Peace,
David

Thanks! Actually, as can be readily perceived, I haven’t given this blog the time of day for well over a year. I consider this blog somewhat dead and currently inoperable. Indeed, I found this blog once more but coming across it in the Blogroll of MG’s blog, ‘The Well of Questions’ and was rather surprised to see its continued presence there (MG should definitely perform some form of Spring cleaning on his blog).

But I have considered opening another blog (whether it be this one, which would require something of an overhaul, or another one under a different name). I simply felt that I had no time for a blog (which at the time was most assuredly untrue), and now that I truly have little time to spare, I consider opening a blog. If I did, there would be devotional/meditational materials but not exclusively so. Rather, the bulk would be my continued ecclesiatico-spiritual journey and deep wrestlings with theological opinions and beliefs (a la Radical Orthodoxy (though along the constructive lines of D. B. Hart), Patristic and Medieval theology, Anglican and Eastern Orthodox theology, etc. etc. etc.).

Also, if you do check this blog again (which is highly doubtful), I will respond to you soon on Facebook (concerning Prayer Books, etc.) and also: do you know how you change your screen name on this thing? I put ἀνακεφαλαίωσις as my screen name accidently but I would like my actual name instead! Blast.

Pax in Christi et Domina nostra,
David Kaufmann

The problem I always have when reading devotional literature (and some Christian psychology) is my inability to retain information. And when the devotional literature is good, this is bad; it means the effect of the meditations is significantly lessened.

Some things stuck out here though that I will probably remember now (especially considering we talked about some of this in person).

1. The goodness of having one’s desires frustrated–something which has the ability to temper a soul to love God. Next time when the desire to discuss something or debate something to show off my own abilities comes up, this is a truth that must be remembered.

2. Our tendency to revert back to sin very quickly–the most saddening and sickening feature of my own psychology (and that of many others). This is getting better I think; but the more God heals my dead will, the more remorse i feel when I do continue in sin. More prayer and grace is needed it seems.

3. I have one criticism, and it is of some significance. I don’t think that saying we fail to do the good we try to do, or that the evil we try to avoid we find ourselves doing, is a normative description of Christian psychology. I’m not sure if you were saying this, but it seemed you might have been. Now your observation may be a correct statistical generalization; that is to say, it may be the case that Christians often have this kind of experience. But I don’t think that Paul’s point in Romans 7 is to say that Christians should experience this even if they have a healthy spiritual life. Quite the contrary; if grace dwells in us appropriately, it seems we would not be unable to avoid sinning (1 Cor 10:13). Obviously this comes from the Adam interpretation of Romans 7 given by Witherington. You should look into this interpretation (I argued for it on my blog) because it is very well-argued and culturally/rhetorically sensitive (whereas, right or not, Augustine’s/Luther’s understanding here was not based on that kind of scholarship). This obviously has major implications for our views of sin, original sin, grace, free will, responsibility, and sanctificiation.

4. It is interesting to realize that though I have often questioned Reformed theology’s tendency to follow Augustine’s introspectiveness and individualism, the Reformed view of justification seems to be (in some ways) less introspective. Locating one’s legal status externally to oneself is certainly a step outside of introspection. I do think that some Reformed theologians (and some of their Evangelical compatriots) have mistakenly taken justification to be ALL that there is to salvation, and have interpreted sola fide/imputation in highly individualistic, overly self-referential ways (and therefore in contrast to biblical biblical culture). But I suppose that my belief in infused righteousness could maybe be accused (in some sense) of being more introspective, and perhaps more individualistic. This is something I will have to think about. Hmm…

If the ability to stimulate thought is the sign of a good post, then this one rates fairly high. I look forward to the next one.