{"id":6382,"date":"2010-06-14T05:34:08","date_gmt":"2010-06-14T05:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/jesuscreed\/2010\/06\/deliverance-of-god-6-matt-edwa.html"},"modified":"2010-06-14T05:34:08","modified_gmt":"2010-06-14T05:34:08","slug":"deliverance-of-god-6-matt-edwa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2010\/06\/deliverance-of-god-6-matt-edwa.html","title":{"rendered":"Deliverance of God 6 (Matt Edwards)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is an incredible series being offered to us by Matt Edwards: a nine part summary and response to Douglas Campbell’s mega-book, The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul<\/a>\"\"
\n<\/strong><\/em>. Thanks to Matt Edwards.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Deliverance of God<\/span><\/i><\/b> 6–The
\nInexplicability of Faith in Justification Theory<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

We are evaluating Douglas
\nCampbell’s rereading of Romans 1-4 as presented in The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in
\nPaul<\/i>. In the book, Campbell rejects “justification theory” (JT), the traditional
\nway of understanding Romans 1-4. He describes JT as having two phases–“the
\nrigorous contract” (in which God’s ethical demands are made clear to all
\npeople, all people are found to have fallen short of these demands, and all
\npeople are declared worthy of God’s retributive justice) and “the appropriation
\nof salvation” (in which God, in his grace, offers a more manageable criterion
\nfor salvation, “faith”). Most western Christians interpret Romans 1-4 according
\nto JT.<\/p>\n

Campbell has suggested three steps
\nthat JT advocates need to take in response to his rereading: (1) demonstrate
\nthat JT is a valid option for Paul, (2) answer his critique, and (3) show how
\nJT is a better interpretive option than his rereading. We have undertaken step
\n(1) in a previous post, and over the next few posts we will be undertaking step
\n(2). When we are finished, I will suggest an approach to step (3).<\/p>\n

Campbell argues that the need for
\n“faith” is inexplicable in JT. He writes, “Justification theory harbors a
\ncluster of complex problems with respect to faith, in two main variations. The
\n‘Arminian’ variant struggles to explain faith fully, and in particular, how
\nindividuals can actually exercise faith in order to be saved. The ‘Calvinist’
\nvariant can get beyond these difficulties by introducing revelation and
\nelection at the point of faith but then runs into further problems in relation
\nto the privileging of faith and its gifting to individuals who have negotiated
\nphase one. Ultimately, both variants collapse.” (55)<\/p>\n

  <\/span>Campbell points out that phase one of JT demands that phase
\ntwo provide a manageable and particular means of appropriating salvation that
\nis based on information, but that there
\nis nothing inherent in JT that demands that this means be “faith<\/i>.”
\nTheoretically, God could have dictated anything to be the means of
\nappropriating salvation (Campbell suggests circumcision, the Eucharist,
\nbaptism, resting on Sunday, or even wearing a red T-shirt that says “Jesus
\nSaves”). He writes, “The obvious problem is that the theory provides no
\nspecific reasons for the function of faith in this role. Faith is clearly
\nprivileged in this position by all the key Pauline texts, but, strictly
\nspeaking, Justification theory cannot
\nexplain it<\/i>. To be sure, faith basically fits the bill, but we do not know
\nwhy it has been selected over so many other potentially effective candidates.
\nSo why not stipulate ‘love’ as the principle Christian condition, and\/or
\n‘hope,’ and\/or ‘humility,’ and\/or ‘justice’?” (56-57)<\/p>\n

 <\/span>Campbell explains two common explanations for the purpose of
\nfaith. The Arminian model emphasizes faith as voluntary. This model is
\nvulnerable to David Hume’s critique that beliefs
\ncannot be chosen<\/i>–you either believe something or you don’t. You can’t choose<\/i> to believe something. Further,
\nthe claims that people are required to believe (“Jesus is Lord” or “Jesus is
\nrisen from the dead”) are unverifiable. Only God really knows if Jesus’ death
\nhas dealt with sin or if Jesus reigns as Lord. Thus the Arminian model demands
\nthat people believe things that they cannot believe.<\/p>\n

The Calvinist model overcomes
\nHume’s critique by making God the source of faith. Humans cannot believe, but
\nGod produces faith within them. This model fails for two reasons. First, it
\ncannot explain why “faith” is the saving criterion. If God is the source of
\nfaith and a host of other Christian virtues, why is “faith” presented as the
\nimportant one? You may even ask (Campbell doesn’t), if God is generating
\nsalvation in people, why doesn’t he generate perfect obedience to the law instead
\nof just “faith”? Campbell writes, “To be sure, saved individuals will have
\nfaith, but only as part of their overall transformation; they will also possess
\nlove, not to mention joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness,
\nand self-control. Yet Paul’s texts massively privilege faith. And the Calvinist
\nvariant has no explanation for this peculiar role.” (59)<\/p>\n

The second reason the Calvinist
\nmodel fails is because it eliminates the need for phase one of JT. If God
\nelects whom He chooses, why bother with phase one? Phase one is only relevant
\nif it is a condition for salvation<\/i>.
\nBut in the Calvinist model, the only condition for salvation is election.   <\/span><\/p>\n

What do you think about this? Arminians–How do you “choose” to believe
\nsomething? Calvinists–Why is “faith” the means of appropriating salvation and
\nnot something else? <\/b><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is an incredible series being offered to us by Matt Edwards: a nine part summary and response to Douglas Campbell’s mega-book, The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul . Thanks to Matt Edwards. The Deliverance of God 6–The Inexplicability of Faith in Justification Theory We are evaluating Douglas Campbell’s rereading…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gospel"],"yoast_head":"\nDeliverance of God 6 (Matt Edwards) - Jesus Creed<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2010\/06\/deliverance-of-god-6-matt-edwa.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Deliverance of God 6 (Matt Edwards) - Jesus Creed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This is an incredible series being offered to us by Matt Edwards: a nine part summary and response to Douglas Campbell’s mega-book, The Deliverance of God: An Apocalyptic Rereading of Justification in Paul . Thanks to Matt Edwards. 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