This series is designed to free scholars to write What’s True About Christianity? outside the artificial constraints which too commonly separate the scholar and the saint. In this series, we are inviting seasoned scholars to An Introduction to Christian write for the masses. We invite these scholars to Faith and Practice write about what they care about, to write in the W idioms of their everyday lives and to write for the h a rreefflleeccttiivvee non-specialist. This series is designed to t ’ connect the scholar with the saint in pursuit of s T accessible insight. r u Thomas E. Phillips, series editor e A b Those within the church should focus upon o becoming more welcoming, more hospitable, u t more loving—as they would want to be loved…. C To everyone, I say welcome, just as Jesus h r welcomes you. Christianity should be known for i s welcoming all people… This message of t i hospitality may seem too good to be true, and, in a n rreeaalliittyy,, it is not always the case among Christians i t and churches. But with Jesus, it is always true. y ? Jesus welcomes everyone. Don Thorsen Don Thorsen What’s True About Christianity? An Introduction to Christian Faith and Practice What’s True about Christianity? An Introduction to Christian Faith and Practice Don Thorsen THE HEART OF THE MATTER 1 What’s True about Christianity? An Introduction to Christian Faith and Practice ©2020 Claremont Press 1235 N. College Ave. Claremont, CA 91711 ISBN 978-1-946230-40-9 (print) 978-1-946230-42-3 (ebook) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data What’s True about Christianity? An Introduction to Christian Faith and Practice / Don Thorsen Xiii + 213 pp. 22 x 15 cm. –(The Heart of the Matter 1) Includes indices. ISBN 978-1-946230-41-6 (print) 978-1-946230-42-3 (ebook) 1.Theology, Doctrinal Popular works. 2. Christian life. 3.Christianity Essence, genius, nature. BT77 .T467 2020 Contents Editor’s Preface viii Part One John 3:16 All Are Welcome 3 Born Again? Anew? From Above? 11 No Condemnation 19 Part Two “For God So Loved” Yes, God Exists 29 God is Love 37 Relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit 45 What Apologetics Accomplish 51 Part Three “The World” Created and Evolved 63 People and the Image of God 69 The Problem of Evil 77 Sin, Ignorance, Misery and Bondage 83 Part Four “That He Gave His Only Begotten Son” God With Us 91 v At-One-Ment with God 97 God’s Advocate 105 Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience 113 Part Five “So That Whosoever Believes in Him Should Not Perish” Our Choices Made a Difference 123 Orders of Salvation 131 Justice and Justification 139 Varieties of Christian Spirituality 147 No Holiness but Social Holiness 155 Priesthood of Believers 163 The Problem of Hypocrisy 171 Part Six “But May Have Eternal Life” End Times 181 What About Those Who Do Not Believe? 189 Heaven and Hell 197 Epilogue 203 Scripture Index 207 Subject Index 213 vi Editor’s Preface The lives of theologians, Biblical scholars and similar religious studies scholars are odd. Most such scholars enter into the profession because they believe that truth matters and that there is great value in doggedly pursuing truth and in sharing the results of that pursuit with communities of faith. However, most of these scholars practice their truth-seeking vocation in the professional setting of higher education where they serve as college, university and seminary professors. Almost without exception, the spoken and unspoken strictures of the academic world leave these religious studies scholars—like all scholars—feeling pressured to write and publish in academic journals and scholarly book series. This academic pressure to publish only in the most exclusive and prestigious forums typically results in a greatly diminished readership for these scholars’ literary output. In the meantime, while religious studies scholars are busy producing tomes for a few dozen scholars who happen to share their particular expertise, millions of reflection-hungry persons of faith struggle to find mature and critically engaged religious studies content to meet their own needs for insight and growth. The cultural pattern is clear: Scholars write for scholars. Critically minded non-specialists are left to their own devices. Engagement with the reading public is not a part of the scholarly mission. Wordsmithing for those outside the guild of religious studies scholarship is left to popular writers with less training, less expertise and often less insight. This series is designed to free scholars to write outside the artificial constraints which too commonly separate the scholar and the saint. In this series, we are inviting seasoned scholars to write for the masses. We invite these scholars to write about what they care about, to write in the idioms of their everyday lives and to write for the reflective non-specialist. This series is designed to connect the scholar with the saint in pursuit of accessible insight. --Thomas E. Phillips, editor vii Part One John 3:16 1