Veel theologische systemen in het Westen zijn in de kern contractueel en voorwaardelijk. Dat wil zeggen, de relatie tussen God en de mens wordt gereguleerd door een ‘contract’ dat bepaalde eisen stelt voor beide partijen; als de mens voldoet aan zijn voorwaarden, dan moet God hem belonen; als hij dat…

Met betrekking tot recente discussies — Veel mensen lijken te veronderstellen dat, als het evangelie verkondigd wordt, mensen een beslissing van geloof of ongeloof kunnen nemen waar hun redding van afhangt. Dit is echter een fundamenteel on-Calvinistische (en libertarische) veronderstelling. Volgens Paulus zijn mensen niet fundamenteel bekwaam maar onbekwaam, dat wil zeggen totaal verdorven. Hun denken…

A Summary Analysis of the Counterpart of Paul’s Gospel — In the letter to the Galatians, Paul famously opposes ‘another gospel’, which is not really a gospel at all (cf. Gal 1:6–7). By cautiously ‘mirror-reading’ Paul’s polemic, we can discern the contours of this alternative ‘gospel’, which arguably is also reflected in Romans 1–4 and Philippians 3. It is proclaimed…

Some Afterthoughts — This is the epilogue to an article series on Hell: see my first article (on election), second article (on merit), and third article (on embodiment and the ending of evil). Throughout the previous articles, the reader could detect a clash between two fundamentally different theological systems, [1] the key question…

Part 3: Embodiment, Ending Evil + Final Remarks — This is the final part in a series of articles asking questions about Hell; see also part 1 and part 2. 4. Are people embodied in Hell? (1) Yes — they are embodied In one scenario, humans destined for Hell are resurrected with their own fallen body, but endowed with a special kind of ‘immortality’ — the ability to endure infinite torment…

Part 2: Desert — This is the continuation of my first article on Hell; see also part 3. 3. Do all people deserve eternal punishment? The foundational principle of ECT is retributive justice: everyone is personally ‘retributed’ in accord with their own deeds. In other words, everyone gets what they deserve. If this principle of personal merit is held consistently (which…

Part 1: Election — Note: this is the first article in a series of three — see also part 2 and part 3. It’s probably one of the most frightening topics for any Christian: Hell. Eternal Conscious Torment (ECT) is notorious and widespread in the public imagination, being the ‘traditional’ view of Hell. This…

In The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul (Eerdmans 2013), Douglas A. Campbell has provided a radical reinterpretation of Romans 1:18–3:20 (among other texts) that makes Paul a more coherent writer and a brilliant rhetorical one at that — but that makes his interpreters throughout…

Terminology, Meaning, Perspectives — Union with Christ is often said to be the central concept within Pauline theology. [1] Especially the theology of Calvin has put this concept at the center, which has the potential of harmonising the sometimes puzzling parts of Paul’s theology. But how do we even begin defining and understanding it…