On another thread, Beastie suggested the LDS church views Jesus as half God, half Man.
DCP replies...
But here's a freebie extra: I reject your characterization of Christ as a "half-god." Neither Latter-day Saints nor mainstream Trinitarians would find that phrase unproblematic. It's riven with grave theological error.
I'm a little surprised at this because in my experience in the LDS church I continually heard the teaching that Jesus was half God and half man.
Jesus was the son of the very mortal Mary and the literal (as in DNA) son of God the father, hence half God, half man.
Until this moment I didn't know this was no longer taught. Or is it still taught in some places? Or is this another teaching that has moved into the realm of "just an opinion"?
~dancer~
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
truth dancer wrote:On another thread, Beastie suggested the LDS church views Jesus as half God, half Man.
DCP replies...
But here's a freebie extra: I reject your characterization of Christ as a "half-god." Neither Latter-day Saints nor mainstream Trinitarians would find that phrase unproblematic. It's riven with grave theological error.
I'm a little surprised at this because in my experience in the LDS church I continually heard the teaching that Jesus was half God and half man.
Jesus was the son of the very mortal Mary and the literal (as in DNA) son of God the father, hence half God, half man.
Until this moment I didn't know this was no longer taught. Or is it still taught in some places? Or is this another teaching that has moved into the realm of "just an opinion"?
~dancer~
Not half, but both.
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
That's semantics, Jersey Girl. Plus, Mormons believe in the actual physical parentage in a way mainstream Xtians don't. (I'm not saying sex HAD to happen, but the sperm united with the egg in some way)
If you have one German parent and one French parent, you could say you're "half-German" or "half-French". Or you're both German and French. The "half" is the way to indicate that the parents contributed a different lineage.
We hate to seem like we don’t trust every nut with a story, but there’s evidence we can point to, and dance while shouting taunting phrases.
truth dancer wrote:On another thread, Beastie suggested the LDS church views Jesus as half God, half Man.
DCP replies...
But here's a freebie extra: I reject your characterization of Christ as a "half-god." Neither Latter-day Saints nor mainstream Trinitarians would find that phrase unproblematic. It's riven with grave theological error.
I'm a little surprised at this because in my experience in the LDS church I continually heard the teaching that Jesus was half God and half man.
Jesus was the son of the very mortal Mary and the literal (as in DNA) son of God the father, hence half God, half man.
Until this moment I didn't know this was no longer taught. Or is it still taught in some places? Or is this another teaching that has moved into the realm of "just an opinion"?
~dancer~
Traditional Christians have consistently believed and affirmed that Christ is 100% man and 100% God. Thus, the doctrine of Christ's two natures. Not 50%/%50. This is as pragmatic as it is theological: as fully man, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents humanity in his standing before God the Father; as fully God, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents God to humanity.
This is the crux (pun intended) of the traditional Christian belief in Christ's mediatorial role between God and humanity, between humanity and God.
Traditional Christians have consistently believed and affirmed that Christ is 100% man and 100% God. Thus, the doctrine of Christ's two natures. Not 50%/%50. This is as pragmatic as it is theological: as fully man, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents humanity in his standing before God the Father; as fully God, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents God to humanity.
I'll ask you the same question I asked Jersey Girl...
I thought one of the difference between mainstream Christianity and LDS beliefs is how they view Jesus.
Do mainstream Christians believe Jesus had the literal DNA of God the father along with the DNA of Mary?
td
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
beastie wrote:That's semantics, Jersey Girl. Plus, Mormons believe in the actual physical parentage in a way mainstream Xtians don't. (I'm not saying sex HAD to happen, but the sperm united with the egg in some way)
If you have one German parent and one French parent, you could say you're "half-German" or "half-French". Or you're both German and French. The "half" is the way to indicate that the parents contributed a different lineage.
No, it's not semantics, beastie. cksalmon has already answered to it in his post above.
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
Traditional Christians have consistently believed and affirmed that Christ is 100% man and 100% God. Thus, the doctrine of Christ's two natures. Not 50%/%50. This is as pragmatic as it is theological: as fully man, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents humanity in his standing before God the Father; as fully God, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents God to humanity.
I'll ask you the same question I asked Jersey Girl...
I thought one of the difference between mainstream Christianity and LDS beliefs is how they view Jesus.
Do mainstream Christians believe Jesus had the literal DNA of God the father along with the DNA of Mary?
td
I'm confused by your question, td. MC's believe that God is a self existent Spirit.
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
And semantics is the study of meaning in communication.
Wouldn't want any of that, would we?
This would be an interesting topic to discuss -- in fact, a very interesting topic to discuss -- with an intellectually serious and fair-minded person.
Traditional Christians have consistently believed and affirmed that Christ is 100% man and 100% God. Thus, the doctrine of Christ's two natures. Not 50%/%50. This is as pragmatic as it is theological: as fully man, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents humanity in his standing before God the Father; as fully God, Christ, in the ultimate sense, represents God to humanity.
I'll ask you the same question I asked Jersey Girl...
I thought one of the difference between mainstream Christianity and LDS beliefs is how they view Jesus.
Do mainstream Christians believe Jesus had the literal DNA of God the father along with the DNA of Mary?
td
No. The conception of Jesus in Mary's womb is understood to be by the power and working of God the Holy Spirit (the same person of the Godhead who raised Jesus from the dead).
Traditional Christians absolutely do not believe that Jesus Christ had the literal DNA of God the Father (did he have male DNA? That seems obvious. Was it from a body-bearing, embodied Father God? Obviously not). That's why traditional Christians describe the event as a miracle. There's nothing particularly miraculous in a sperm-bearing Father impregnating Mary with his seed (however LDS wish to portray the event: via connubial relationship or via some form of in vitro fertilization).