Harmon & 2nd Court, 32401



Three verses from our Second Lesson for Sunday Romans 8:26-39

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called κλητοῖς according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew προέγνω he also predestined προώρισεν to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined προώρισεν he also called; and those whom he called he also justified ἐδικαίωσεν ; and those whom he justified ἐδικαίωσεν he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)

called κλητοῖς called, invited, summoned by God to an office or to salvation.

foreknew προέγνω know beforehand, foreknow

predestined προώρισεν foreordain, predetermine, mark out beforehand.

justified ἐδικαίωσεν  make righteous, defend the cause of, plead for the righteousness (innocence) of, acquit, justify; hence: I regard as righteous.


Against overwhelming evidence of guilt (see hyperlink below), on Tuesday, October 3, 1995 a jury acquitted O J Simpson of charges of murdering his ex-wife and her friend on the front lawn of her home. Half of Americans were stunned, but OJ had his day in court and was justified ἐδικαίωσεν in the most outrageous sense of StPaul’s use of one of his best known NT Greek words. The sense of justification is that you are guilty as hell, but God acquits and lets you off scot free.

In other news, John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Presbyterians are known among other Christians for a theology of predestination, that one is predestined for salvation or one is not and, supposedly, there ain’t nothin’ one can do about it either way. Never having been Presbyterian, but having been required to read Calvin’s Institutes in my first semester theology class at LTSG, my impression is that Presbyterians, much like Episcopalians anymore, go to a church where the people and the ministries suit them and their family and children, not particularly concerned about the denomination’s theological holdings. Our church does have a theological statement on predestination, in the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion of the Church of England, established by the Episcopal Church in 1801, Article 17:

XVII. Of Predestination and Election.
“Predestination to Life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of  the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour. Wherefore, they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season: they through Grace obey the calling: they be justified freely: they be made sons of God by adoption: they be made like the image of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.

“As the godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and their earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and confirm their faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it doth fervently kindle their love towards God: So, for curious and carnal persons, lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have continually before their eyes the sentence of God's Predestination, is a most dangerous downfall, whereby the Devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation.

“Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise, as they be generally set forth to us in Holy Scripture: and, in our doings, that Will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God.” (BCP 871)

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What do I personally believe? Though the theology of the Christian church may in large measure be extracted from Romans, including pointedly to some extent from chapter 8, I am bound neither by a sixteenth century French to Swiss theologian, nor by murderously contentious fourth century bishops in council, nor by anyone’s understanding of the first century CE writings of “Paul … to all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints” - - but by my own grasp of our Anglican formula Scripture, Reason and Tradition, with Scripture being the ship and Reason having the conn. Thus, it does not bother me to confess that Predestination and Election as commonly explained makes no sense to me. Nor do many other theological contortions beyond the simple answer to the simple question “Who or what is God?” “God is whoever or whatever God says God is, in and as God’s Word.” Nor does any theological assertion that is not tied to the “I will” life commitments of our Baptismal Covenant. 

Not to go overly light in closing, but nevertheless, this sign hanging from the inside rear view mirror of the car parked next to me at our breakfast restaurant this morning:




Addendum from this morning's news:

-- There is nothing Trump can do any more that will get to McCain. Battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, the maverick was willing to vote “no” on the “skinny repeal” amendment so that other GOP colleagues who were also opposed to the measure could vote “yes” to save face with the conservative base. To this day, Trump has never apologized for saying that the former fighter pilot was not a war hero because he got captured in Vietnam. It gets less attention, but the president also besmirched the Arizona senator’s character by repeatedly accusing him of not taking care of other veterans. McCain has never forgotten.

 Neither have I forgotten, nor will I ever forget.

DThos+ mucking along