Quotessence
Home / Books / Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry

Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry

Book by Thomas C. Oden · 2 quotes · Christianity, Sin, Admonition

Filter quotes by topic

AllChristianitySinAdmonitionAntinomianismConscienceHolinessHuman HappinessMinistryPastoral Care

Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry Quotes

“Some contemporary theology has been enamored with the heady idea of an imagined freedom that functions without any law or norm or rule of obligation. The technical name for this idea is antinomianism. This yen for freedoms other than Christ's freedom has compounded the problems in pastoral theology. Pastoral practice has at times been exceedingly ready to be guided by this antinomian tendency in theology that implies: if God loves you no matter what, then your own moral responses to God's absolute acceptance make little or no difference; God is going to love you anyway, so assert your individual interest, express yourself, do as you please, and above all do not repress any impulses. It is on the basis of this normless, egocentric relativism that much well-intended liberal pastoral practice has accommodated to naturalism, narcissism, and individualism. It has therefore steered consistently away from any notion of admonition, hoping to avoid 'guilt trips.' But ironically, guilt is more likely to be INCREASED by the lack of timely, caring admonition. For if there is no compassionate admonition, we tend to hide our guilt in ways that make it worse.”

SinChristianityMinistryAdmonitionPastoral CareAntinomianism
Book:Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry
Create image

“God loves us toughly enough not to allow us to be happy with our sins. The recollection of sin rightly brings misery of conscience. How else could moral awareness be saved from sentimentality? The deepest human happiness, we learn, is grounded in holiness - God's holy love and our responsive attempts to reflect it fittingly.”

SinChristianityConscienceHolinessHuman Happiness
Book:Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry
Create image