This view is what much theological error is: Taking part of a truth and substituting it as a whole truth.
The fact is that PART of what John Whitehead Tertullian is saying is correct. Jesus DID issue in a new age where love conquesrs hate, peace swallows war, kindness conquers barbarism, and force is no longer needed. Jesus is the "Prince of Peace" and his followers are called to be "peacemakers." Ok so far.
The problem is in what theologians have called the "already but not yet" aspect of Jesus's kingdom. We have this new kingdom which is called to live in the midst of and interact with a kingdom of power, lust, greed, war, hatred and wickedness. We are not allowed to RETREAT from this world, as though we are tainted by it. We are called to use the civil structures ordained by God to "use the sword" to restrain evil. The logical conclusion of Whitehead and Tertullian is that no Christian can ever serve as a soldier, policeman, sheriff, judge, bailiff, jury member, or lawyer......, although there IS some support for that last category (smile). All these professions will be GONE in heaven, but until then, they are God's APPOINTED means to restrain evil. Christians can and should seek to serve, and as John the Baptist encouraged soldiers not to abuse their power or become greedy, so today's law enforcement officers should seek to serve humbly, honestly, and repudiate the hatred and violent rage of the heathen as they become the executor of God's justice in this world.
Whitehead is wrong, and I am sorry to see a man who has been such a PHENOMENAL and COURAGEOUS defender of the unborn, and a true hero when it comes to the protection of individual liberties, step into what I believe to be grevious biblical and social error.
That said, those of you who may be inclined to tear him apart should remember that he is a BROTHER. He is also a fervent defender of your rights to say despicable things about him if you wish. I love him because of his commitment to scriptural applications in the cause of exhibiting Christ's kingdom here on earth. I wish he had not let his emotional revulsion against the excesses of the "war on terror" push him into such an untenable position.
IMO...one of the best posts I’ve ever seen on Free Republic. And I’ve seen some mighty fine ones over the last 8 years.
I'm not sure I understand your equivalency.
Tertullian made his choice to convert to Heresy, and Died a Heretic.
As concerns the eternal judgment of his soul, of course all I can say as a Calvinist is that those decisions are made above my pay-grade (although we can certainly hope that his youthful orthodoxy was evidence of true Regeneration, and the senile heresy of his later years merely an unfortunate carnal lapse).
I'm not sure what that has to do with Whitehead. At all.
The logical conclusion of Whitehead and Tertullian is that no Christian can ever serve as a soldier, policeman, sheriff, judge, bailiff, jury member, or lawyer......,
Whitehead approves of ALL those Vocations, for the Christian. Indeed, he FOUNDED the Rutherford Institute, to give aid to Christians seeking those Vocations! I hardly think that he has turned his back upon his own Institute!!
In point of fact, Whitehead simply disapproves of the Iraq War, on grounds of Christian Just War Theory as he (quite masterfully) understands it.
If the question is between Bush and Whitehead, I'm going to have to go with Whitehead any day of the week.