This makes me very happy. About seven years ago I proofread and fact-checked transcripts for a course she recorded for my former employer. The course was on modern Christian history. I was used to the professors we hired for Christianity courses being at best skeptical, at worst hostile, but I pleased with Dr. Worthen’s academic rigor and fairness toward her subject, and she actually produced my favorite content I worked on over 14 plus years there. So, her conversion is an answer to prayers I had for her at the time, and thankful that the Lord works as He does.
This was so good : Molly do persevere with John Owen and all of Scripture. Your longing is proof, the assurance will come. I have just finished J.D.Greear's "Just Ask" on prayer and found it magnificent. It must be wonderful to know him personally, as well as Tim Keller. Collin, thank you for this great conversation. I have watched it twice! I love it when historians come to faith!
I'm thankful that the Spirit brought me to Molly's testimony a couple of weeks ago. Her candor, intelligence, and honesty really brought joy to my heart. And watching her expressive, joyful countenance as she talks makes her words and wisdom that much better! I love this woman!
Molly, it was a joy to hear your story! Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability about how you are feeling as you walk through being a new Christian and feeling different from those around you. You referenced not really knowing any Christians who grew up in a Christian home and struggled with doubts. That was my story. Though I grew up in church, I had to wrestle through, like you. I read many books trying to “make” myself “see.” I could not bring about faith on my own. Finally, I threw up my hands, started all over, opened my Bible to Genesis 1, and asked God to “open my eyes” as I read through the Bible each day. And over time, he did! He completely and miraculously upended me one night as I read, and I’ve never been the same. Like you, I began to hunger for his word like never before! That was 20 years ago, and he has continued to draw me to himself beautifully. I just want to encourage you to pray before and as you read his word. He will speak. And both your mind and your heart will be transformed as he does. He has clearly already begun to do that in you! You are not alone.
Exactly. It's what he promises in John 14:26 & 16:13. And he ALWAYS fulfills his promises! It takes humility to ask, though, it takes humility to allow oneself to be taught and it takes faith/trust to ask and allow oneself to be taught by someone we don't see. However, God exalts the humble and we walk by faith and not by sight, as Scripture tells us...
I pray God helps me maintain my determination, I want to pray for my sister Molly until I'm no longer here. All of the prayers that Paul prayed for the saints in Colossians, Ephesians and any other I can further discover and pray. For the increasing of her knowledge and the outpouring of God's love in her heart. For the filling of the Holy Spirit, that her love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment. For God to open the eyes of her understanding so that she can know the hope she was called to, for her to be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all spiritual knowledge and wisdom, that she may be filled with power by the Spirit so that Jesus dwells in her heart by faith and therefore be able to know the dimensions of the love of Jesus and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Also, I take a stand and intercede for the loved ones in her life. That salvation be given and that God grants her "all those who sail with her".
Beautiful story. I really appreciate your candor and deep honesty. Even though I'm an Orthodox priest who grew up Baptist, I resonated with the idea that you could only become a Christian in a Baptist church. Thanks be to God!
Myself as well. Molly, Paul VanderKlay is the pastor, and shepherding the flock, that you would love to get to know. I realize you don’t know me (or any of us on this list of comments 😅) but I think it is because all of us are confident that you would find a conversation with Paul endearing and meaningful.
So appreciate you Molly for this talk. Yes this change of mind is bewildering and only possible with God in Whom is all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure as you are finding out. Will look out for more talks from you.
Thanks for your honesty. I came to Christ through Jewish atheism and have found that academia is looked down on by some. I also have felt alienated by my intense Biblical studies whether my interest in the science of creation or original languages. It’s hard to find that depth of commonality for me.
Many parallels in my own story with both of your stories. Interesting and amazing. I already miss Tim Keller, as he has been so very helpful in bringing all the broken threads of my life back into a stronger rope of faith. If either of you is interested, please reach out. I am probably a generation older than you both, being born in the late 50's and started questioning at about 4 or 5 years of age. I took a scholarly path through the development of civilization and cultures throughout history - Western and then Eastern. For me it has been a life passion not directly tied to how I made my living. I can attest Jesus is the only way that is both rational and logical.
paul v. sent me here. it is really something.... 2000 some years later... on this pale blue dot... there is these people... they actually believe a man was the God.
How has history science change our view of the soul? From Soul to Mind A Brief History. For most of human history, we have cherished the idea that there is a separate immaterial part of each of us - a mind or a soul- that must live within our body. This has gradually changed with the advent of scientific approaches to mind-body relations. We now view the mind as a functional property of the brain not “ something located somewhere”. The mind is now a firmly embodied process within the brain, rather like a program that runs within a computer. However can the same sort of embodiment be presumed fpr what we traditionally call the soul. Neuroscience Psychology and Religion: Malcolm Jeeves & Warren S Brown.
Another question that many evangelical theologians, philosophers and neuroscientists debate is the existence of the soul. If we have no soul, then we remain mulch until the resurrection or if no resurrection remain mulsch. There are a number of evangelical theologians, philosophers and neuroscientists who do not believe we have a soul. Summary of the different views. Which of the following comes closest o you understanding of human nature? 1 Humans are composed of one “part” a physical body, materialism/physicalism. 2. Humans are composed of two parts 2a A body and a soul 2b A body and a mind 3. Humans are composed of three parts body, soul, and spirit (trichotomism). 4. Humans are composed of one “part”: a spiritual/mental substance (idealism) 5. Who cares? Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies? Nancy Murphy (Professor of Christian Philosophy at Fuller Theological Seminary. Cambridge Universty Press, 2006 pp2-3)
Hi Molly - great to hear your story, sister . . I’m convinced from Scripture that God is Sovereign in all things, including salvation - but I don’t think that requires a limited/definite atonement . . my take: . . Jesus was sent to cleanse us from sin, so that we could be with God and He could be with us. That is the ‘why’ of the atonement, the reason He gave His life in sacrifice - so that our personal sins could be forgiven, so that our individual wrongdoing could be washed clean. . . How He accomplished that - the 'how' of the atonement - was by being made sin/a-sin-offering* for us (2Corinthians 5:21), taking the full and final punishment for sin upon Himself - death . . not only physical death but spiritual death - separation from God. (Matt 27:6; Mark 15:34 - from Psalm 22:1, a Messianic psalm) . . Because of who He is - the eternal Son of God who became a real, unfallen human being - the value of His atonement has no limit; it is more than enough for everyone - forever. . . Genuine, saving faith is a heart-deep belief/trust in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us, a heart-deep devotion/allegiance to Him. . . By faith in Him - by entrusting ourselves to Him - our hearts, our very souls, become joined to Him. His sacrifice then counts for us - our guilt erased, our penalty/debt paid . . through this faith we have a heart-deep bond with Him - so that we are united to Him - ‘in Christ’ - we are joined to Him as He now is, both crucified and risen (Romans 4:25) - and so His sacrificial death counts for us & we become partakers of His eternal resurrection - He Himself becomes our salvation (1Cor 1:30-31) . . this faith will become evident in our lives - however falteringly - since it will effect our most basic understanding, values and priorities . . as has been said: “The faith which alone saves - is never alone.” *. . when the Hebrew word for ‘sin’ occurs in the context of the Old Covenant sacrificial system, it is often translated ‘sin-offering’ - because that is what it’s referring to in that context . . a few examples - Exodus 29:10-14, 36; Leviticus 4:3,24,29
. . if anyone desires genuine, living, saving faith - or is not sure if they have it - we can humbly/trustingly seek it from the Lord: - for those who believe are born of God (John 1:12-13) - God the Father brings-us-forth/gives-birth-to-us by the word of truth (James 1:17-18) (‘word of truth’ = ‘the gospel’ - Ephesians 1:13) - we are born of His Spirit, through His word (John 3:7-8, 1Peter 1:23-25) - faith is also described as a freely given gift of His grace to us (Eph 2:8-10; Phil 1:29) . . and 1Corinthians 1:30 - of God are we in Christ - being united to Christ through faith is to be ‘in Christ’ . . and I’m convinced that just as the Lord did not turn away the blind seeking sight (Matt 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 4:17-21) - so too, in His grace & mercy, He will not turn anyone away who wants to see-to know-the truth (1Tim 2:3-4) - and so find rest for their souls, becoming partakers of the living water (Matt 11:28; John 7:37; 2Cor 4:3-6) . . the work He begins in us, He will complete (Ephesians 2:8-10,Philippians 1:6) . . God does not have mercy on us because we are good - He has mercy on us in order to make us good . . if we are not sure if we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, all we need do is ask our Heavenly Father - “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” (Luke 11:13)
. . we can humbly ask God to open up our hearts & minds through His Spirit to know the truth - all of Scripture is completely reliable/true - “All Scripture is God-breathed . .” (2Timothy 3:16) - “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made - by the breath of His mouth all their host.” (Psalm 33:6) - “. . Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
'That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 'The mind can be convinced, but the heart must be won' '"We convince by our presence."
It's interesting that Molly's sense of "an imposition on her autonomy" as a child with Christianity is a perfect summation of Adam and Eve's assertion of autonomy resulting in the fall.
Bart Ehrman said he told his students to read the gospel accounts horizontally. One can do this with the resurrection accounts, In Matthew the two Marys arrive witness the stone being rolled away and the angel sitting on rock. In Mark two Marys and Simone arrive see the stone has allready been rolled away and go inside the tomb and encounter an angel inside. In Lukes gospela account the Marys with a number of other woman arrive see the stone has been rolled away and go inside and encounter two angels inside the tomb. In John's gospel Mary arrives sees the tomb is open and goes and gets Peter and John and they come and go inside the tomb but do not encounter any angels. They leave and Mary remains having an encounter and by herself sees two angels inside the tomb. She later said she had an encounter with Jesus.
This is really an account of how Molly Worthen became an American Evangelical, not how she became a Christian. If you take her views seriously, ie that being a Christian requires believing there was a literal resurrection of a person named Jesus, implies that some of the greatest Christian theologians of the 20th century, ie Tillich, Bultmann, Buri for instance, weren’t actually Christians which is absurd. She seems to have been sucked into the parochialism of US evangelicals who think that Christians who don’t think like them aren’t Christians.
Bultman has been thoroughly discredited on so many counts. Belief in the resurrection isn’t just an evangelical thing. Catholics believe it, Eastern Orthodox believe it, and even many in mainline Protestantism believe it.
@@kentzepick4169 I never denied that other Christians didn't believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus, many do. I didn't even speak to the credibility of Bultmann, I was simply pointing out that being a Christian doesn't require believing in the literal resurrection of Jesus yet Worthen seems to think it does. People who don't believe in a literal resurrection of Jesus are not necessarily non-Christians. She seems seduced by the evangelical view that they are.
@@davidedwards2764There are frankly not that many things you are required to believe in to be Christian. But you can be sure as hell one of them is the literal ressurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul is remarkably clear. (See 1 Corinthians 15). All those theologians you mentioned are a product, or perhaps, pioneers in many ways, of liberal theology (I'm not speaking here of liberal politics, although there's certainly overlap). That is a departure from historic, orthodox Christianity. Because they were from within the church, it would be right for you to say they were Christian (that is, by virtue of their baptism) but they were so only nominally, and not by the theology they espounded. In any case, any doctrinally committed church would be well within their rights to excommunicate a baptized church member who actively rejects the physical ressurrection, not to even speak of a prominent voice like Bultmann. Indeed, they would be obligated to do so. It would be like calling progressive LGBT clergy Christian even though their message is clearly incompatible with orthodox christian teaching and tradition.
@@Djessie11 Yes it would be similar to calling LGTBQ Christians, Christians. They are. You are correct that some of the theologians I mentioned were liberal theologians. Still Christians. Still theologians. Christianity does not equate with evangelical Christianity. It’s factually inaccurate to assert that. Christianity has an extremely broad section of adherents, each with a legitimate claim. Some sections closed minded enough they want to kill other sections.
@@davidedwards2764You seem to think the historicity of the ressurrection is dogma only in evangelicalism. You're mistaken. You're right to say Christianity has a broad section of adherents. That does not mean there are no lines drawn. It's not Unitarian Universalism. There is an exclusivity to the Christian religion. And part of what entails that exclusivity is the Ressurrection. You cannot divorce a religion from its own exclusivistic claims. That sort of argument lends itself to a posture of disingenuity and/or ignorance.
Isn't personal autonomy and aversion to authority, especially God's Lordship, the essence of original sin?! I can't understand why systemic spiritual corruption as the causal agent for rebellion should be so mysterious to these astute Christians.
@Genesis 12:3 = Matthew 25:31-46 Christians ✝️ speak of scriptures as being this or that as a salvation issue, here Jesus made this a salvation issue Himself in Matthew 25:31-46. No teasing out scriptures or extrapolations needed, it's as plain as the Sun shine. Jesus made this a salvation issue in Matthew 25:31-46, and before He returns I'd recommend the same. God bless you on your journey ❤️
![YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Catch Me [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KxwEXXFQMTY/mqdefault.jpg)
This makes me very happy. About seven years ago I proofread and fact-checked transcripts for a course she recorded for my former employer. The course was on modern Christian history. I was used to the professors we hired for Christianity courses being at best skeptical, at worst hostile, but I pleased with Dr. Worthen’s academic rigor and fairness toward her subject, and she actually produced my favorite content I worked on over 14 plus years there. So, her conversion is an answer to prayers I had for her at the time, and thankful that the Lord works as He does.
I am always so amazed at the individual way that God calls people to Himself, and this is a perfect example. So appreciated being able to watch it
This was so good : Molly do persevere with John Owen and all of Scripture. Your longing is proof, the assurance will come. I have just finished J.D.Greear's "Just Ask" on prayer and found it magnificent. It must be wonderful to know him personally, as well as Tim Keller. Collin, thank you for this great conversation. I have watched it twice! I love it when historians come to faith!
So encouraging to hear. I have listened to this twice, rejoicing in the providence of a Sovereign and wonderful God!
Welcome to the family Molly! Like Collin said, thank you for testifying to God's grace.
I'm thankful that the Spirit brought me to Molly's testimony a couple of weeks ago. Her candor, intelligence, and honesty really brought joy to my heart. And watching her expressive, joyful countenance as she talks makes her words and wisdom that much better! I love this woman!
Molly, it was a joy to hear your story! Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability about how you are feeling as you walk through being a new Christian and feeling different from those around you. You referenced not really knowing any Christians who grew up in a Christian home and struggled with doubts. That was my story. Though I grew up in church, I had to wrestle through, like you. I read many books trying to “make” myself “see.” I could not bring about faith on my own. Finally, I threw up my hands, started all over, opened my Bible to Genesis 1, and asked God to “open my eyes” as I read through the Bible each day. And over time, he did! He completely and miraculously upended me one night as I read, and I’ve never been the same. Like you, I began to hunger for his word like never before! That was 20 years ago, and he has continued to draw me to himself beautifully.
I just want to encourage you to pray before and as you read his word. He will speak. And both your mind and your heart will be transformed as he does. He has clearly already begun to do that in you! You are not alone.
Exactly. It's what he promises in John 14:26 & 16:13. And he ALWAYS fulfills his promises!
It takes humility to ask, though, it takes humility to allow oneself to be taught and it takes faith/trust to ask and allow oneself to be taught by someone we don't see.
However, God exalts the humble and we walk by faith and not by sight, as Scripture tells us...
I pray God helps me maintain my determination, I want to pray for my sister Molly until I'm no longer here. All of the prayers that Paul prayed for the saints in Colossians, Ephesians and any other I can further discover and pray. For the increasing of her knowledge and the outpouring of God's love in her heart. For the filling of the Holy Spirit, that her love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment. For God to open the eyes of her understanding so that she can know the hope she was called to, for her to be filled with the knowledge of the will of God in all spiritual knowledge and wisdom, that she may be filled with power by the Spirit so that Jesus dwells in her heart by faith and therefore be able to know the dimensions of the love of Jesus and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Also, I take a stand and intercede for the loved ones in her life. That salvation be given and that God grants her "all those who sail with her".
Loved this interview because you rarely see this king of openness, honesty and sincerity. Thank you.
Welcome home Molly; glad to have you in our big eccentric sometimes messy family.
Not gonna lie. The interviewer chuckling uncontrollably ever so often made this video even better.
Great discussion.
Beautiful story. I really appreciate your candor and deep honesty. Even though I'm an Orthodox priest who grew up Baptist, I resonated with the idea that you could only become a Christian in a Baptist church. Thanks be to God!
Thank you for sharing this! Loved hearing your story, Molly.
Having met Molly once by phone, this interview was very moving. It is amazing to hear what God is doing in Molly's life.
Paul vanderklay sent me
me too
Me too! Really enjoyed hearing Molly's story
@@nuetrino NUETRINO!!
@@teestrypzSOG o/ :)
Myself as well. Molly, Paul VanderKlay is the pastor, and shepherding the flock, that you would love to get to know. I realize you don’t know me (or any of us on this list of comments 😅) but I think it is because all of us are confident that you would find a conversation with Paul endearing and meaningful.
Incredibly blessed and inspired by this story.
Wonderful conversation🙏
How wonderful is our God! Thank you for sharing!
So encouraging and well-expressed.
I bristle a bit at some of the jabs at Anglicanism 😆but truly whatever path it takes, as long as it ends at Christ, is a joyful thing.
So appreciate you Molly for this talk. Yes this change of mind is bewildering and only possible with God in Whom is all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure as you are finding out. Will look out for more talks from you.
At 1:09:27 describing the opening chasm I hear the tune "the cross before me, the world behind me. No turning back, no turning back"🎶
Paul VanderKlay sent me here
Praying for you Molly! I hope someone introduces you to Rosaria Butterfield, what a blessing she would be to you!
Love this! Thank you! Praise Jesus!!!
Thanks for your honesty. I came to Christ through Jewish atheism and have found that academia is looked down on by some. I also have felt alienated by my intense Biblical studies whether my interest in the science of creation or original languages. It’s hard to find that depth of commonality for me.
Interesting conversation 👍
Molly Worthen has a wonderful randos story that deserves the Paul Vanderklay treatment
Agreed!
💯
Thank you! I'm very interested to order this book. These conversations are greatly valued. Greetings from Sydney!
Many parallels in my own story with both of your stories. Interesting and amazing. I already miss Tim Keller, as he has been so very helpful in bringing all the broken threads of my life back into a stronger rope of faith. If either of you is interested, please reach out. I am probably a generation older than you both, being born in the late 50's and started questioning at about 4 or 5 years of age. I took a scholarly path through the development of civilization and cultures throughout history - Western and then Eastern. For me it has been a life passion not directly tied to how I made my living. I can attest Jesus is the only way that is both rational and logical.
dear Kathy, what is your e-mail? 🙏🏾
Molly come and visit us in Czech. You can talk about faith and resurrection at our house anytime
paul v. sent me here. it is really something.... 2000 some years later... on this pale blue dot... there is these people... they actually believe a man was the God.
How has history science change our view of the soul?
From Soul to Mind A Brief History.
For most of human history, we have cherished the idea that there is a separate immaterial part of each of us - a mind or a soul- that must live within our body. This has gradually changed with the advent of scientific approaches to mind-body relations. We now view the mind as a functional property of the brain not “ something located somewhere”. The mind is now a firmly embodied process within the brain, rather like a program that runs within a computer. However can the same sort of embodiment be presumed fpr what we traditionally call the soul. Neuroscience Psychology and Religion: Malcolm Jeeves & Warren S Brown.
Knowing Jesus in the here and now, implies incarnation and resurrection. I hope that you will become open to the miraculous in ordinary life ;-)
Another question that many evangelical theologians, philosophers and neuroscientists debate is the existence of the soul. If we have no soul, then we remain mulch until the resurrection or if no resurrection remain mulsch. There are a number of evangelical theologians, philosophers and neuroscientists who do not believe we have a soul.
Summary of the different views.
Which of the following comes closest o you understanding of human nature?
1 Humans are composed of one “part” a physical body, materialism/physicalism.
2. Humans are composed of two parts
2a A body and a soul
2b A body and a mind
3. Humans are composed of three parts body, soul, and spirit (trichotomism).
4. Humans are composed of one “part”: a spiritual/mental substance (idealism)
5. Who cares?
Bodies and Souls, or Spirited Bodies? Nancy Murphy (Professor of Christian Philosophy at Fuller Theological Seminary. Cambridge Universty Press, 2006 pp2-3)
Hi Molly - great to hear your story, sister
. . I’m convinced from Scripture that God is Sovereign in all things, including salvation - but I don’t think that requires a limited/definite atonement
. . my take:
. . Jesus was sent to cleanse us from sin, so that we could be with God and He could be with us. That is the ‘why’ of the atonement, the reason He gave His life in sacrifice - so that our personal sins could be forgiven, so that our individual wrongdoing could be washed clean.
. . How He accomplished that - the 'how' of the atonement - was by being made sin/a-sin-offering* for us (2Corinthians 5:21), taking the full and final punishment for sin upon Himself - death . . not only physical death but spiritual death - separation from God.
(Matt 27:6; Mark 15:34 - from Psalm 22:1, a Messianic psalm)
. . Because of who He is - the eternal Son of God who became a real, unfallen human being - the value of His atonement has no limit; it is more than enough for everyone - forever.
. . Genuine, saving faith is a heart-deep belief/trust in Jesus Christ and what He has done for us, a heart-deep devotion/allegiance to Him.
. . By faith in Him - by entrusting ourselves to Him - our hearts, our very souls, become joined to Him. His sacrifice then counts for us - our guilt erased, our penalty/debt paid
. . through this faith we have a heart-deep bond with Him - so that we are united to Him - ‘in Christ’ - we are joined to Him as He now is, both crucified and risen (Romans 4:25) - and so His sacrificial death counts for us & we become partakers of His eternal resurrection - He Himself becomes our salvation (1Cor 1:30-31)
. . this faith will become evident in our lives - however falteringly - since it will effect our most basic understanding, values and priorities
. . as has been said: “The faith which alone saves - is never alone.”
*. . when the Hebrew word for ‘sin’ occurs in the context of the Old Covenant sacrificial system, it is often translated ‘sin-offering’ - because that is what it’s referring to in that context . . a few examples - Exodus 29:10-14, 36; Leviticus 4:3,24,29
. . if anyone desires genuine, living, saving faith - or is not sure if they have it - we can humbly/trustingly seek it from the Lord:
- for those who believe are born of God (John 1:12-13)
- God the Father brings-us-forth/gives-birth-to-us by the word of truth (James 1:17-18) (‘word of truth’ = ‘the gospel’ - Ephesians 1:13)
- we are born of His Spirit, through His word (John 3:7-8, 1Peter 1:23-25)
- faith is also described as a freely given gift of His grace to us (Eph 2:8-10; Phil 1:29) . . and 1Corinthians 1:30 - of God are we in Christ - being united to Christ through faith is to be ‘in Christ’
. . and I’m convinced that just as the Lord did not turn away the blind seeking sight (Matt 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 4:17-21) - so too, in His grace & mercy, He will not turn anyone away who wants to see-to know-the truth (1Tim 2:3-4) - and so find rest for their souls, becoming partakers of the living water (Matt 11:28; John 7:37; 2Cor 4:3-6)
. . the work He begins in us, He will complete (Ephesians 2:8-10,Philippians 1:6)
. . God does not have mercy on us because we are good - He has mercy on us in order to make us good
. . if we are not sure if we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, all we need do is ask our Heavenly Father - “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” (Luke 11:13)
. . we can humbly ask God to open up our hearts & minds through His Spirit to know the truth - all of Scripture is completely reliable/true
- “All Scripture is God-breathed . .” (2Timothy 3:16)
- “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made - by the breath of His mouth all their host.” (Psalm 33:6)
- “. . Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
'That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
'The mind can be convinced, but the heart must be won'
'"We convince by our presence."
Wow
It's interesting that Molly's sense of "an imposition on her autonomy" as a child with Christianity is a perfect summation of Adam and Eve's assertion of autonomy resulting in the fall.
Bart Ehrman said he told his students to read the gospel accounts horizontally. One can do this with the resurrection accounts, In Matthew the two Marys arrive witness the stone being rolled away and the angel sitting on rock. In Mark two Marys and Simone arrive see the stone has allready been rolled away and go inside the tomb and encounter an angel inside. In Lukes gospela account the Marys with a number of other woman arrive see the stone has been rolled away and go inside and encounter two angels inside the tomb. In John's gospel Mary arrives sees the tomb is open and goes and gets Peter and John and they come and go inside the tomb but do not encounter any angels. They leave and Mary remains having an encounter and by herself sees two angels inside the tomb. She later said she had an encounter with Jesus.
This is really an account of how Molly Worthen became an American Evangelical, not how she became a Christian. If you take her views seriously, ie that being a Christian requires believing there was a literal resurrection of a person named Jesus, implies that some of the greatest Christian theologians of the 20th century, ie Tillich, Bultmann, Buri for instance, weren’t actually Christians which is absurd. She seems to have been sucked into the parochialism of US evangelicals who think that Christians who don’t think like them aren’t Christians.
Bultman has been thoroughly discredited on so many counts. Belief in the resurrection isn’t just an evangelical thing. Catholics believe it, Eastern Orthodox believe it, and even many in mainline Protestantism believe it.
@@kentzepick4169 I never denied that other Christians didn't believe in the literal resurrection of Jesus, many do. I didn't even speak to the credibility of Bultmann, I was simply pointing out that being a Christian doesn't require believing in the literal resurrection of Jesus yet Worthen seems to think it does. People who don't believe in a literal resurrection of Jesus are not necessarily non-Christians. She seems seduced by the evangelical view that they are.
@@davidedwards2764There are frankly not that many things you are required to believe in to be Christian. But you can be sure as hell one of them is the literal ressurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul is remarkably clear. (See 1 Corinthians 15).
All those theologians you mentioned are a product, or perhaps, pioneers in many ways, of liberal theology (I'm not speaking here of liberal politics, although there's certainly overlap). That is a departure from historic, orthodox Christianity. Because they were from within the church, it would be right for you to say they were Christian (that is, by virtue of their baptism) but they were so only nominally, and not by the theology they espounded.
In any case, any doctrinally committed church would be well within their rights to excommunicate a baptized church member who actively rejects the physical ressurrection, not to even speak of a prominent voice like Bultmann. Indeed, they would be obligated to do so.
It would be like calling progressive LGBT clergy Christian even though their message is clearly incompatible with orthodox christian teaching and tradition.
@@Djessie11 Yes it would be similar to calling LGTBQ Christians, Christians. They are. You are correct that some of the theologians I mentioned were liberal theologians. Still Christians. Still theologians. Christianity does not equate with evangelical Christianity. It’s factually inaccurate to assert that. Christianity has an extremely broad section of adherents, each with a legitimate claim. Some sections closed minded enough they want to kill other sections.
@@davidedwards2764You seem to think the historicity of the ressurrection is dogma only in evangelicalism. You're mistaken. You're right to say Christianity has a broad section of adherents. That does not mean there are no lines drawn. It's not Unitarian Universalism. There is an exclusivity to the Christian religion. And part of what entails that exclusivity is the Ressurrection. You cannot divorce a religion from its own exclusivistic claims. That sort of argument lends itself to a posture of disingenuity and/or ignorance.
Isn't personal autonomy and aversion to authority, especially God's Lordship, the essence of original sin?! I can't understand why systemic spiritual corruption as the causal agent for rebellion should be so mysterious to these astute Christians.
Hope for the Academy. Originally all professors were clergy.
@Genesis 12:3 = Matthew 25:31-46
Christians ✝️ speak of scriptures as being this or that as a salvation issue, here Jesus made this a salvation issue Himself in Matthew 25:31-46.
No teasing out scriptures or extrapolations needed, it's as plain as the Sun shine.
Jesus made this a salvation issue in Matthew 25:31-46, and before He returns I'd recommend the same. God bless you on your journey ❤️