Because he writes things like this: “The greatest and correct honor to show to God is to obey His word, to live according to his will, not according to our ordinances and best opinion.” — Huldrych Zwingli
Meanwhile, Paul’s ‘love is patient’ is ok. But he’s no Zwingli.
This photo was taken of Brunner in his study in 1960. What he managed with that clunky old typewriter is more than 99% of theologians since him have accomplished with word processors and computers.
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And, as an aside, the Fraumunster stands across the Limmat (the river that bisects Zurich) from the Grossmunster, the church Zwingli served. And not too far away on the same side of the river as the Fraumunster is St. Peter’s- and these three comprise the three great churches of the City. Brunner’s sermons were always quite well attended.
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‘… the New Testament is … uninterested in culture [because] it can so easily become a surrogate for the Kingdom of God’ — Emil Brunner, Eternal Hope, p.164.
An Atheist- because it makes no sense to me to exalt humanity to deity (which is what atheism does).
A Pentecostal- because the ‘emotionalism’ of the movement is a tad repulsive.
A Roman Catholic- because of the whole Pope thing and the adoration of Mary stuff. It grates my Reformed skin.
A Lutheran- because I’m not into being a beer swilling mean spirited git.
A Methodist- because If I were going to be an Anglican, I’d go the whole way with it and not be ‘Anglican Light”
A Mormon- because it’s all just so silly. Gold tablets and angels named Moroni (which is Moron with an I).
A Buddhist- because I don’t know what the devil those people are talking about.
A Muslim- because I don’t want to have 12 wives in the afterlife. I am a genuine monogamist.
A Church of Christ member- because those people are just mean and I don’t want my wife shooting me in the back.
An Episcopalian- (see above on Methodists).
A Jehovah’s Witness- because, aside from being heretics, I don’t think I’d like to knock on doors to earn salvation.
A Presbyterian- because they are just Baptists that sprinkle. Come on guys, just dip!
An Anglican- because I don’t think a Queen should be the head of a Church (of any sort!!!)
An Emergent- because they are Jehovah’s Witnesses without the Kingdom Hall.
So I shall remain a Baptist, I think, since we are 1) the only one’s that will be in heaven; and 2) the only truly New Testament Church. And the real reason, because we have freedom!
UPDATE: For Soren…
Orthodox, Jewish or Rastafarian- because I don’t like facial hair, a yarmulke, or the evil weed used by my fellow children of the 60’s respectively.
The believer, … as one who who belongs to both spheres, that of faith and that of science, remains to some extent in a state of tension, conditioned by this lack of established certainty in historical knowledge and tradition, since in faith he has to overcome this hindrance again and again, which is one aspect of the stumbling-block of faith as a whole. He is always ready to compare his judgements of faith about the realm of fact with the results of science, but he knows beforehand that, in so far as he really does believe, science may indeed assault his faith, but can never really refute it. — Emil Brunner (in The Mediator, pp. 169-170)
Was the most important systematic theologian of the 20th century, Emil Brunner. Brunner died this day in 1966, when he was at the height of his intellectual powers. Though overshadowed by his fellow countryman, Karl Barth, Brunner’s theology is more useful, more insightful, and more applicable than Barth’s. Today I’ll be posting Brunner Varia – Lest we forget…
And though Heston’s passing is sad; the death of Brunner was a tragedy.
James is lecturing at the University of Tennessee this coming Tuesday, April 8th, at 7 p.m. The Amazing Dead Sea Scrolls: What They Are and What They Mean. If I can at all manage it, I hope to attend.
