claimed to be God (David Koresh for example) have been demonized, and rightfully so. But Christ, people who don't believe that He was God say He was a good teacher / philosopher?

So I hope I answered your questions. Now, hopefully you will return the favor and answer mine:

1.) Do you believe in God?
2.) What do you mean by me being "religious"? :)

God bless....

Carlus Henry said...

Haley,

Thanks for visiting....

Your first question:
I am curious how people can believe and live by a religion that they have no solid proof that it is real and is how it all went down and how you and most of the world can believe in something so passionatly when there are thousands of others in the world who believe in so many other religions?

The simple answer is faith. I am sure that you hear that term tossed around a lot, but I am hoping to explain it as how I see it. If you have absolute 100% undeniable proof in something, then you don't need to have faith in it. It is completely evident and obvious. If something cannot be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, and yet you still believe it, then it must be faith.

continued...

Carlus Henry said...

(continued)

So let's say you are dating someone and it is getting pretty serious. How do you know that they will not cheat on you? Is there anything preventing that person from cheating? What if you decide to marry that person. How do you know that they will not commit adultry? Honestly, you don't. Instead you have to have faith in the commitment that you made with the other person. Many people get married today, even people that don't believe in God, because they have faith (something that you cannot prove beyond the shadow of a doubt), that the other person will not cheat on them.

Second question:
How do you know what you believe is right?

There was a great argument made for the Divinity of Christ made in the early first couple of centuries called Aut Deus Aut Homo Malus, which roughly translates to Either God or Bad Man. Many people from different religions that do not recognize Jesus Christ as God say that He was a Good Guy. That is not rational. The Man, claimed to be God in the Flesh. Either He is God and we should recognize Him as such, or He is a very evil man. Yet so many non-Christian religions believe him to be a good teacher / philosopher.

I find it amazing. I mean think about it, people in modern times who have claimed to be God (David Koresh for example) have been demonized, and rightfully so. But Christ, people who don't believe that He was God say He was a good teacher / philosopher?

So I hope I answered your questions. Now, hopefully you will return the favor and answer mine:

1.) Do you believe in God?
2.) What do you mean by me being "religious"? :)

God bless....

Hayley said...

Thanks for getting back to me.
You must have alot of faith and if what you believe in makes you happy than do not let anyone tell you differently.

with your example: I am in a 3 year relationship but I would say I trust him to not cheat on me but at the same time I do not trust people 100% but I dont think trust is faith. But I could be wrong.

I do not think I have ever been asked this question before, do I believe in God?
I don't think I do, I think there is something stronger than science and without affending you I think people take religion a bit too far for eg. in religions where they cover thier faces and thngs like that, but if a person is happy than it is thier decision.
Also you have made a good point people who are not religious do still marry these days, for me I think why I want to get married is not to be seen as man and wife in somebody else's eyes but becuase when I am ready to show the person that I want to grow old with them and how much I love them and that I want no one else but them it is a beautiful way to show them infront of everyone I love becuase at the end of the day marraige is just a piece of paper you sign so there should be meaning and not just something you do to take the next step.

When I said you being religious I just ment you believe in a religion, does that make sense?
for example I do not believe in a religion so there for I am not religious.

Thankyou for taking the time to give me your point of view I always find it very interesting to hear someone else views on life and everything tha comes along with it.
Let me know if you want to know anything else? thnks Hayley