Protestantism

» Brian Tubbs - Hell, Jesus, Nicea, etc.

Brian, I think you'll find your statement about history is incorrect, at least until the Council of Nicea.

Shawn, I've studied church history...rather extensively. The Council of Nicea was not about establishing Jesus' deity. That was well established in the vast majority of the Christian congregations already. What was discussed at some length in Nicea was the NATURE of Jesus' deity - i.e., was Jesus eternally co-existent with the Father? They were working through some of the theological issues associated with the Trinity, and really fleshing that out. But to say that Jesus' deity itself was up for debate until and during Nicea is simply not true - despite what Dan Brown & Co. say.

The historical evidence supports a diverse body of beliefs in Christianity, much like the New Age and Neo-Pagan movements of today. The theology did not get codified until after the Roman Catholic Church was founded.

That's the Elaine Pagels / Dan Brown view of early church history, but it's over-stated. There was WIDE consensus among the vast majority of professing Christians (from the first century through Nicea) on the basic tenets of the Christian faith, including the deity and resurrection of Jesus Christ and acceptance of the majority of New Testament books.

Yes, Jesus is God in Mainstream Christianity and the Holy Ghost as well.

Mainstream Christianity - both now AND historically

Good, do you think anyone in this discussion did not know that...

Cheap shot

...or is the theology of the Baptists the fire-and-brimstone lessons that the Landover Baptist people pretend it is?

This is an awkwardly worded, but highly inflammatory attack.

Do you honestly believe that Fred Phelps and Landover Baptist is representative of Baptist churches in America today? Are you honestly suggesting that Fred Phelps is in the same category as most other Baptist preachers? You sure SEEM to be suggesting that Fred Phelps and I are in the same category.

And, btw, the Baptists didn't create "hellfire and brimstone" preaching. Jesus talked more about hell than heaven.

See, this is one thing that the Mormons don't do. Hell isn't an easy thing to achieve and has very specific rules. Most people don't qualify. You would have to have seen God or Jesus and then deny that either one exists and not recant it before your death.

Now, I personally believe both viewpoints are wrong and that Hell is a mental state that we often create for ourselves. Where is the Liberal to Protestant thinking on that?

The evangelical perspective on Hell is that it's a real place. Some believe it is a place of eternal fire and torment. Others believe it is a state of eternal separation from God and that the "fire" is figurative.

The liberal Protestant perspective varies from YOUR interpretation of hell (that it's a mental state in the here-and-now) to the "separation from God" condition in the here-after.