Au contraire, FK, they are as loose as it gets and getting looser by the day...thousands of splinter groups. The fact that there is no one Protestant Church indicates that there is no one Protestant theology and that such relativistic groups cannot subscribe to an absolute truth or a single corherent theology, but is a loose aggregation of personal interpretations.
As I said, you and Osteen cannot be both guided by the same Spirit and be on opposite ends of hell.
I'm sure that Osteen would say he is led by the Holy Spirit, the same as I do, and the same as your saying that the Holy Spirit leads the consensus patrum
The Holy Spirit leads to consensus patrum, to one Church, FK, not to 33,000 denominations.
Actually, isn't it Orthodoxy that employs a much higher level of mystery in its theology?
What does mystery have to do with relativism? God IS mystery. Can you describe God accurately as He is? Or do you have to use allegorical language? The only way to describe God for us to be able to see Him and know Him in our terms is through Christ. That is a profound revelation. He is nothing like us. That's why Christ took on human nature, so that we can relate to Him through the prism of our limited senses and concepts, in human terms. Otherwise, relating to God is impossible without heretical anthropomorphism.
But, unlike Protestants, we believe in one thing, one Holy Apostolic Church, one Truth, One God, one Faith. Not thousands of relatively more-or-less "true" faiths or opinions...and for all the hype of differences between the Orthodox and Catholic, the two Churches are 99% in agreement (the 1% of disagreement is profound and didfficult for human mindsets to resolve), but it is safe to say that, all things considered, despite 1,000 years of separation and more, and cultural diversities, our Church has remaind almost untouched, and did not turn into 33,000 little "churches." That is a testimony of itself of the fact that Gates of Hell shall not overcome it.
Who is guided by the Spirit? One must be closer to the truth than the others. Where does one go to find the answers? Do they go to a group of men who decide for them? If so then who's right, the Orthodox or the Catholics? Orthodox can pull out writings from fathers but so can the Catholics. What good does it do? In the end it all comes back to what is written in God's word.
Yes, there is no one Protestant theology, especially if Protestant is defined as "any Christian faith that is not Latin or Orthodox". So what? Reformers absolutely DO have a very coherent theology, and we have never claimed to speak for all Protestants. If I did the same thing to you, then I would lump you in with the Mormons because you both share the very important characteristic of not being Reformed. How do you defend this association you have with the Mormons?
As I said, you and Osteen cannot be both guided by the same Spirit and be on opposite ends of hell.
I do not know what Osteen's spiritual condition is. And if he is a Christian, I do not know the Holy Spirit's plan for his sanctification. If I claim that God is in total control of MY sanctification, and I do, then I can report that it has so far been a gradual process. I did not have full understanding on day one. I figure that I am not alone in this and that Christians are in different stages of their respective sanctifications. Therefore, perfectly good Christians will disagree on some/many matters, depending on where they are in their walks.
The Holy Spirit leads to consensus patrum, to one Church, FK, not to 33,000 denominations.
Ah, but you didn't see my local paper last Wednesday. There was an announcement that the SBC church in the next town over from us is moving its worship time from 9:15 to 9:30. That matches ours. Therefore, there are only 32,999 denominations now.
What does mystery have to do with relativism?
Everything. The more mystery there is in a faith, the more room there is to supplant the text with explanations that do not require support or evidence. That is relativism's drooling point. :)
Can you describe God accurately as He is? Or do you have to use allegorical language?
I can describe God accurately through scripture as He intends to be known. In no way MUST I use allegorical language to do this.
That's why Christ took on human nature, so that we can relate to Him through the prism of our limited senses and concepts, in human terms. Otherwise, relating to God is impossible without heretical anthropomorphism.
I think the OT righteous would beg to differ. :) While they may not have had the understanding of Christ that is available to us, they were still fully able to relate to God because God revealed Himself to them. That is, BEFORE He took on human nature.
But, unlike Protestants, we believe in one thing, one Holy Apostolic Church, one Truth, One God, one Faith. Not thousands of relatively more-or-less "true" faiths or opinions...and for all the hype of differences between the Orthodox and Catholic, the two Churches are 99% in agreement (the 1% of disagreement is profound and difficult for human mindsets to resolve)...
Kolo, what was that you were saying about ecumenism? :)