The biblical teaching in favour of conditionalism [i.e. annihilationism] is as clear as anything else Scripture teaches, including those doctrines Jerry lists. It’s clearer than the deity of Christ, although the Bible does, in the final analysis, teach that Jesus is divine…Some careful cases against the Trinity or the deity of Christ, for example, are frankly better than some pop apologetics arguments for those doctrines, even though on balance we should certainly think those doctrines are biblical [emphasis mine].
http://www.rethinkinghell.com/2016/02/sure-as-hell/
It's striking to see that Glenn Peoples is far more confident about the Biblical witness to annihilationism than the Biblical witness to the deity of Christ. Not only is his impression fanatically skewed, but it shows you how precarious his commitment to Christianity ultimately is.
As say this as someone who's already done 90 posts in response to anti-Trinitarian Dale Tuggy.
Your approach is the same as that of Jerry Walls, to just throw up your hands and freak out rather than engage the evidence.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I never said I was, to quote you, "far more confident" about annihilationism being biblical than the deity of Christ. But it is at least as clearly taught as the deity of Christ, and in my view more so. Annihilationism is taught more repeatedly and emphatically even than a true and vital doctrine like the deity of Christ, and yet you still won't believe it. That sounds like fanatical opposition. Someone has a precarious commitment to the authority of Scripture.
What's more, I've happily made that case. You can just call it fanatically skewed, but I'm more interested in exegesis.
Take care!
Glenn, I've done numerous posts on the "evidence" for annihilationism. That includes engagement with your own case.
DeleteBTW, since you deny the inerrancy of Scripture, then even if annihilationism were repeatedly taught in Scripture, that would simply mean, by your own lights, that a fallible book teaches annihilationism.
I'm able to ignore hamfisted remarks about what you think of my view of biblical authority. My concern in this instance is just that annihilationism is, in fact, taught by Scripture, your interesting attempts at engagement notwithstanding.
ReplyDeleteI've addressed the case against annihilationism, and I've found - and sought to demonstrate, that the case for it is very strong, the case against very weak.
It is no doubt prudent to ignore what you can't refute.
DeleteSo now you have to backpedal on your original allegation that I "just throw up [my] hands and freak out rather than engage the evidence," since that allegation is demonstrable false. You haven't done yourself any favors today.
I understand why folks would want to embrace annihilationism. Eternal perdition is a pretty hard concept to adopt, and were it not for the testimony of Scripture, and fidelity to its authority no one would take the position seriously.
ReplyDeleteA (written book) debate between you two would be far better than the one between Chris Date and Phil Fernandes, no disrespect to either of the aforementioned gentlemen. But Fernandes was "winging it" and there was too much to be said that wasn't. Or maybe even an ebook like the ones done by Triablogue, I'm pretty sure many would be interested. Thanks to both of you for the lively exchange, past and present.
ReplyDelete