An EC Perspective on “God’s Glory”
As a result of an email I recently received, I am going to do a series of posts on God’s glory and suffering — this will be a slow series, and will depend on my state of mind in the near future (in other words I am processing all kinds of stuff right now). I think it is very important to have an understanding of God’s glory that is shaped by His life of love in Christ by the Spirit. Which means that glory is not a principle outside of love and personal relationship; but in fact it is its inverse. In other words, God’s glory cares about intimate and personal details (like the sparrows or us). I’m afraid that there is thinking out there that sees “God’s glory” as an impersonal force that has nothing to do with “us;” when in fact the Incarnation says just the opposite.
In other words, what’s at stake here is how we correlate something like: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God” with Jesus Christ’s revelation of God’s glory as He ministered His life to those around Him while on earth (or even in His mediation to Israel in salvation history). I think there are competing things going on between the “Westminster Shorter Catechism’s” understanding of “glory and glorify,” and who we see revealed in Jesus Christ in the Incarnation. This will be the jumping off point for the posts ahead . . .
November 14, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Can’t wait to read them
Craig
November 14, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Hey Craig,
I look forward to getting into this as time permits!
In Christ
November 15, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I like the way CS Lewis defines glory and uses it. Will comment more later.
November 15, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I do too, Myk; it’s “weighty”!
November 15, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Where can I find this perspective of C. S. Lewis’?
Craig
November 15, 2009 at 10:18 pm
His book: The Weight of Glory. Here is a Pdf link of the sermon that apparently his book came from:
http://www.doxaweb.com/assets/doxa.pdf
November 16, 2009 at 2:23 pm
There you go again, opposing what may not deserve being opposed. Tread carefully!
Two things: (1) Torrance’s new book on the Atonement just hit my desk today (for free!—the glories of being an editor); (2) I just put up a post about a book you may be interested in.
November 16, 2009 at 2:28 pm
I can’t wait to read TFT’s Atonement, Incarnation was great! Can’t wait to hear what you think of it.
I’ll have to check out your post.
Chris,
You’ll have to understand, I say an EC perspective a bit rhetorically. Nevertheless, classic Calvinism is typically shaped uabashedly by Thomism (right?); while EC is Scotist. There is a real distinction there; i.e. one follows the via negativa and the other the via positiva (EC). This is the fundamental critique of Classic Calv. that EC is differentiating itself from; Muller would not disagree with this, I don’t think — nor would Trueman.
November 16, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Bobby,
I just read the link you gave me. How amazing!
Thank you for sharing.
Oh to be noticed by the very God of Heaven. Then to ask, “did I do good Daddy? and hear Him answer, “Well done, my son.”
Craig
November 17, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Amen, Craig!