Saturday, June 13, 2015

Fatal Friends: Dawkins and Calvin

The most recent version of this post is available here.

3 comments :

  1. Good thoughts. I think we get a hint of what you describe in the Garden, don’t we. John records (18:6) that when the Lord said, “I am he” (or “I am”), the soldiers “drew back and fell to the ground”, the sort of spontaneous reaction we often encounter in scripture to the direct word of God. It seems as if the veil is lifted just a millimetre or two there for a moment.

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  2. Interesting thoughts - the Calvin/Dawkins similarity hit me recently and so is something I'm exploring at present. Ref Ellul's view as presented by yourself, how do incidents like the calling of Jonah fit into this view? (His initial reluctance/rebellion appears to show retained autonomy, albeit eventually overcome by God) - Or does the wording in Jonah1:1 "The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai:" imply it was an indirect word?

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    1. Well, quite honestly, I don't know, Ian. I don't think the scriptures tell us, do they?

      Did Jonah hear a big voice? Was he suddenly gripped by the Spirit? Did another prophet foretell that he must go? Interesting to guess...but uncertain, so far as I can tell.

      What we do know is the word as it came to him did not simply enforce obedience, because he ran...but also, God did not lose control of the situation, despite this expression of Jonah's rebellion, because he ended up going to preach.

      But what was the little side trip in the "great fish" except a product of Jonah's ability to resist the word?

      Any thoughts?

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