Two Languages of Salvation

[Peter_J]

This is a rather old article (and I’m guessing has been discussed at some point before in the NCRf) but I remember finding it helpful “back in my day”, and hopefully it will help others here as well.

Bonus points if you can apply it to issues other than Catholic-Lutheran dialogue.

Two Languages of Salvation

 

[Kliska]

Great article, thanks for posting. I could write a essay on it, and my view of what it is saying and what each side is saying and my reaction to that, but not gonna do it!

I will say that as a non-Catholic non-Lutheran Christian, one of the sentences that made me give the biggest mental “Amen” is the quote of JPII, “Assertions that reflect different ways of looking at the same reality, he says, should not be treated as though they were mutually contradictory.”

This idea, yes even applied outside of the Lutheran-Catholic context, I believe is foundational to ANY future unity between Christians. Having studied multiculturalism and logic, I can see where those of us in the West would struggle with that idea; that something that appears contradictory may, in fact, be complementary. In the East there is less issue with the idea. Those complementary/contradictory ideas are extremely important to this believer.

 

[Kliska]

Just call me “thread killer” from now on…

But seriously, I’d love to see comments from members as well.

 

[Picky_Picky]

Just call me “thread killer” from now on…

But seriously, I’d love to see comments from members as well.

A genuine question, which I hope you won’t find at all offensive:

Do you think these somewhat arcane matters register with the Christian in the pew? After all, they can have little effect on how we live our lives (unless we are a character out of a James Hogg novel) and they are unresolvable by us (until we have crost the bar). Is it not possible that the average Christian (if there is such a thing) believes what I was taught as a child (contrary to theological opinion): if you are good you go to Heaven, if not you go to t’other place?

 

[Kliska]

A genuine question, which I hope you won’t find at all offensive:

I don’t find it offensive at all. I hope my answer doesn’t offend others either.

Do you think these somewhat arcane matters register with the Christian in the pew? After all, they can have little effect on how we live our lives (unless we are a character out of a James Hogg novel) and they are unresolvable by us (until we have crost the bar). Is it not possible that the average Christian (if there is such a thing) believes what I was taught as a child (contrary to theological opinion): if you are good you go to Heaven, if not you go to t’other place?

Do I think they register with the average person in the pews? No… Do I think they should? Yes. Why? Because all of this does have, or should have, an actual, practical effect on believers’ lives. I maintain the cliche (for Catholics and Protestants alike) that a relationship with God matters, not only religion. In our relationship with God, as in all real relationships, Truth matters. Earning or not earning our salvation is an important point to clarify as it changes our inward thought processes and our reactions to both our failures and successes.

It is such an important thing to discuss in regards to Christianity because nearly every other religion already says, “if you are good you go to a good place, and if you are bad you go to a bad place.” But, and I think we believers can all agree on this, Christianity is a startling alternative that says, “God Himself is perfectly good and came to earth and became one of us, because He loves us so much, and walked and talked with us, living a perfect life for us and winning a victory for us over death, Hell, and the grave…” Now, it’s not just what we do or don’t do, but what He did. How that applies to us and what our role is in this great happening is of extreme importance to those who attempt to place God at the center of our lives.

The other question this brings up is unity, and if the average Christian should care about that… again, I can only answer indeed they should. Why? Because Jesus cared about it very much. Again, do I think most average Christians think about it? No. But most average Christians don’t spend their free time discussing all sorts of interesting things on religious online forums.

 

[Peter_J]

Just call me “thread killer” from now on…

But seriously, I’d love to see comments from members as well.

Heh . I’d rather have one responder (or two now) than none; but it’s kind of you to imply that other posters would’ve responded if you hadn’t. :thankyou:

 

[Picky_Picky]

Thank you, Kliska.

 

[Peter_J]

A genuine question, which I hope you won’t find at all offensive:

Do you think these somewhat arcane matters register with the Christian in the pew?

IDK the answer to that (or IDK how many Christians that is true of) but that’s one of the things that I keep in mind when reading Cardinal Dulles’ article.