tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6204664686568393114.post4898598152142929676..comments2023-11-02T01:43:20.189-07:00Comments on At Wisdom's End: The Death of "Death of God" TheologySamuel C Bunchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13931395216787784171noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6204664686568393114.post-88337268121243920882017-01-12T09:52:46.311-08:002017-01-12T09:52:46.311-08:00I figured that he was when I originally read it. I...I figured that he was when I originally read it. I'm just fascinated by those saints who continue to follow Christ while lacking the felt experience of the hope for heaven. It's as good an answer I can think of to the ad-hominem argument that atheists often use, arguing that Christians are actually less moral than atheists, because the former do good with ulterior motive of achieving heavenly reward, while the latter do good for goodness's own sake. Interestingly enough, Therese specifically dedicated her own crisis of faith to those who were estranged from faith, with the prayer that her own sufferings would be a means for them to come to God.<br />Jack DisPennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01999955744311475772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6204664686568393114.post-34116181560557174882017-01-10T18:58:17.658-08:002017-01-10T18:58:17.658-08:00Just to be clear, Jack, Matthew Rose was quoting B...Just to be clear, Jack, Matthew Rose was quoting Bonhoeffer there. I have edited the paragraph to make that more clear.Samuel C Bunchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13931395216787784171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6204664686568393114.post-88777652362253776272017-01-10T18:54:42.467-08:002017-01-10T18:54:42.467-08:00Me either, Jack. I sincerely hope that Bonhoeffer...Me either, Jack. I sincerely hope that Bonhoeffer was given the grace of final perseverance.Samuel C Bunchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13931395216787784171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6204664686568393114.post-85648758164841775532017-01-10T18:53:01.862-08:002017-01-10T18:53:01.862-08:00I also remember something that St. Therese said to...I also remember something that St. Therese said to one of her fellow nuns, basically to the effect that she had gotten to the point where she didn't even talk to Jesus about her troubles...she just silently endured them, apparently not wanting to bother Him. I don't know if St. Therese's underlying reasons were at all similar to Matthew Rose's suggestion (which you mentioned in your post above) that God wants us to live as men who can get along without him--but her theology did strike me as odd on that point, since the New Testament repeatedly encourages us to cast our cares upon God.Jack DisPennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01999955744311475772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6204664686568393114.post-60968306747383717772017-01-10T18:46:45.090-08:002017-01-10T18:46:45.090-08:00I don't know a lot about Bonhoeffer, but I kno...I don't know a lot about Bonhoeffer, but I know that many saints (my own patroness included) have had a deep experience of the felt absence of God. If this felt absence is combined with a devout faith, it can be something of a spiritual breakthrough--for you get all of the discipline and rigor of the Cross without the comfort of the Resurrection. It's definitely not the sort of trial that most of us ask for. I know I wouldn't ask for it.Jack DisPennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01999955744311475772noreply@blogger.com