Posted on 02/10/2008 1:46:46 PM PST by wagglebee
A bishop described as "one of the most formidable figures in the world of Christian thought" is now challenging the widely held belief that Christians go to heaven when they die.
N.T. "Tom" Wright, the fourth most senior cleric in the Church of England who has been praised for his staunch defense of the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ, has published a new book in which he says people do not ascend to God's dwelling place. Instead, God will be coming back to Earth.
"Never at any point do the Gospels or Paul say Jesus has been raised, therefore we are we are all going to heaven," Wright told Time Magazine. "I've often heard people say, 'I'm going to heaven soon, and I won't need this stupid body there, thank goodness.' That's a very damaging distortion, all the more so for being unintentional."
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
General Christianity Ping.
We’re coming up on Easter, so Time magazine has found a bishop to say that Christians don’t actually go to Heaven.
I’m going to be extra careful not to die just yet. I want to make sure this stuff is all resolved by the time I’m ready to pass.
/s
Thanks to wagglebee for the ping.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams.
FReepmail Huber or sionnsar if you want on or off this moderately high-volume ping list (sometimes 3-9 pings/day).
This list is pinged by Huber and sionnsar.
Resource for Traditional Anglicans: http://trad-anglican.faithweb.com
Humor: The Anglican Blue
Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15
Not that I claim to be any Christian theologian, but it’s always been my impression that in Christianity, the dead sleep until they are resurrected on the day of judgement to either go to Heaven or to Hell....
Isn’t that what he is saying?
Next thing they’ll be saying is that we get the 72 virgins.
You would think that he would have read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It seemed to me like all 4 accounts mentioned that Jesus was resurrected. Of course, he's the 4th most senior cleric in the Church of England so what do I know?
LOL!!!
39 And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. 42 And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
-- Luke 23:39-43
His wording is a little confusing. He does acknowledge the Resurrection; however, he dismisses the idea that we also go to Heaven.
However, to accept his premise as legitimate, this also means that nobody goes to Hell.
Yes. There was a post on FR (I think it was FR) several days ago on this topic and the entire interview was posted. He joined everything he said with Scriptural notation and was right on target. These excerpts today are misleading.
Yes. There was a post on FR (I think it was FR) several days ago on this topic and the entire interview was posted. He joined everything he said with Scriptural notation and was right on target. These excerpts today are misleading.
“never ...therefore we are we are all going to heaven”
read it again
“Unbelievable!”
Not at all. In fact it is quite patristic.
“However, to accept his premise as legitimate, this also means that nobody goes to Hell.”
No, again, not at all. That’s Originism and its not at all what Bishop Wright is speaking of. Orthodoxy does not teach of people going to some “place” called heaven, it speaks of theosis. As for Hell, well, maybe its a place or maybe it isn’t, but the damned suffer eternal torment by being scourged by the fire of God’s Love. I don;t think the locale of the torment is particularly important, though maybe the Western mind, attuned to such notions by various artistic works and Augustinian theology need it.
Bishop Wright is hardly my favorite Western theologian, but I might just buy this book.
Read the passage from Luke that I posted in #10. What is the “Paradise” that the robber would be with the Lord if not Heaven?
“What is the “Paradise” that the robber would be with the Lord if not Heaven?”
Probably the “Bossom of Abraham”, the place of the dead, the bonds of which Christ shattered when “Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.”
The usual Easter message is for some apostate bishop, theologian, or cleric to say "we don't know if Jesus rose bodily from the dead", so this is a bit of novelty for once...
That's what I figured.
Good point!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.