This is PCIT standing in for Cheesehead this week while she is down in Atlanta at the Homiletics Fest.
I'm playing with the idea that two of this week's texts have non-substitutionary images of salvation hovering in the background. The John text, with its abiding language and friendship imagery lifts up the Eastern Orthodox emphasis on salvation as union with God. The 1 John text with it's "conquers the world" language points toward the ancient Christus Victor image as salvation happening through Christ's defeat of the powers of death and evil. I've noticed that folks are often quite relieved to find that penal substitutionary atonement is not the only language the Christian tradition has to talk about what salvation is, that there are other ancient images to help us explain what we mean when we call Christ our Savior. So I think that's where I will head this week. Tentative sermon title: "Abide and Conquer".
abide and conquer :) sounds good.
ReplyDeletewhat texts are you using btw.
It is homecoming at my small church Almond UMC, and they asked me to preach since I am moving this Summer. I am using the John passage, of abide, love, and weaving in the Vine. You would think I would be able to come up with something while at this Festival of Homiletics, but I can't think. My mind is overwhelmed in a good way by it all.
ReplyDeleteThat's a phrase/concept I needed for today. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI frequent discussion forums (like Beliefnet) where a lot of seekers and confused Christians ask questions, and I too find that people are absolutely relieved to be able to wrap their heads around something other than a "penal" paradigm. It's also interesting, though, to see how stubbornly others cling to this theory as the ONLY legitimate way of understanding salvation, even after it's explained to them that a tradition as venerable as Eastern Orthodoxy has never embraced it.
ReplyDeleteGreat theme, BTW. I'm retreating this weekend, so I don't know when I'll get to blogging the Gospel lesson, but you gave me something to think about.