Theological Opinions

[Nurvingiel]

Inked's post in Why you believe what you believe prompted me to start a thread about Theology, about which I know very little.

For starters, let's talk about Christian Theology, namely Anglican. We can talk about the theology of any religion in this thread too!

Naturally, all Mooters are welcome in this thread.

Inked's post:

Originally Posted by inked

Nurvingiel,

What! No classes? Make haste to mend that deficiency. I'd suggest MERE CHRISTIANITY by CS Lewis for starters. If you have a copy of the Prayer Book for your region, check out a section called Catechism.

Christians do mean specific things by their terminology. Quite specific and daunting things too. Dorothy L. Sayers, noted authoress of detective fiction and translator of Dante and lay theologian, has a short book that your Univeristy library should have on hand known as CREED OR CHAOS. I recommend it to your perusal as well.

The remark about Satan and the fallen angels suggests a less than complete grasp or teaching about the nature of evil and exactly what and whom Jesus did save us from. Yes, Satan (aka the Devil, aka Lucifer, aka Angel of Light) was a created being, originally good, with free will, who set himself against his Creator and led many angelic beings in rebellion against God. His opposite is Michael the Archangel, not God. Check out my postings (and others' as ell in Evil in Middle Earth). Subsequently, Satan led mankind into the self-same VOLUNTARY rebellion from which God has made a deliverance available.

Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary the Virgin, was the taking of human nature by the God of All, truly human and truly divine, truly crucified, truly dead and buried, truly resurrected, and truly ascended, who shall return in glory to judge both the living and the dead. This what is meant by Christians using the term Son of God (cf. Apostle's, Nicene, Athanasian, and Creed of Chalcedon, as well as the Thirty-Nine articles. See your Prayerbook.)

The Holy Spirit is God at work in the lives of men and women now and throughout all time.

Thus we have the active personal God who created all that is and continues creating now, revealed in a specific historical person, accomplishing His goals in the world today: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (the Trinity).

So, when you say you are an Anglican Christian, this is what you say. Now, is that what you mean?

Edit: See also the Silmarillion forum and thread Iluvatar Good and Evil .

Theology thread book list:
If you're looking for something to read, why not try the exciting books proposed in this thread. (Updates as needed)

- "The Mind of the Maker" by Dorothy L. Sayers
- "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis
- "The Book of Wisdom" and "The Little Book of Wisdom" by Tenzing Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
- "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh
- "The Chosen" by Chiam Potok
- "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver