tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post114186008493457914..comments2024-03-25T14:27:40.121-05:00Comments on Heart, Mind, Soul, and Strength: The cornerstone of systematic theologyWeekend Fisherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10425001168670801073noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post-1142535161202134342006-03-16T12:52:00.000-06:002006-03-16T12:52:00.000-06:00Good post.I found it through the Christian Carniva...Good post.<BR/><BR/>I found it through the Christian Carnival.Martin LaBarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14629053725732957599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post-1142486112686894982006-03-15T23:15:00.000-06:002006-03-15T23:15:00.000-06:00I think that having Christ as the cornerstone and ...I think that having Christ as the cornerstone and foundation means that you will end up with a certain type of systematic theology. I have no problem with systematic theology per se, just with systematic theologies which are not built on Christ. There are systematic theologies which are not built on Christ; I'd say they're common. The fact that Christ is the true foundation of a true theology does not prevent all kinds of people from starting at all kinds of places and ending up with all kinds of systematic theologies, not all of them founded on Christ. If someone's foundation is actually Christ, you'd think that they would want to begin there and build from there, not begin somewhere else which tends to, in effect, build on some other foundation. I think most theologians, asked point blank whether to build on Christ, would have to say yes. But when looking at the systems produced, many of them do not in fact have Christ as their foundation. <BR/><BR/>Take care & God blessWeekend Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10425001168670801073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post-1142482601854518332006-03-15T22:16:00.000-06:002006-03-15T22:16:00.000-06:00Hi Weekend Fisher,Thanks for visiting my blog and ...Hi Weekend Fisher,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a note.<BR/><BR/>I enjoyed reading your post, and I hope it doesn't surprise you that I do believe that Christ is the ONLY cornerstone of systematic theology. <BR/><BR/>Acts 8 "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus."<BR/><BR/>Philip began with one scripture and from that starting point, he told the good news about Jesus.<BR/><BR/>On the road to Emmaus, Jesus Himself started with Moses and the Prophets:<BR/><BR/>Luke 24<BR/><BR/>Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. <BR/><BR/>You mentioned the further passage in Luke 24:45-47.<BR/><BR/>I happen to agree with you on nearly all points, however, I do not think that systematic theology and having Christ as the cornerstone are mutually exclusive, do you? <BR/><BR/>You spoke of a "first starting point." I submit to you that there are a myriad of starting points and <B>because</B> Christ is the foundation, we can start at any point in scripture.<BR/><BR/>1 Corinthians 3: For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.<BR/><BR/>Christ is the foundation stone; systematic theology simply helps us<BR/>start with one scripture and "tell the good news of Jesus Christ."Kim from Hiraethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10681030734608681468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post-1142478859839987172006-03-15T21:14:00.000-06:002006-03-15T21:14:00.000-06:00He was in it for reputation. He did get what money...He was in it for reputation. He did get what money he could, but only for the sake of building his ministry. Think Bill Clinton more than some shyster. His eye was always on his legacy. <BR/><BR/>He built his ministry on a combination of preaching Christ alone and tremendous charisma. His ego turns off most people, but a number of us were willing to overlook that. His weakness was a need for affirmation. I watched him plant and kill 8 churches in my ten years. Each church lived about 6 years under him. They all followed the same arc. <BR/><BR/>A group of sincere brothers and sisters reads some of his books and calls for his help. He gives them Christ alone, and they flourish. Soon they have a problem, and he lets it fester until it cannot be solved. Then he tries to fix it, but actually destroys some dear saints instead. (He felt that someone was trying to take over the church, so they had to be stopped.) After a few cycles of this, there's really no one left and the church either dies or has to start again from ground 0. <BR/><BR/>Did I mention that his legacy was destined to be, "the first minister to bring nothing but Christ, and to plant churches that would not die, and never to defend his work"? His books were all on these 3 topics. <BR/><BR/>He was a charming man. It's too bad so many people needed to pay for his vision.Kevin Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16788817477327510023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post-1142477376285262592006-03-15T20:49:00.000-06:002006-03-15T20:49:00.000-06:00It is so sad to me when something like that happen...It is so sad to me when something like that happens. Did he cheat the church or something? Or was he using Jesus to turn a buck? You can skip that if you'd rather.Weekend Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10425001168670801073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15860677.post-1142466072903138352006-03-15T17:41:00.000-06:002006-03-15T17:41:00.000-06:00I submit to you that they did, and we have not rec...<I>I submit to you that they did, and we have not recognized it.</I><BR/><BR/>Enjoying. I look forward to your development. <BR/><BR/>Reading this causes me a good sort of pain. In 1989 I moved across the country to be a part of a church whose leader used many of the same phrases you have listed here. He actively worked to bring everything back to Christ in theology, practice and prayer. I packed up everything and moved across the country to be a part of what he was doing. He turned out to be a fraud, though it took me almost a decade to figure that out. <BR/><BR/>I did not realize how much I exorcised these phrases from my vocabulary after I left. Hearing them spoken again, in such a solid context, is very encouraging. <BR/><BR/>Thank you.Kevin Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16788817477327510023noreply@blogger.com