I'm a protestant Christian....ask me anything!

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Seekingthetruth said:
So I’m a weak panentheist which means i believe that God’s presence is prevalent throughout everything, but God’s identity is separate from the cosmos but the Cosmos is sustained through God.
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You changed your terminology from “soft” to “weak.” But I will go along with that. Based on your description, it seems that weak panentheism is no different from plain theism. Because theists also believe that God is different in identity from the world of creatures, and yet God is prevalent in the world because He is its Creator and the One who sustains it in being. We Catholics even believe that God is in hell, not as the one being punished, but as the one punishing (the demons and the damned souls). In other words, God is in hell by His Power.
 
Seekingthetruth said:
I think Jesus is praying for the unity of all believers. That we would all be united with him as he is with the Father.
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this doesn’t make much sense to me. If you are a believer in Jesus then you are automatically united with him.
  1. And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in me. 21. That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me."
He’s clearly praying that the believers in him be united with each other. So closely united that they are like the Father is united to the Son. That their unity in all things would fully unite them with God and show the world the truth of who Jesus is.

The division among Christians is a very bad thing as it gives the non-believer the impression that Christianity has no uniting truth.
 
Seekingthetruth said:
I think Jesus is praying for the unity of all believers. That we would all be united with him as he is with the Father.
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Yes to the first statement, but the second statement seems to water that down a bit. “I pray that they are one”. He wants us to be united with each other, yes? If so, what are your thoughts as to achieving unity among Christians?
 
A Baptist philosophy major who likes the early church fathers… what’s the over - under you’re Catholic in two more years?
 
rom said:
This does not mean that we do not exist “in” Him
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I may have misspoke, you’ll have to bear with me I’m not the greatest at expressing my thoughts. I don’t mean within God’s essence but within and sustained by God’s divine power.
rom said:
He is the one who sustains our being and our movements. As St. Paul said, “For in him we live, and move, and are” (Acts 17:28).
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So i think we’re in complete agreement, but we’re talking past each other in terms and my terrible explanations.
rom said:
God has no “inside,”
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I don’t mean literally inside, or within his essence. But within and sustained by his spirit and divine power.
rom said:
is it the case that Panentheism believes that the substances of creatures are somehow mixed with, and dissolved in, God’s substance?
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No that’s pantheism, i don’t mean all is divine or God is everything.
rom said:
You changed your terminology from “soft” to “weak.”
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My apologies i made the OP at like 2 in the morning and didn’t pay attention. However, in this case the terms can br interchangeable. It’s also know as Palamite Panentheism.
rom said:
Based on your description, it seems that weak panentheism is no different from plain theism.
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Classical theism teaches that God is completely separate in everyway. So God wound up the universe like a clock and let it go. Classic theism is leaning more towards stoicism and i believe makes a more impersonal God.
Palamite ( or soft or weak) Panentheism teaches that creation is distinct and contingent from God but wholly dependent on his divine power to sustain it.

Are you familiar with Arch Bishop Gregory Palamas, he formulated this idea of the essence-energy distinction or Maximus the confessor who also taught on it? Both based their teachings, on Clement of Alexandria and St. Irenaeus’s teachings.
 
tafan2 said:
If so, what are your thoughts as to achieving unity among Christians?
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To be honest, I’m not sure. Its easier for unity in high churches because they at least have a clear ecclesiastical structure where they can meet and discuss disagreements. Low churches don’t really have that plus they’ll have to get in agreement with each other first
 
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vsedriver said:
The division among Christians is a very bad thing as it gives the non-believer the impression that Christianity has no uniting truth.
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I don’t disagree one bit, i would love for the body of believers to become unified
 
Well I worded my question poorly. I didn’t intend to ask about the mechanics of achieving unity, but rather was an eventual unity should look like: both in doctrine and church structure?
 
I think you have your betting terminology off a little. Perhaps you mean “the odds” as opposed to " over and under", which is a 50-50 bet regarding a quantitative number.
 
tad said:
Why not? It’s in the bible. (Matthew 18:15-17)
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I never said it wasn’t lol just that most protestants don’t do it. Im sure it goes back to the fact protestants don’t have a clearly defined governing body. If they tried to excommunicate people then everybody would be excommunicated from everybody else’s denomination haha
 
Seekingthetruth said:
I never said it wasn’t lol just that most protestants don’t do it. Im sure it goes back to the fact protestants don’t have a clearly defined governing body. If they tried to excommunicate people then everybody would be excommunicated from everybody else’s denomination haha
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Seems very problematic for Christianity dont you think?

Peace!!!
 
Seekingthetruth said:
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adf417:
Seems very problematic for Christianity dont you think?
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How is not being able to excommunicate problematic for Christianity?
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If you cannot excommunicate you, by default, allow wrong teachings of the faith to be professed without correction.

Peace!!!
 
adf417 said:
wrong teachings of the faith to be professed without correction.
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Perhaps, I’m not sure excommunication is a necessary teaching of faith, but I’m willing to grant your right. Perhaps high churches can but as far as low churches are concerned i guess they would be in error on this matter
 
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