GODTALK

1
GOD-TALK

• Medieval logic
• Enlightenment denial
• Modern relational
• Recent historical quest
• Contemporary redeemer of humanity

2
Medieval logic

• Anselm ontological
• that than which a greater cannot be thought

• Aquinas cosmological
• motion, causality, necessity, design, perfection

3
Enlightenment denial

• Nietszche death of God
• Feuerbach human projection
• Marx/Lenin opium of proletariat
• Freud illusion / wish fulfillment

4
Modern - relational

• Schleiermacher -- absolute dependence
• Kierkegaard -- highway of despair
• Pascal -- logic of the heart
• Otto aweful holiness
• Tillich -- the courage to be

5
debating The Jesus Seminar

• ROBERT FUNK
• the Christ of creed and dogma, who had been
  firmly in place in the Middle Ages, can no longer
  command the assent of those who have seen the
  heavens through Galileos telescope. ... In sum,
  we need a new narrative of Jesus, a new gospel,
  if you will, that places Jesus differently in the
  grand scheme, the epic story.

• JOHN MEIER
• ... the proper object of Christian faith is not
  and cannot be an idea or a scholarly
  reconstruction, however reliable. The object of
  Christian faith is a living person, Jesus Christ
  ...

6
Redemptor Hominis

• Believing in the crucified Son means seeing the
  Father, means believing that love is present in
  the world and that this love is more powerful
  than any kind of evil in which individuals,
  humanity, or the world are involved. Believing in
  this love means believing in mercy.

7
The Logic of Extravagance

• You have heard that it was said, An eye for an
  eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you,
  Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes
  you on the right cheek, turn the other also and
  if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat,
  give your cloak as well and if anyone forces
  you to go one mile, go also the second mile.
  Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not
  refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
  (Matthew 538-42)

• dis-orientation ... re-orientation
• superabundant generosity
• logic of hope ... of gift