You've written a very thought-provoking post as always.
While I feel and hear your concerns around positive Christianity (especially the replacement of the offence of the cross with 'a public pitch for reasonableness and attractiveness'), I would be keen to hear your thoughts on the following:
1) Passages such as 1 Peter 2:12, Matthew 5:16 (and possibly John 13:35?) - aren't those passages assuming that non-Christians see/evaluate our 'good lives' (1 Peter 2:12), our 'good works' (Matthew 5:16), and on that basis, 'glorify God' (by which I take to mean glorify God in this lifetime - but either way, they are seeing something that is 'good' by their standard).
2) What do you see Paul doing in 1 Cor 9:19-23? Is it possible he is, in your words, '[adopting], to some significant extent, the worldview and assumptions of its audience, and shape the presentation of how Christianity is good or attractive in these terms' ?
Thanks Akos! Good questions. I might talk about these in the Q&A later in the month, but very quickly:
1) As I said, I think our lives do function as a positive testimony to the gospel, in a way that people recognize — in this life to some extent (but also not) but certainly on the Day. But this seems like a slender reed on which to build positive apologetics as an evangelistic approach. But you’re also raising this because it goes to whether there’s a common standard of ‘good’ we can appeal to … that’s a more complicated question (I’ll come back to it).
2) As David Williams puts it, 1 Cor 9 is an adaptation of the messenger, not the message. But again, a larger topic. I’ll come back to it.
You got me thinking, how is "7" prosecution, similar and different to "1" persuasion?
I wonder if a Biblical "flow" is 5 - 7/1 - 4 - 5 - 7/1 - 4? Although, you don't always need to have 5. (Hope that makes sense!)
It is also sad that as I get around, there seems to be very little "5" happening - maybe because Christians, as you have say, have been on the back foot for so long we have lost our confidence and fear has crept in.
Hi Tony,
You've written a very thought-provoking post as always.
While I feel and hear your concerns around positive Christianity (especially the replacement of the offence of the cross with 'a public pitch for reasonableness and attractiveness'), I would be keen to hear your thoughts on the following:
1) Passages such as 1 Peter 2:12, Matthew 5:16 (and possibly John 13:35?) - aren't those passages assuming that non-Christians see/evaluate our 'good lives' (1 Peter 2:12), our 'good works' (Matthew 5:16), and on that basis, 'glorify God' (by which I take to mean glorify God in this lifetime - but either way, they are seeing something that is 'good' by their standard).
2) What do you see Paul doing in 1 Cor 9:19-23? Is it possible he is, in your words, '[adopting], to some significant extent, the worldview and assumptions of its audience, and shape the presentation of how Christianity is good or attractive in these terms' ?
Thanks again for another engaging post!
Akos
Thanks Akos! Good questions. I might talk about these in the Q&A later in the month, but very quickly:
1) As I said, I think our lives do function as a positive testimony to the gospel, in a way that people recognize — in this life to some extent (but also not) but certainly on the Day. But this seems like a slender reed on which to build positive apologetics as an evangelistic approach. But you’re also raising this because it goes to whether there’s a common standard of ‘good’ we can appeal to … that’s a more complicated question (I’ll come back to it).
2) As David Williams puts it, 1 Cor 9 is an adaptation of the messenger, not the message. But again, a larger topic. I’ll come back to it.
Thanks again Akos!
Love it! Thanks Tony.
You got me thinking, how is "7" prosecution, similar and different to "1" persuasion?
I wonder if a Biblical "flow" is 5 - 7/1 - 4 - 5 - 7/1 - 4? Although, you don't always need to have 5. (Hope that makes sense!)
It is also sad that as I get around, there seems to be very little "5" happening - maybe because Christians, as you have say, have been on the back foot for so long we have lost our confidence and fear has crept in.
John
Yes, good point John. In practice, I think there’s quite a bit of overlap! Love your suggestion of how the different types ideally flow. T