Here is an mp3 link to a sermon by Greg Boyd where he preaches on Ephesians 1: 3-10. He critiques Calvinistic predestination. Boyd is the pastor of the Woodland Hills Church in Minneapolis, MN. He's a well known open theist.
Link: 6/26/1994 – Predestination: Good News or Bad?
Boyd makes the following points against the Calvinist interpretation of Eph 1.
1. One must believe to be saved. Whoever believes is saved.
2. Human beings are moral agents, and are responsible for their sins. God does not program what our decisions are.
3. God doesn't always get what he wants from humanity. Because of our moral agency, things happen that God does not prefer. Hell is a testimony of this fact.
4. God is love. God loves every person. God's loving nature is incompatible with Calvinistic election.
Boyd positively interprets Ephesians 1 as follows:
1. Predestination is corporate, not individual - he gives a funny analogy here about eating chicken.
2. God chooses us in Christ. If you are in Christ, you are predestined.
3. We are not worthy of predestination, but in God's eyes we are worth it.
13 hours ago
5 comments:
Ironic that Boyd speaks of hell. He now rejects it. Of course this sermon is from 1994 and I am sure that Boyd changed him mind from that time to now. I would not be shocked if Boyd denies inerrancy. While Boyd is no doubt the leading man for the open theism view, I have a tough time with the guy.
I would like for annihilationism to be true, but don't believe it is taught in scripture. I don't agree with Boyd on open theism or his doctrine of hell.
I would be interested to know at what point Boyd began denying hell. In his book "Letters from a skeptic" he allows for the annihilation theory, though doesn't believe it himself. I'm not sure when those letters were written, and the book is in my office. I'll have to check that out.
By the way, thanks for the link. I do like Boyd, if only because he challenges my way of thinking.
Hi Stephen, Thanks for stopping by.I've read that book too, and enjoyed it. Boyd's dad asked a lot of great questions.
In fairness, Boyd does not completely deny hell, but he does deny that it's eternal. Here's a link to an essay where he argues for the annihilation view.
Looks to me that Boyd doesn't actually state his beliefs. Instead he starts with "While I am not completely convinced of this position, I think it is worthy of serious consideration."
That, to me, is something we must all do, and why I read a lot of Boyds stuff, including "The Myth of a Christian Nation" and "God of the Possible." I often read his books to challenge me. I am willing to be convinced that I'm wrong, and so I give people the chance.
Anyway, thanks for the link. I'll need to take the time to do more than skim it here soon.
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