Robin Parry on the gospel-shaped love of God

Here is my talk on God's love from "The Forgotten Gospel" conference at The Sanctuary, Denver (August 2016)


FGC Robin Parry from The Sanctuary Denver on Vimeo.

Comments

Unknown said…
Hi, Robin,

I love this talk. Thanks so much not only for delivering it but also for making it available to everyone.

Quick question: if memory serves, you didn't reference 1 Cor. 13 when defining Biblical love. Can you talk a little bit about why you didn't go that route?

Thanks!
Tim
Robin Parry said…
Tim,

Thanks, and good point. I did not. I wanted to use the biblical story to explore God's love and 1 Cor 13 is not a narrative, nor a narrative exploration. However, it does need to be integrated and I think that bringing its influence to bear would only enhance the points I am making. If God's love is like 1 Cor 13 then the case for everlasting hell becomes even more difficult—difficult to the point of breaking apart.

Robin
Unknown said…
Yeah, it seems like a theological slam dunk to me. But I totally get now why in this particular talk it wouldn't come up. I just wondered if there was a reason 1 Cor. 13 didn't seem as powerful to you as it does to me. But it looks like it does! Cool!
NMadison said…
Robin, thank you so much for what you offer. Over the last 25 years of being a believer and then the last 15 as a Worship Pastor I had begun to think myself into a corner. It was becoming increasingly harder for me to reconcile the tender Father-Savior-Helper of my experience with some increasingly uncomfortable views of Him I was trying to mentally defend. I began liking God less and less as I was seeing Him, yet in my heart weakly clinging. Long story short, since my mind wouldn't leave me alone I decided to expand my exposure to Theology. I'm happy to say that It's been wonderful. My heart and mind are getting along much better now and your talks have been a part of that.

This is probably a horrible question but might you recommend a few books that you would consider essential? Perhaps some that are a good place to make a start any way? Of course assuming your own ;)
Robin Parry said…
NMadison,

I can relate to your story. Good theology can be very liberating from soul-destroying theologies.

Essential reading? Yikes! Well, perhaps the following:

Thomas Talbott, "The Inescapable Love of God" (2nd ed.)
Brad Jersak, "Her Gates Will Never Be Shut"
Gregory MacDonald, "The Evangelical Universalist"
Heath Bradley, "Flames of Love"
Thomas Allin, "Christ Triumphant: Annotated Edition"

I'd start with that. There are loads of others, but they'd cover the basic ground.

All the best,

Robin

NMadison said…
Thank you so very much!

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