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Agreed. However, early interpreters understood image to be inherent and they understood likeness to be the telos/end. We are created in the image in order to grow (by grace) into the likeness of Christ. That is a common assumption across traditions. You seem to be saying the image is ephemeral...

That's a better way to put it. Would God make sport with creation? To speak in those terms immediately assumes there's odds; two things of value, perhaps equal value, are in competition. Is that our starting point for Xn metaphysics? Or do we assume God is Creator? Lol. I swear, eternal...

Exactly. We can be more generous and ask, "Does God take risks with creation to lose the good God brings into being, particularly that which bears the divine image?" God doesn't make mistakes, but does God gamble with creation? Is the good God creates worth the risk of loosing? If what is lost...

I see. That's a novel approach. It's far outside the pale of what image has been understood in the various traditions, but to each their own. :)

ECT = Eternal Conscious Torment I'm not tracking what you mean in saying no creatures were harmed in the making of this image, but I'm glad to listen to a clarification.

No, it's not obvious because I completely agree with you that the position of ECT asserts that God imprisons those created in the divine image in eternal torment. I didn't use that qualifier in my post but I wholly agree, which only exacerbates the problem with ECT. I get the sense you agree...

This reminds me somewhat of Aristotelian virtue ethics, which is roughly the idea that we must learn right action through practice until we develop a habit of knowing what to do in a given situation. The overarching goal is to develop habits that lead to a certain kind of life, i.e., a good...

Why? You haven't accomplished anything thus far. But I will relent since this is your thread and it would not be right for me to continue exacerbating your anger by showing you your errors. May the peace of Christ be yours.

Violent imagery? Is this what we have learned in Christ? Don't you see how your conception of God is informing your reaction to me? It's okay because I understand where you are coming from. You can whip me and I'll pray for you because you don't understand what you are doing.

I came to faith in 2001, primarily by listening to RC Sproul. Calvinism gave me an understanding of grace that was missing from what I learned as a child. It was also intellectually satisfying in that it was consistent, at least with its own assumptions. But as my dad used to say-Calvinism is...

Interesting. I was a Calvinist, as well. Thank you for sharing your work.

Then why do you make judgments about God? You are trying to pick out a potential sliver from that poster's eye and you can't see your own error. You claim it is good and consistent with the scriptures that God imprisons God's own creatures in eternal torment. That is a judgment, a determination...

How is God's justice satisfied? Divine justice is satisfied when all life flourishes, when all tears are wiped away, when all are healed, joy is abundant and sin, sorrow, evil and death are defeated. We look at the cross and see punishment when we should see victory. We speak of God's wrath...

You did, but that's okay because you're only going to keep repeating what you want to believe without accepting legitimate disagreement. *sigh* Enjoy your day.

So Greek speaking Christians who interpreted it as "age-long" didn't know what it meant? Did I mention hubris? Liddell-Scott Greek Lexicon: Aionios-lasting for an age (aion). Feel free to look it up. They also state that Plato did use it to mean everlasting, which was an anomaly in ancient...

I agree with Steven that your unwillingness to accept your own interpretation as one of a number of possibilities prevents productive conversation. You have not shown aionios to always be everlasting because that cannot be shown. You seem uninformed regarding the long history of debate over...

That makes no sense. He can't be the savior of all unless he saves all. Your reading is like saying, "Chadrho is the janitor of all buildings, especially of the ones he cleans." If Chadrho doesn't clean all buildings, he's not the janitor of all buildings. What is needed is an identification...

Lol. Oh well. I'll leave it and eat an éclair.

That looks like a diversionary tactic. If you can't rationally explain how eternal damnation makes sense given the nature of God, then declair that rationality is at fault. The next thing you know, love is really hatred, and being a recipient of grace means you're special.

The penal substitution theory of atonement assumes that sin must be punished in order to satisfy divine justice. Christ's death, so the argument goes, was an act of Christ willingly submitting to divine punishment (penalized) on the behalf of humanity (substitution) to satisfy the divine...