Lord, Forgive Us Our Crudely Literalistic Terms
This is the sixth and final installment of a series of posts collectively titled: “The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell: A Literary Critique of Scriptural Language concerning Hell, The Human Soul and a Defense of Metaphorical Conditionalism.” The following is a chronological, hyper-linked table of contents, of sorts: 1. The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell. 2. Mechanics of Metaphor: Hell is a Shabby Hotel of Vicious Circles. 3. Jesus of Nazareth’s Dialogue Regarding Hell. 4. Mixed Up Metaphors: Confusing Tenor and Vehicle. 5. Plato Won’t Surf Metaphorical Conditionalism.
Christianity is a faith which asks individuals to make a decision regarding life in this present. This decision consequently affects the next life. The Scriptures are clear – the alternative to life is death. Death is final; death is permanent. This is a message of cataclysmic importance for the humanity. It is a message that should not be lost to traditional and/or interpretive preferences, or, even worse, an illiterate handling of the Scriptures which are founded upon basic literary mechanics. A messenger is proportionately equal to his or her preparation; poorly prepared students of Scripture only advance poor interpretations of the Scriptures. The only fruit to be plucked from such a sickly tree is miscommunication, misunderstanding, and misleading. In other words, a messenger of this sort, sadly misses the target. Hell is a reality with which contemporary believers and non-believers must wrestle. The consequences – for both sides – are divinely ordained and tremendous, as the following excerpt illustrates: Read More »
Plato Won’t Surf Metaphorical Conditionalism
This is the fifth installment of a series of posts collectively titled: “The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell: A Literary Critique of Scriptural Language concerning Hell, The Human Soul and a Defense of Metaphorical Conditionalism.” The following is a chronological, hyper-linked table of contents, of sorts: 1. The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell. 2. Mechanics of Metaphor: Hell is a Shabby Hotel of Vicious Circles. 3. Jesus of Nazareth’s Dialogue Regarding Hell. 4. Mixed Up Metaphors: Confusing Tenor and Vehicle.
The Hell that does Exist. The Hell that does not exist. Learn to Differentiate! It’s Good for You!
The crux of the issue(s) concerning the existence or non existence of a realm called Hell are thoroughly eschatological. While many Christians find the idea/concept of eternal judgment difficult, they will easily admit and embrace the idea of eternal reward with exuberant hope and faith. However, one cannot exist without the other – especially if the Bible is used to build theology. Read More »
Mixed Up Metaphors: Confusing Tenor and Vehicle
This is the fourth installment of a series of posts collectively titled: “The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell: A Literary Critique of Scriptural Language concerning Hell, The Human Soul and a Defense of Metaphorical Conditionalism.” The first post was titled: The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell. The Second post was titled: Mechanics of Metaphor: Hell is a Shabby Hotel of Vicious Circles. The third installment was titled:Jesus of Nazareth’s Dialogue Regarding Hell
A literalist approach to the language of Scripture has been embraced not only by conservative aficionados, but also mainstream authors, poets, fictional entertainers, and dramatics. The result of this multi-faceted marketing, unfortunately, has been terrible misunderstanding and misrepresentation of metaphor as presented in Scripture. This misrepresentation is consequently accompanied by a syncretistic assimilation of misinterpretation into Christian faith and practice. The message of Jesus of Nazareth regarding a potential future state of separation between humanity and Deity, as a result, has been either demoted to cartoonish absurdity, or allied to petrifying fear and unhealthy conversion. The mishandling of metaphor (vehicle and tenor) has created a religious situation wherein it is very difficult to differentiate between fact and fiction. Read More »
Jesus Christ as The True Vine in John 15.1-7
ASV John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. Read More »
Jesus of Nazareth’s Dialogue Regarding Hell
This is the third installment of a series of posts collectively titled: “The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell: A Literary Critique of Scriptural Language concerning Hell, The Human Soul and a Defense of Metaphorical Conditionalism.” The first post was titled: The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell. The Second post was titled: Mechanics of Metaphor: Hell is a Shabby Hotel of Vicious Circles.
Jesus of Nazareth, in the Gospels, teaches his followers about a realm wherein God chooses not to eternally abide with those who consciously choose, during the first existence, to not abide with and within Him. The metaphorical characterization of this realm ranges from “gates,” “roads,” “hell,” “furnaces,” “weeping,” and “gnashing of teeth.” Read More »
Mechanics of Metaphor: Hell is a Shabby Hotel of Vicious Circles
This is the second installment of a series of posts collectively titled: “The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell: A Literary Critique of Scriptural Language concerning Hell, The Human Soul and a Defense of Metaphorical Conditionalism.” The first post was titled: The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell.
The word “metaphor” claims an etymological root in the Greek verb metapherein, meaning “to transfer.” Simply stated, a metaphor serves to transfer the sense of one word to another. Many literary critics choose to explain metaphors in terms of the two words/subjects by which larger meaning is transferred: the tenor and the vehicle. The tenor is the subject of comparison, or what is to be compared; the vehicle is the means of comparison, or that to which the subject (tenor) is compared. Read More »
The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell
This is the first installment of a series of posts collectively titled: “The Literal Tenor of the Metaphorical Hell: A Literary Critique of Scriptural Language concerning Hell, The Human Soul and a Defense of Metaphorical Conditionalism.”
The four views of Hell are categorized as Literal, Metaphorical, Purgatorial, and Conditional. The Purgatorial view is based, for the most part, upon ecclesiastic and emotional presuppositions rather than authentic exegetical research. The Literal and Metaphorical views should not even exist as two separate views; they exist as such as a result of the improper interpretation of metaphor. Once this literary issue is resolved the two views are remarkably compatible regarding not only the tenor behind the metaphorical language, but also in the foundational belief re: eternity spent in this realm. The conditional view properly interprets metaphorical language and is characterized by a solid exegetical argument for eternal annihilation over eternal suffering. Read More »
Our Subjugation to the Subsidiary and Mutinous
The following excerpt from David B. Hart’s The Doors of the Sea properly ’sets the table’ for Christus Victor: Read More »
Penal Substitution or Christus Victor?
I have spent the last few weeks seriously grappling with the cross of Jesus of Nazareth. Atonement, specifically, is very, very important to me. Salvation is very, very important to me, as it should be. Christ’s work for humanity is important. I am a minister of the Gospel. The importance of such subjects are presumed, and correctly so. A seminary night class focused upon Christology is proving itself to be an enormously helpful guide, as far as Christological & theological clarity, focus, and construction are concerned. So, I have been seriously preoccupied with one, ultimate question: “What happened on the cross?” I found the answer while critically unpacking the Cross, Atonement Theory(ies), and honestly questioning more than a few of my previously unexamined beliefs. Read More »
Ephesians 2: The World, The Flesh and The Devil.
NRS Ephesians 2.1-9: You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3 All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Read More »
