Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms

[**Rowland Croucher**]

Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms, ed. Rolf
Jacobson, Augsburg, 2008.

If the authors have German names, the book is published by Augsburg
Press, has a chapter on Reformation, and prefers 'Communion' to
'Eucharist/Mass', you'll guess it has an 'Evangelical Lutheran' flavour.
Here's a racy - yes, sometimes crazy - easy-to-read little pocketbook
which is an excellent introduction to many theological terms, without
dumbing it all down too much.

But first: If this book is for beginners, try defining these terms:
Adiophora, Adoptionism, Happy Exchange, Hypostatic Union; Kenosis,
Ontology, Perichoresis, Theodicy.

Still breathing?

Adiophora = 'something not worth fighting about', like human traditions;
Adoptionism = the heresy which believes that Jesus didn't become God's
Son until the age of about 30; Happy Exchange = Christ carries our
sins/burdens on the Cross, but we are, in baptism, 'clothed with
Christ'; Hypostatic Union = the two natures of Jesus, divine and human,
are united in one person (but it's a bit more complicated than that);
Kenosis = Christ emptying himself to become truly human (ditto about
complication); Ontology = 'metaphysical reflection on the qualitative
difference between the essence of various entities, for example,
margarine and butter' (which is why 'you'll be reassured to know that
nobody has a full-time job as an ontologist - at least not a paid one)';
Perichoresis = 'the attempt to describe the numbers "three" and "one"
without using math'; Theodicy = 'the attempt to explain why the one who
created everything and saved everyone doesn't live up to our expectations'.

'Saved everyone'? Well, there is a chapter on hell (but not
universalism: this book's written by Evangelical Lutherans, remember)
which says, in part: 'In the New Testament, hell is pictured as a place
where there will be much gnashing of teeth - and where there will be no
dental plan or health care of any kind. And there's a lake of fire but
no indication of what lakeshore property is going for... Hell is the
place where there is no relationship with God. In any case, you can
trust Jesus to steer you toward much better real estate. As in all real
estate, remember: location, location, location!'

A book which can reduce very serious matters to such absurdities can't
be all that bad.

Rowland Croucher

October 2008
--
Shalom/Salaam/Pax! Rowland Croucher

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/ (20,000 articles 4000 humor)

Blogs - http://rowlandsblogs.blogspot.com/

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[Matthew Johnson]

In article <vfsPk.2208$***@nwrddc01.gnilink.net>, **Rowland Croucher**
says...

Post by **Rowland Croucher**
Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms, ed. Rolf
Jacobson, Augsburg, 2008.
If the authors have German names, the book is published by Augsburg
Press, has a chapter on Reformation, and prefers 'Communion' to
'Eucharist/Mass', you'll guess it has an 'Evangelical Lutheran' flavour.
Here's a racy - yes, sometimes crazy - easy-to-read little pocketbook
which is an excellent introduction to many theological terms, without
dumbing it all down too much.
Adiophora, Adoptionism, Happy Exchange, Hypostatic Union; Kenosis,
Ontology, Perichoresis, Theodicy.

Here you are trying to tell us to read a book about these, and you can't even
spell them right?! The word is 'adiaphora', not 'adiophora'. But I suppose you
might try to claim that the difference between the two is one of the adiaphora;)

And even allowing for some tongue-in-cheekiness, your definitions of Hypostatic
Union, Perichoresis and Theodicy are way off.

Who would guess, for example, from your definitions, why Antioch sided with the
indwelling Logos theology, but Alexandria with Hypostatic Union theology?

Besides: you left out communicatio idiomatum!