This Sunday, our Public Theology "sermon" time was rich with conversation about sin and salvation. Here's what we wrestled with:
Bible on Sin
Stories involving sin
Cain and Abel
Adam and Eve
the Good Samaritan
the Prodigal Son
the Rich Man and the Beggar
David (Bathsheba and Uriah)
Tower of Babel
Cast the first stone
Soddom and Gomorroah
Plagues result of not listening to God
"Don't!"
worshiping false idols
most everything in the prophets
not visiting, feeding, clothing least of these
covetessness
10 commandments
judging and condemning others
greatest commandment
mixing fibers and other Levitical purity laws
breaking dietary restrictions
being unclean
being uncircumcized, tatooed, or malformed
being a hypocrite
we are born into sin
Bible on Salvation
forgiveness is God's
God's gift through Christ is grace
I am the Way...no one shall come except through me
Obeying rules gives salvation (OT, Pharisees)
Sacrifices atone for sins (OT)
Sin and salvation is not all about following the rules (Jesus)
Old Testament ideas of "doing right" + "loving kindness" is how to earn salvation
God searches for the lost to save them (coin, sheep, son)
Salvation is living in the Kingdom of God now
Born again of the spirit
Baptism necessary for salvation
Jesus lived and died to save all
Old Testament salvation is about outward sacrifice, New Testament salvation is about inward sacrifice
Christian Tradition on Sin
Pope can designate sin/not sin (Roman Catholic view)
ALL sin and fall short
Jesus was sinless
Separation from God
Willful disobedience of God
Not following society's laws
Natural law
Original sin
Doing anything not of God
Creature worshiping self rather than the creator (C.S. Lewis)
Inability to forgive, hardening of heart
"missing the target"
retaliation (very different from Old Testament/Middle Eastern society where not standing up for family by retaliating would be a sin)
Christian Tradition on Salvation
Universal salvation (Universalists) vs Predestination (Calvinists)
Saved through Grace
Saved through Works Righteousness (social justice)
Saved through Word Alone
We all have the ability to respond to or deny God's grace
Salvation is about New Life, a New Age
Salvation is both here-and-now and in life after death (Milton)
Jesus is the "Lamb of God" so that we would never have to make temple sacrifice again
Reason and Experience on Sin
Sin is being sure someone else is going to hell
I struggle with atonement theory. I don't believe God needs Christ's grisly death as payment for sin.
The most "sticky" sins are the ones where I hurt another
What do we do when our sins are sticky? talk to friend/counselor, talk to the one I hurt, pray-pray-pray
I struggle with why God made us able to sin
How can God let things like the Holocaust happen?
Sin sometimes feels like being nibbled to death by ducks--lots of little things
Sin feels like I am running away
Reason and Experience on Salvation
it's sweet and it's real
I have a deep awareness of God's presence in my life--regardless of my sin
Humility is part of it
I feel saved when I experience the divine presences and beauty
Salvation feels like coming home and being embraced and welcomed
God surrounds me and says, "It's OK."
Part of salvation for me is looking back and seeing God's hand at work in the world
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