Tuesday, June 27th, 2017
A LIBERAL THEOLOGY
If moderns want a simple religion of love, they must look for it in the Athanasian Creed.
– G. K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man
There are those who proclaim that God is love and all of life hinges on that attribute. They offer this as a piece of pure and simple Christianity, untroubled by Christian doctrines or even the full message of the Bible. It is illogical to simplify the ultimate essence of deity by saying, “God is love.” That is His greatest attribute to be sure, but there is so much more.
The part of the Athanasian Creed Chesterton is referring to is the first two sentences, which say that one must be saved by faith, which must be kept whole and undefiled or “without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.” Yes, God is love, but He is also just and banishes the unregenerate soul to the furthermost reaches of hell.