Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site allegra.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!hoxna!houxm!ihnp4!allegra!vek
From: vek@allegra.UUCP (Van Kelly)
Newsgroups: net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Contemporary Theology and its flight from the church.
Message-ID: <4987@allegra.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Aug-85 15:35:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: allegra.4987
Posted: Mon Aug 26 15:35:58 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Aug-85 06:33:13 EDT
References: <1008@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP> <387@scgvaxd.UUCP>
Reply-To: vek@allegra.UUCP (Van Kelly)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 41

In article <387@scgvaxd.UUCP> dan@scgvaxd.UUCP writes:

[... in response to Gary Buchholz, of course ]

>
>   So disregard what the scriptures say about some people having the gift
>   of teaching, which comes only through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Just
>   keep listening to those learned and dignified Neo Orthodox with all
>   the answers. Don't let those church people fool you with this old
>   familiar phrase:
>
>   The Letter kills but the Spirit gives life!
>
>
>					       Dan

Just a small point, but you should get the name of your poison right.
Historically, Neo-Orthodoxy has had, if anything, less similarity with 
Gary's position (and Schleiermacher's) than with your own views (if
you can believe that).  I know that Neo-Orthodoxy is something of
a general cussword for all theological wishy-washiness by some of our
more -- er -- flamboyant champions of theological conservativism, but
it is jarringly incorrect here.  Gary is anything but an ersatz-moderate
wishy-washy.

To cut matters a little closer, I wouldn't even equate Gary's views
with those of "liberal-mainline" theologians in general, although he does
speak for an apallingly large segment of them.  I know of a few "liberal"
theologians who enjoy constructive and open-minded dialog with their 
evangelical counterparts, and who espouse (at least in public) a much
more humble attitude toward the theological task than Gary seems to
intend. (Krister Stendahl of Harvard comes to mind as an example).  But
then again, maybe their more radical colleagues would just consider them
to be incurably infected with neo-orthodoxy! :-)


Van E. Kelly
allegra!vek

(All opinions expressed in the foregoing are my own and do not reflect
those of my employer. blah blah blah...)